The Psychology of Enneatypes

The Psychology of Enneatypes – Summary

“The psychology of Enneatypes holds that people belong to a variety of human types, each of which is animated for any of the sins; only that we use the word 'passions' instead of 'sins' to emphasize that these are not behaviors prohibited by God, but rather destructive emotional excesses for the individual that should be overcome in order to remain faithful to life and one's own development.”

“But let us not forget that, according to this vision of personality, characters are distinguished not only according to passions, but also according to irrational ideas associated with passions, which have been called 'fixations' because they constitute errors of perspective about life and the human relationships that sustain passions, giving them special stability.”

“Irrational ideas are automatic thoughts that stem from a distortion at the cognitive level. They are false judgments and assumptions that are produced from the basic cognitive fixation that, associated with the corresponding passion, constitutes the central core of a certain type. Ichazo defines fixations as specific cognitive flaws; aspects of an automatic system of the self that, in a peculiar way, alter the perception of reality and condition behavior.”

“Subtypes raise the psychology of enneatypes that combines the dominant passion with the dominant instinct in the person, and thus three specific varieties of each of the nine personalities are generated. And although to understand each of these subtypes the explanation that the same energy can invade one or another area of life due to its passionate nature, each of the twentyseven human types is also distinguished by a specific trait that can be explained as an overflow of the instinctive area contaminated by a compensatory instinctual derivative.”

“The vision transmitted by Ichazo invites us to consider three motivations that, without having the fixity of animal instinct, constitute goals and motivational factors of psychic life: the search for conservation (reflected in the search for security, health, and money), a sexual instinct (which when it dominates, it leads the person to concentrate on the couple and the family) and a social instinct (in which the most important thing is contact and communication and the relationship with the world in general, beyond oneself and the family).”

“Crazy ideas are the cognitive aspect of the ego (according to the theory, this is the aspect of implicit delusion underlying the emotional aspect).”

*Note that everything Naranjo claimed to be from Ichazo (in relation to the subtypes) was actually from John C. Lilly and Joseph E. Hart’s ‘THE ARICA TRAINING.’

The actual names of the Centers/Triads

Hysteroid group: E2, E3, E4

Schizoid group: E5, E6, E7

Anti-intraceptive group: E1, E8, E9

“When we think not of the individual, but rather of human types, what is noticeable is the air of family of the types that are to be found in the three corners of the enneagram: we may speak of a hysteroid group of characters, a schizoid group, and another that is rigid or anti-intraceptive. (I do not say anti-introverted because this does not constitute the opposite of social introversion, but rather the opposite of inwardness or interest in the contents of the mind, technically known as intraception.) What is characteristic of the three characters that are represented at the top of the enneagram (I, VIII and IX) is their interest in not looking towards the subtle world of life experiences; a non-inwardness that goes hand in hand with active extroversion. In contrast, the dramatic and socially extrovert characters (II, III and IV) are located in the area of the angle on the right, whereas the angle on the left entails an introverted disposition (V, VI and VII)—although in Enneatype VII (EVII), the underlying introversion is compensated by superficial sociability. The symmetry between the left and right side of the enneagram is not only one of social introversion/extroversion: it also constitutes a polarity of rebellion/seduction. The right side is more social or socialized; the left, more antisocial. This is the same polarity that exists between hysterical and psychopathic, both studied by Eysenk. There also exists a polarity between the upper and lower parts of the enneagram of characters. We may speak of a polarity of tough-mindedness and tender-mindedness in relation to the degree of intraception or inwardness. Characteristically, the lower region of the enneagram is that of the “poor of spirit”; i.e. of those who are in contact with their sense of lack at the heart of their being. At the opposite (upper) pole are to be found those who have turned a deaf ear to their inner hurting, and who therefore feel immensely more satisfied. In contrast, Enneatypes IV and V (in the lower region of the enneagram) are those who are fashionable in psychoanalysis: borderline and schizoid personalities. These are, one could say, the “borderline,” the most problematic. Or more precisely, the problem-ridden, in contrast to the characters of points VIII, IX and I, whose secret problem is not having problems. The case of these characters that science considers so pathological serves to illustrate the theoretical formulation of equivalence among them. The “poor of spirit” (a term which in the original Aramaic would translate literally as “lepers”) are those who seek more intensely—and those who seek a lot, find. The enneagram of characters is thus organized in terms of a symmetry of social introversion versus extroversion and a polarity of intraception or inwardness and anti-intraception or rejection of inwardness.”

