Enneagram 9

written by Emily

Center of Intelligence: gut/body center

Hornevian: withdrawn

Harmonic: positive outlook

Object relations: attachment/adaptation

Type 9 is one of the most common Enneagram types and one of the most fluid. The 9 often takes on characteristics of their wing, fixes, or lines of connection. Being a withdrawn type as well, they can hold their desires, motivations, and needs close to themselves. As a result, other people may see them as reserved, withholding, absent, or an enigma. Still, 9 is a distinct type in and of itself, and I’ll explore the things that make it distinct in this description. 

The 9 is a gut type, also called a body type, but they’re disconnected from their center. The body center is where we experience our sovereignty and strength. The personality uses this center to create boundaries and respond when those boundaries are encroached upon. So instead of being in tune with their body and its natural power and instincts, the 9 is disassociated from their body and out of touch with a distinct sense of self. 

The natural response of anger to broken boundaries is muddled in the 9. Instead, 9s struggle to place exactly where they end and someone else begins. In the moment, this can look like forgetting their own desires or needs or at least neglecting to assert them to others. On a larger scale, 9s can find themselves caught up in a lifestyle, values, beliefs, or relationships that are largely influenced or created by others, not themselves.

They’re still a gut type at the core though, so anger is a driving force of their personality and it will bubble up eventually. Some 9s are more comfortable with anger and will express it easily: for example, 9s with assertive fixes, an 8 wing, or sexual in their stacking. Other 9s will deaden their anger for a long as possible. At times, the 9’s anger is stubborn, passive aggressive, and leaks out in microinteractions. Other times, it’s an explosive outburst that neither the 9 nor people around them were expecting. 

The other gut types have a different way of dealing with anger, of course. 8s are open and outward with their anger and feel very little guilt or shame about it. A 1’s anger is directed both inward and outward: frustration with the world and themselves and how it all fails to measure up. The wing on a 9 will vastly influence their expression and personality. 9w8s are more comfortable with being assertive whereas 9w1s often value self-control and self-containment more. 

Since the 9 is disconnected from the gut, the head center and the heart center are what the 9 mainly relies on. The two centers get scrambled, though, so that the head center is trying to fulfill the function of the heart center and vice versa. The head center for the 9 is often thinking and analyzing about their feelings instead of feeling them. The heart center and its emotions are used to fuel mental frameworks and narratives. They may create an identity out of their beliefs or the way they see the world. 

A major consequence of this head/heart scramble is a lack of willpower and initiative. All of the energy of the personality is instead focused on thinking and/or emotional meaning. Many 9s struggle with procrastination, indecisiveness, a lack of assertiveness, and conflict aversion. 

The withdrawn nature of 9 adds a layer of difficulty to relate to others or express themselves in a full way. All three withdrawn types (9, 4, and 5) are disconnected from the body and have weak or fluid boundaries. They prefer to meet their own needs, rather than ask or cooperate with others (such as superego types, 1, 2 and 6) or place their needs above the needs of others (like assertive types, 3, 7, and 8). The 9 has an internal message that they can figure things out on their own. 

This urge is exacerbated by an oversensitivity to external stimuli. Because they have weak ego boundaries, they filter out reality in various ways to protect themselves. 9s can even experience a synesthesia with elements in their environment, which compounds on the 9ish adage that “all things are connected.” Some 9s will struggle with this more than others, especially 9s with one or two withdrawn fixes or social 9s. 

Internally they remain separate from others, but since the 9 is an attachment type, they’re often adapting externally. In object relations theory in the context of the Enneagram, attachment types adapt to their caregivers as children in order to get their needs met. As adults, 9 can struggle with breaking this pattern. Unhealthy 9s can seem like children trapped in adult bodies, waiting for direction from those around them and afraid to fully individuate.

The dominant instinct will determine where the 9 focuses most of their energy and where they adapt the most to get those needs met. Social 9s will adapt in order to find connection, relation, and belonging. Sexual 9s will adjust their personality, interests, and presentation so they can attract and keep the attention of chosen mates. Self-preservation 9s are the most self-reliant of the subtypes, but they will still adapt to others to meet their needs for physical well-being and resources. 

Common mistypings: 

4: Many 9s mistype as 4s because they see themselves as very emotional types, continually riding the waves of their feelings. At their core though, they’re a positive outlook type, which leads them to avoiding, smoothing over, or reframing heavy or negative emotions. As a contrast, 4s are comfortable with negative emotions because to them they are “the real deal”. 4s see overly positive emotions as fake and shallow. 9s will often opt to accept things instead of change them, whereas 4s will resist acceptance of the present reality since they’re a frustration type. 

5: 9s can be very intellectual and enjoy learning and discovering things, like 5s. 5s use their mental activity as an offering to the world in place of their humanity. 9s use mental activities to escape their humanity and need to assert themselves. 9s are more empathetic and understanding of others, whereas 5s can struggle to relate to others and see themselves and others on the same playing field.

1: This is especially common for 9w1s or 9s with a 6 fix. Both 9s and 1s are gut types, so they can have similar issues with anger and autonomy. 1s have an ingrained superego, centered in the body and enacted through their boundaries. A 9’s superego typically forms as a result of their attachment patterns and wanting to avoid conflict with others. Most 9s will resist having to be clear and firm with others about their expectations, but 1s will not.