Positive Health Online

Are there people in your life you are attracted to even though your personalities are very different? Would you perceive yourself as the type of person who attends to their own needs first; or do you find it more important to fit in with the wishes of others; or are you always in search for that one special person with whom you can spend time?

There are three fundamental instincts by which we are governed: self-preservation, social and sexual/one-to-one relationships. In my previous article about the Enneagram (Positive Health Issue 19), I wrote about the nine different character types as unconscious strategies that we develop as children in order to cope with the chaos in our environment. Similarly, the instinctual types powerfully determine the way we operate in the world.

The three instinctual drives affect our behaviour, thoughts and feelings. We distort our real needs as our instinct kicks in causing us to pay attention and look after it. Self-preservation is concerned with the search for survival and well being. Social is concerned with groups and how to fit in. Sexual is concerned with searching for one-to-one relationships and intimacy. We are unconsciously directed by all three of the instinctual types, but one of them dominates us more than the others. We are also guided by a secondary instinct but our third instinct is fairly remote.

The Self-Preservation Type

Self-preservation is concerned with survival and looking after and protecting yourself. A person focuses on their self and how their environment affects them. Security is of prime importance and this can be obtained if their basic needs are provided for, such as food, drink, clothing and a safe environment. Being preoccupied with security can work in two ways, either causing anxiety about survival or leading them to react as if they were invincible.

The priorities of self-preservation types are concerned with physical well-being, eg. health, nutrition, stress and attractiveness; financial security, eg. costs, resources, investments and time management; and mental health, eg. safety, spirituality and self development. So you are far more likely to find them working out in the gym, buying healthy food and drink, going to therapy, protecting their homes and investing in their future.

The self-preservation type spends time focusing on how their body feels, whether it is energetic or tired, nourished or hungry, hot or cold. There is less flowing energy than with the sexual or social types because they hold back when they know they will need more energy later. They watch and ration their energy according to their needs.

The Social Type

The social instinctual types are concerned with belonging to groups. Community spirit is very important and they welcome support from others. They like working for the group and inherit its values. The underlying fear that prevails is of being secluded and alone, coupled with the resulting outcome of failure and rejection. They need to feel that they belong and feel safe when their views are reinforced by the group.

Social types are concerned with the structure of the group and how the members relate to each other within it. They can conform to group pressures and may view those who disagree as outcasts. They are also concerned with the right way to communicate within the group leading to a focus on issues of hierarchy, status, camaraderie, procedures, traditions and recognition.

The social instinctual types can sacrifice themselves for the group cause by working long hours or offering their home to be used for social functions in order to gain acceptance and approval. They have a perpetual need to identify with others and look for happiness externally rather than looking within. The focus is on what others would perceive as worthwhile, which would include success, respect, becoming well-known and attributes necessary for co-operation, such as being hospitable and accommodating. As their attention is orientated towards others they can sometimes get caught up in unhealthy groups which cause them harm, like gangs or religious cults.

The Sexual Type

The sexual instinctual types are concerned with sexual and one-to-one relationships. This type wants to attract the special person to share their life with and does not feel whole until they do. When they are on their own they feel that something is missing. And when problems arise they look to their significant other for advice instead of finding security within themselves.

Their underlying fear is being unwanted and feeling worthless and detached. They try to compensate by finding ways of getting closer to the person that they desire by becoming more attractive.

Because of their preoccupation with intimacy, sexual instinctual types overdo anything involving sex and can take it to extremes. This can involve alternative forms of sex or being openly flirtatious or quietly sexual. Alternatively, they may hold back, to the extent of becoming impotent or frigid. This type exhibits the most energy as they try to attract their ideal person.

An interesting comparison can be seen when the different instinctual types gather at a party. Sexual instinctual types scan the room for the one special person who they can have an intimate conversation with. They may also believe that they can attract whoever they want. The social type would be wondering about the right thing to do for the group, whether they are dressed right and how they should be communicating. The self-preservation type would be looking after themselves by indulging their satisfactions, whether it be food, drink or socialising. They may be concerned with the effects of passive smoking and loud music.

To learn about the Enneagram character types without a deep perspective of the instincts is like watching snooker on a black and white television. Each one of the nine Enneagram character strategies is strongly influenced by one underlying predominate instinct. So in effect there are actually 27 instinctual subtypes which I list briefly in Table 1.

Character Types    Self preserving                Social                                    Sexual

1. Perfectionist       Anxiety, expectation        Rigid, non adaptable          Jealousy, heat
2. Supporter            Me first, privilege            Ambition, aspirations          Seduce, aggressive
3. Impressionist      Security, accumulate      Prestige, achievement        Strong gender roles
4. Thespian             Dauntless, reckless        Shame, honour                    Competition, hatred
5. Observer             My home, my castle        Totem, identity                    Confidence, trust
6. Detector              Warmth, affection            Dutiful, fellowship               Strength and beauty
7. Explorer              Network of friends           Sacrifice, martyr                 Fascinate, suggest
8. Activist                Satisfactory survival        Friendship                           Possess, surrender
9. Harmonist           Appetites, insatiable       Peripheral participation    Union, oneness

To be in perfect balance with our instincts would be ideal as each new context that we face requires different responses. In reality, though, one of our instincts needs more of our attention as it is the least developed. This is the instinct that we automatically tune in to when put under stress and paradoxically it is also the instinct that we feel most comfortable being with.

We can achieve balance by spending more time focusing on the least recognised instinctual type. So for example, if you are not aware of your social instinct, the idea would be to get more involved in groups and social events. When you spend more time with your least used instinct, your primary overdeveloped instinct will be given less time. All three instincts are a part of our existence in a hierarchy of attention. In different situations the instincts compete with each other to become the dominant force.

All of the character types can go along with the urges of the instincts or they can resist them or run away from them. These directions can be voluntary or unconscious and either subtle or strong. The main concern is that any attention given to the instincts is away from essence (see previous article, Issue 19) which is seen in the characteristics of a new-born baby that has not yet been conditioned and has unique desires, choices and abilities. Being preoccupied with your instinctual type is a waste of your energy and resists essence.

A person's instinctual type is a better indicator of the compatibility of two people in a relationship than are our character types. With the different character types there are some common relationships but the only preference is choosing someone who is more evolved. But each instinctual type shares the same type of energy and is an expression of our basic survival which is a powerful force that requires support from relationships.

Our instincts are entrenched within us. When we become aware of them they lose some of their grip. We can truly develop as individuals when we align our instincts and choose how best to respond to any new situation. Their profound effect on the character types signifies the diversity with which each type interacts and experiences thoughts, feelings and sensations. I envisage a time when people are aware of their character and instinctual types and are able to excel in their new found freedom.

Further Information

Although there is little written about this subject, various authors have added their contribution: Ichazo, Naranjo, Palmer, Chernick, Webb.

Some positively suggested reading on the Enneagram:
Almass, A. H. Essence: The Diamond Approach To Inner Realisation. York Beach, me: Samuel Weiser (1986)
Hurley & Dobson. What's My Type? Harper Collins (1991)
Ichazo, O. not readily available: apply to the Arica Institute
Naranjo, C. Character and Neurosis. Gateways (1994)
Ouspensky, P. D. In Search of the Miraculous. Arkana Penguin (1987)
Palmer, H. Enneagram Understanding Yourself and Others in your life. Harper (1991)
Riso, D. R. Personality Types. Houghton Mifflin (1987)
Webb, K. Principles of the Enneagram. Harper Collins (1996)