Passion: Wrath
Fixation: Perfectionism

The focus is on the passion of anger, linked to the fixation of "perfectionism," a trait associated with obsessive personality disorder. Perfectionism, beyond being a character trait, involves a harmful belief that one's worth is tied to achieving perfection. This belief can lead to inhumane attitudes and behaviors. Naranjo criticizes Oscar Ichazo's term "resentment" for this fixation, preferring "perfectionism" to better capture the cognitive error and emotional pathology involved.

SP1

Passion: Worry

“The SP1 is characterized by an intense need to perfect themselves and to get rid of their imperfections. There is an exaggerated need for foresight and to have everything under control, in turn motivated by a fear that its survival or conservation will be threatened. Anger is transformed into goodwill, because the image the SP1 has of themselves is that of being too imperfect.”

SX1

Passion: Zeal

“The SX1 is characterized by an intense need to pursue its desires, justifying their actions by the simple existence of their desires. There is an inherent feeling of superiority, and they take what they want from the world. Oftentimes these are people that seek to influence the external world, get rid of its imperfections, but they have a heightened focus on the intimate realm. Anger manifests as a need to perfect their partner, because the SX1 is already perfect themselves and their partner should keep up with their demands.”

SO1
Passion: Superiority

“The SO1 is characterized by a need to get rid of the world's imperfections. They represent a perfect idea and allow themselves to make even the biggest mistakes. They feel so superior that they may appear as unadaptable. They focus their Anger on the social realm, and when their interlocutor is in the wrong, they assume a position of authority. After all, if the other is wrong, the SO1 immediately assumes a superior state and feels rightful to judge the other and criticize them.”

Passion: Pride

Fixation: False Abundance

In Dante's Purgatory, pride is considered the most serious sin to overcome, reflecting Lucifer's sin of preferring a separate existence from God. The proud often feel superior and radiate a seemingly generous attitude but tend to confront their pride through conflicts in their love life. Unlike the Christian view, Ichazo's perspective sees all sins equidistant from the center on a geometric map, implying no sin is worse than another universally. In therapeutic contexts, certain characters, like the E8 psychopath or the E3, are considered unfixable due to their poor relational ties.

SP2

Passion: Privilege

“The SP2 is characterized by a constant need to be seen. There is an inherent infantile egocentrism, which can lead to be perceived as childish behavior. They want to be loved not for this or that, but simply for being who they are. There is a need for love, obtained neither by sexual seduction nor by social self-importance. Pride manifests through their sense of inherent importance. There is a need for tenderness, delicacy and fragility, but it comes with self-centeredness and evasion of responsibilities.”

SX2
Passion: Seduction

“The SX2 is characterized by their visible seduction. This is an expression of affection through which interest, loyalty, affection, protection, etc., of others is intended. They tend to be inconsistent with their offers of help and only want to gain someone's attention. Pride manifests through an inherent need of feeling the right to take what they want from others. This sexuality can involve money, material goods, partners, etc.”

SO2
Passion: Ambition

“The SO2 is characterized by a satisfaction in the conquest of the public. They are very strategic and smart, using their intellect in order to get to important places. They must feel confident in being able to seduce social groups and influence many people, and they must be able to distinguish themselves as an important person—someone who can lead others. Pride manifests through an inherent feeling of importance.”

Passion: Vanity

Fixation: Self-deception

In Christian tradition, pride and vanity are often conflated, but Christian esotericism from Central Asia differentiates them. Pride involves self-exaltation, while vanity focuses on being seen and valued, leading to image manipulation. Intellectually, vanity aligns with "deceit," or confusing one's true self with an idealized image. Vanity manifests in three subtypes: sexual vanity aims to attract partners, social vanity seeks prestige and success, and the conservation vanity appears as humility, striving to be seen as a supportive, non-vain person.

SP3

Passion: Security

“The SP3 is characterized by an extreme need for security. They feel as though they are lacking skills to perform and achieve things that are expected of them. These people narrow their interests to what is most practical and useful, only engaging in practical matters, because they need to take care of themselves and others from a very young age. Vanity manifests by achieving great things. Often the SP3 is not seen as vain, and they actually want to be able to do the things they seek recognition for. This is not the type of person to take shortcuts or credit for the work of others.”

