Typing Nines

by Sofie

When 9s get typed by an outside source, they display a pattern which illustrates the subjugation of the gut center very succinctly: They won’t give off a strong heart or head center reaction. The object of nurturing which is supposed to see them for their worth and the object of guidance, supposed to give them reason and navigation during the typing process is the typist - me.

As withdrawn cores, 9s cannot be satisfyingly seen or guided. For a typing to resonate with them, they first need to process it internally and in solitude.

The feedback at the end of a typing call is often similar from 9s: I’ll have to think about this more. This is all very interesting, and it makes sense in the way you explained it to me. I will have to observe whether I see it for myself too.

This is what I call a ‘body shield.’ It’s delaying the heart and head center’s immediate reaction. It’s one example of 9 appearing unlocatable and why they have earned the false reputation of not knowing themselves, of being a hazy fog even to their own eye.

When we type someone, we threaten their autonomy. Nobody gets typed without preconceptions about themselves, and to let go of one’s self-typing and to fully submit to a third party’s claims about who we are, we have to surrender autonomy. This is a sensitive area for body and withdrawn types, as body types strive to leave their impact unsullied by external influences and withdrawn types are separated from the gut center, resulting in a lack of awareness about how they can even influence the ‘real’ world. 9s as withdrawn body types are the most sensitive to this wound of being defined.

Positive types react to the impairment of their delicate center with the subjugation of the gut: The body exerts control, it is used to escape the threat. The escape can be an action, more often seen in 2s and 7s, or a step between self and the object infringing upon their vulnerable center. A shield of inaction, a control of time. Thou shalt not pass. Before I surrender to you, I’ll demonstrate my power and control by not giving you much, by slowing down time for you and me.

When I typed a 2 not too long ago, their immediate response was a call to action. They wanted to make something of that typing, founding a Gurdjieff group in our server, contributing their beautiful art and blog posts. This is the subjugation of the body in a 2ish way.

From 9s, the lack of action or response during the reveal of their type is a final sign I typed them correctly. 4s and 5s react differently with their alternative subjugation modes of competency and reactivity.

From some 9s I never hear again after the Law of One call. Others take their time to write up their feedback, churned and distilled by their heart-head scramble. If the result is disagreement, no words I chose would ever sway them into acceptance. The autonomy of a 9 needs to be protected, and only they can see and guide themselves.

To all 9s I typed and never heard from you again:

I acknowledge the unique journey that each of you embarks upon after our typing session. For some 9s, the revelation of their Enneagram type can feel like a gentle awakening, stirring the depths of their being with new insights and perspectives. For others, it feels safer to clutch onto their self-typing, to remain seen and held by themselves and resist being seen by the hawk’s eye.

I understand that the process of integrating this newfound knowledge into your self-understanding can be a deeply personal and introspective one. It takes time and patience to fully embrace and embody the hard truths revealed by the Enneagram. Know that I encourage you on your navigation of the path ahead in solitude, but know also that to work with the hidden force, you need to get very uncomfortable. The gravest discomfort for you is pressure in the outside world, happening too fast to be processed in introspection. The point of your growth is not to block reality from impacting your scramble; but to face it, throw yourself in, and react from the heart and head center when your body feels paralysed.

And thus, my line to 2 for the day was depleted.