SX3
Passion: Attractiveness

“The SX3 is characterized by putting all their passion in the thirst for love and in the corresponding seduction through complacency or the image that is supposedly attractive and exciting. They are so attuned to pleasing others and fitting into their ideal role that they become unable to enjoy themselves, leading to self-alienation. Vanity manifests through their attractiveness. They want to be physically appealing and to be worthy of others' love, being very dependent on the feedback they receive.”

SO3
Passion: Prestige

“The SO3 is characterized by having the passion to shine in the way they present themselves to others. They have an internal propaganda department and are very rigid in how they express themselves. This subtype needs a lot of admiration from others, and not just a few people, but as many people as possible. They are primarily oriented toward good performance, practicality, and success, becoming socially involved. Vanity manifests by wanting to attain that which is the most deserving of admiration. These are ideal types of people in today's society, going so far as not even being able to be seen as neurotic in medical settings. Their need to fit into society at all costs and to become popular leads them to seeming like they are ideal people.”

Passion: Envy

Fixation: False Deficiency

In the traditional hierarchy of sins, envy follows pride. In Dante's Purgatory, the envious are punished by having their eyes sewn shut, forcing them to focus inward rather than on comparisons. Envy involves pain from feeling a lack of love or value, stemming from a 'false deficiency'—seeing the glass as half empty. This feeling likely arises from early frustrations, but the three subtypes of envy respond differently: social envy laments others' greener lawns and is linked to sadness; sexual envy is competitive and arrogant; and conservation envy adopts a counter-envy, marked by autonomy and a rejection of dependency.

SP4

Passion: Tenacity

“The SP4 is characterized by being in a constant state of suffering. This is a person who does not complain nor cry in front of others, and who has learned to swallow a lot and endure pain without blinking. These are people who adopt a stoic outlook on life, but they actually enjoy suffering and experiencing intensely negative feelings. They adopt an introjection of greed, resulting in wanting to suffer more and more, because they have accepted that they will not stop to suffer, embracing it fully. Envy manifests through directing it against the person themselves, resulting in a great amount of self-demands.”

SX4
Passion: Competitiveness

“The SX4 is characterized by turning against shame, becoming shameless in order to satisfy its intense desires. These are people who get easily frustrated, preferring to express their anger verbally. Their competitive attitude manifests through despising that which is desired. Envy manifests through the devaluation of that which is enviable. These types of people want everything with a burning sense of anger.”

SO4
Passion: Blame

“The SO4 is characterized by being very tearful and feeling like a victim. They complain a lot, and they are given to self-sabotage. These people are so given to self-blame and to comparing themselves unfavorably with others, because they redirect their rage onto themselves. There is an inherent need to endure pain oneself instead of projecting it onto others instead. Envy manifests by complaining about the perceived unfairness of life. These people are unreliable and childish, resulting in irrational beliefs or behaviors.”

Passion: Avarice

Fixation: Isolation

In Christian tradition, "greed" involves withholding and a sense of inner poverty, manifesting in three subtypes: conservation (hoarding resources), sexual (possessive and needy), and social (seeking significance despite feeling insignificant). These types are symbolized by a mouse, ermine, and giraffe, respectively. Greed stems from a belief that solitude is safer than relationships due to a fear of giving more than receiving, often rooted in childhood experiences of manipulative or inadequate love. E5 individuals prefer solitude or intellectual pursuits, struggling with the mutuality required for deep relationships.

SP5

Passion: Refuge

“The SP5 is characterized by having a clear need to retreat from everything. They extremely limit their desires in the external world and try to minimize their interactions with it, because they feel invaded otherwise. Finding refuge in limiting their desires and dependencies, the SP5 seeks to retreat to a special place they can call their home. Avarice manifests through extreme detachment from things and wanting to withdraw from everything in life. They have very low volitional qualities and easily fulfill others’ requests if it means that they will be left alone. However, this subtype is also linked to survival and to the concrete, attached to objects and personal space.”

SX5
Passion: Trust

“The SX5 is characterized by an excessive need to retreat with their partner and to idolize a person that does not exist. They are on a constant quest for absolute love, and since it is so idealized, they are easily disappointed. The idealization of their nonexistent partner usually comes from imagining that they will be fully accepted by them, even their worst qualities, and that the partner has to remain as perfect as they are seen as, without any flaws. Avarice manifests by making this subtype highly idealistic, seeking something that does not exist. Feeling an intense connection to their emotions, SX5s are more inclined toward art and poetry while still seeking knowledge and detachment.”

SO5
Passion: Totem

“The SO5 is characterized by looking toward an ideal, the most complicated and interesting idea or a person with extensive knowledge. They are very detached from earthly matters, seeking to engage with the most sublime parts of reality. Seeking extensive knowledge, the SO5 isolates themselves from the external world, which they only connect with through sharing their knowledge. They often take on a teaching attitude, sharing their knowledge with other people interested in the same fields as them. Avarice manifests by clinging to their knowledge, trying to always learn more about their areas of interest, limiting their interactions with everything deemed as uninteresting.”

Passion: Fear

Fixation: Self-rejection

The esoteric tradition identifies vanity and cowardice as distinct passions, unlike the seven deadly sins. Cowardice, or fear of fear, leads to inhibited action. While Christianity downplays fear, modern psychology views it as central to illness.

Animal symbolism for cowardice includes dogs (obedience to authority), with subtypes: sexual E6 (rooster), conservation E6 (rabbit or lamb), and social E6 (wolf), reflecting solidarity and hierarchy.

SP6

Passion: Warmth

“The SP6 is characterized by needing a lot of protection from the external world. They are warm and ambiguous, insipid, sappy, and it is usually very hard for them to see the world in black and white, seeing it in multiple shades of gray instead. They want to feel the embrace of a family, to be in a warm place, in a familiar environment where there are no enemies. And, in order to achieve this, they make alliances with people by supporting them. These are typically alliances establishing common ground and securing the agreement on not hurting one another. Fear manifests by wanting to minimize any chance of being attacked, trying to be friendly with everyone so no one can hurt them.”

SX6
Passion: Strength

“The SX6 is characterized by going against fear and appearing as intimidating. These people are more similar to a biting dog than a genuine threat, since they try to appear strong and hope that the other will get scared. They think that the best defense is a good attack and often bark more than they bite. Fear manifests by going against their neurotic impulses, seeking to minimize the inferiority they feel when experiencing fear. These can be people who act proactively, because they are afraid that the thing they fear will get to them instead if they do not.”

SO6
Passion: Allusion

“The SO6 is characterized by an intense need for a reference point. They are very strongly tied to their beliefs, and cannot live without a reference point, leading to taking on the appearance of a Prussian character. They have an intellectual orientation toward wanting to know everything. Furthermore, they are so concerned with “knowing the truth” that they become dismissive of reality. These can be people tied to religions, ideals or cults, and they prefer the security they feel in “knowing” than the reality of things, often leaving them without a clear conclusion and therefore with uncertainty. Fear manifests by avoiding what is uncertain and finding something external to believe in. These people need a point of reference for everything they think about, because they are uncertain themselves.”

Passion: Gluttony

Fixation: Planning

Gluttony is often depicted in a way that seems less serious compared to other sins, sometimes focusing on trivial acts like sneaking food. However, gluttony can be seen as a deeper addiction to pleasure or an aversion to pain, driven by a hedonistic defense against hypersensitivity to discomfort.

In animal symbolism, the monkey represents the gluttonous type due to its playfulness and impudence. Subtypes include the sexual E7 (monkey), the conservation E7 (bear), and the social E7, who, despite appearing good and loving, may hide their true nature like a fox.

SP7

Passion: Alliances

“The SP7 is characterized by making a lot of alliances with people through ideas. They sell an idea to a person, even if subconsciously, that they should team up and engage in the pleasures of life together. They are often cunning individuals and play around the rules. Although their offers might sound generous and appealing, self-interest and selfishness is behind this alliance, even if it appears to be denied. These are highly opportunistic individuals, trying to attain a lot of advantages and to profit by making deals with others. Gluttony manifests as an excessive concern to get out of the perceived threat to their conservation. They think that if someone is not aware of opportunities, they will end up as a loser.”

SX7
Passion: Suggestibility

“The SX7 is characterized by being a dreamer, idealizing mundane things as something they are not. They seek something heavenly, being overly optimistic and not interested in the things of this world. They have the passion to enthrall reality, to fantasize, to paint things pink, to imagine something better than the desolate reality. They are very dreamy individuals, often perceiving the world through glasses made of love. Gluttony manifests through seeking the things of a higher and more advanced world.”

SO7
Passion: Sacrifice

“The SO7 is characterized by suppressing their needs externally. They try to be as altruistic as they can, and they adopt an anti-gluttonous mentality. They see themselves as disgraceful for having desires and seek to postpone their desires before an ideal. They want others to see them as very good. They try to be good according to a social consensus, often ending up raising awareness to problems in society. These could be vegans, trying to be less selfish and more considerate toward the Earth by eating less animals. Gluttony manifests as an intense desire to sacrifice their needs, pursuing selfless ideals and seeking fulfillment by trying to become good.”

Passion: Lust

Fixation: Rebellion

Lust, according to Ichazo, represents a craving for intense experiences rather than just exaggerated sexuality. It manifests in three main subtypes. Sexual E8: Exhibits a fiery and aggressive pursuit of pleasure, akin to a wild boar. This subtype is intensely focused on eroticism and action, often challenging conventional values. Social E8: Shows a strong protective and passionate nature, symbolized by a pig. This type seeks to champion others and may appear as a defender of the oppressed, contrasting with their inner intensity. Conservation E8: Characterized by coldness and impatience, resembling a crocodile. This subtype demands immediate gratification and can be overwhelming in personal relationships.

SP8

Passion: Impatience

“The SP8 is characterized by feeling an intolerance toward the frustration of what they want to have rather than the actual having of it. They are antisocial and pursue the satisfaction of their own needs. This type of person does not talk much and acts very straightforwardly, no nonsense, no words, and no puns. They know how to achieve their desires and how to convince others to get them to offer them what they want. Lust manifests through a need to get what they want, often resulting in disregarding others and being excessively selfish.”

SX8
Passion: Possessiveness

“The SX8 is characterized by an extremely antisocial attitude. They go against everything. They are a provocative person and they flaunt that their values are different from the norm. Being possessive in their relationships, the SX8 grabs the other and always wants to be the center. Their power comes from a greater seduction, from a greater power of fascination, which differentiates them stylistically from others. Lust manifests by wanting to have the other to themselves, by wanting to be seen as the most important person in the room.”

SO8
Passion: Complicity

“The SO8 is characterized by being a person that is against social norms, a rebellious person. Their violence comes from solidarity, and they oppose parental figures, like institutions, authority, etc. Everything that includes patriarchal culture such as intellect, authority, and impulse control, will get opposed by them. They are loyal, but their loyalty is composed of self-interest. Since they lacked love in their childhood, the SO8 thinks that it is better to go for power, for pleasure, for what they want, instead of waiting for love, instead of getting sentimental. Lust manifests by veering toward the cynical, toward the rough, toward the harsh, and opposing suppression of their desires.”

Passion: Psycho-spiritual Inertia

Fixation: Indolence

In monastic Christianity, "laziness" or acedia was a term for spiritual inertia or numbness, rather than mere laziness. This state, described as "psychospiritual inertia," reflects a tendency toward automatism and overadaptation. Sexual E9: Gentle and self-effacing, often exhibiting compulsive altruism. Social E9: Energetic and hardworking, dedicated to serving their group. Conservation E9: Loud and irritable, resembling an E8 in their intensity. The elephant symbolizes this type overall for its group spirit and insensitivity.

SP9

Passion: Sloth

“The SP9 is characterized by their resignation. They like to sleep, eat, and enjoy the daily pleasures of life. They are fundamentally detached from their inner self and orient themselves toward the mundane, the facts of life, everything ordinary. Being averse to introspection, there exists no metaphysical level for them. The question of being, of meaning has been erased from their life, and they pursue nothing other than external distractions. Psycho-spiritual inertia manifests by not feeling loved and empty inside. They are pleasant people to be around and there is in them a kind of joy, a kind of tenderness.”

SX9
Passion: Symbiosis

“The SX9 is characterized by seeking an intense fusion with something. Oftentimes this is as simple as a partner, but they can also merge with a group or their own body. They use their union with something in order to live, because they cannot stand on their own. These are very dispassionate people, who do not fully live. Being overly oriented toward satisfying the needs of the other, they forget about their own needs and are left with very little. Psycho-spiritual inertia manifests in their union with something, at the cost of life, of the subtle level of life.”

SO9
Passion: Participation

“The SO9 is characterized by having an intense need to do something, to become part of something. The feeling of not belonging or being different, leads them to overcompensate, to express a kind of generosity, being very attentive to the others and the group. They are very attentive people, focusing on making the social sphere enjoyable. Psycho-spiritual inertia manifests by doing what is necessary to pay the toll that allows them to be admitted to the group.”