This type idealises the universal innate dimension of being called Boundless Love (name given by A.H.Almaas) which brings deep comfort and a sense of harmony. Therefore, the personality constellates around manufacturing this quality of love. How do we try to embody love in the world? By being easy-going, pacifying, self-effacing and comfortable, perhaps occasionally neglectful and complacent, and certainly diffusing attention away from any inner conflicts. This characteristic non-attention on the self is the Passion (the Enneagram’s term for a key feature of a personality) of Sloth, which is most in evidence in the domain of the dominant instinct.

Names given to Enneagram Type 9

The Mediator (the Narrative Enneagram), the Peacemaker, (the Enneagram Institute), the Peaceful Person (Jerry Wagner), Striving to be Peaceful (Mario Sikora), Engaged Harmony (Khaled ElSherbini).

Core characteristics of Enneagram Type 9*

*According to Enneagram teacher and seminal author, Beatrice Chestnut from her book, the Complete Enneagram: 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge

Seeking to harmonize with the external environment in three different ways according to subtype (see below) as a way of staying comfortable and peaceful. In doing so, losing contact with the inner environment.
Being adaptable, likeable and easy-going – detect tension and move to diffuse it.
Being oriented towards inclusion, consensus and harmony.
Over-adjusting to others, and having a hard time in registering own desires and asserting agendas. Deaf to their inner voice.
Habitually avoiding contact with anger as it takes away peace and brings them into conflict with others. Avoiding adversarial interactions at all costs.
Typically having unmet need for a sense of belongingness with others who see and affirm their individuality.
Disassociating from psychological pain or discomfort through dimming of awareness (often called ‘narcotisation’).
Finding it stressful to act on their own behalf – it inspires anxiety about performance.

One of the Body Centre Types

Along with types 1 and 8, Enneagram 8s belong to the Body Centre (sometimes also referred to as the Belly Centre, Gut Centre and Instinctive Centre). If you care about inner development and transformation, you want to ensure that you understand the significance of the Centres. If you intend to self-study, I recommend getting a copy of something like the Wisdom of the Enneagram or the Enneagram Triads.

Because each triad shares characteristics, this aspect of the Enneagram can also help you to know whether you are the type you think you are, or whether you have mistyped.

Characteristics of Body triad*

*From Enneagram teacher Peter O’Hanrahan. See: https://theenneagramatwork.com/defense-systems

Priority: Instinctual needs and rhythms in daily life; issues of fairness or rightness; and getting practical results.
Strengths: Grounded, common-sense approach and aptitude at taking care of basic needs. Good at ‘just doing’ things and being active in the physical world, as well as being connected to nature. Not much thought/energy is required for the simple tasks of life.
Neurotic style: Using repeating patterns of thinking and doing to capture and stabilize attention in daily life (‘obsessive’).
Defense: A concentration of energy in the belly enables repeating patterns to form layers of ‘insulation’ in the mind and body. This insulation is used to ‘screen out’ unwanted feelings or information from the inside or outside. Personal wants and needs are controlled by ‘shoulds.’ Variations of style: comfortable (9), righteous (1), or dominating (8).
Key phrase: Screening and buffering (principled inattention).
Primary emotional layer: Anger (being against the way things are).
Life challenge: ‘Waking up’ through self-awareness instead of falling asleep in habits, excessive materialism, or low-level comfort.

Enneagram Type 9 Subtypes

As discussed on the instincts page, ‘subtype’ is the name given to what happens when our Enneagram type intersects with the instinctual part of us. Some teachers prefer to simply name this situation as a ‘type/instinct’ combination, versus giving it a special name

Remember that descriptions are approximations. The descriptions below are from Dr Beatrice Chestnut, whose work built upon the teachings of Claudio Naranjo, and Russ Hudson, who has slightly different descriptions (which he shared over a series of Tweets once).

Self-preservation 9

‘Appetite’ (Ichazo, Naranjo and Chestnut)

Focus on finding comfort in familiar routines and the satisfaction of their physical needs.
Tend to lose themselves in whatever activities help them feel grounded and comfortable.
More than the other subtypes, these 9s tend to want more time alone.
Stronger presence than the other two subtypes, can be irritable and stubborn.
These 9s are unlikely to be mistaken for another type but can feel a little type 8ish.

‘The Comfort Seeker’ (Hudson)

The most easygoing 9, but also the most stubborn.
Tend to be grounded and to appreciate simplicity, keeping life as uncomplicated as possible.
Enjoy solitude and are particularly attuned to nature.
Like to go at their own pace, can be very practical, and are often valued for their common sense.
Tend to have problems in self-care and can get caught in ruts, becoming resistant to new experiences.
May be brilliant and creative but are also genuinely humble.
Tend to have a live-and-let-live attitude but are prone to telling people off if they become offended.

Sexual 9

‘Fusion’ (Ichazo, Naranjo and Chestnut)

Tend to merge with the agenda and attitudes of important others in their lives.
Sweet, gentle, and less assertive than other types, this relationship-oriented 9 may take on the feelings and opinions of the people they are close to without realizing it.
Not connected with their passion for living, it is difficult to live out their own purpose.
Feel a sense of loneliness and abandonment that seems like it can only be filled by another person.
Sense of melancholy and expression of similar themes in relationships can make them look like type 4s. However, they are less aware of their own emotional ups and downs than Fours and are more other-referencing (their center of gravity is with the other).

‘Merging‘ (Hudson)

Do not easily recognize themselves as 9s.
Adventurous, free-spirited, and creative, good at broadcasting, although sometimes feign surprise when others are interested.
They often write well, are fond of music, dance, symbols, and imagery, and can be talented in these areas.
Tend to ‘pick up’ energies from others, including animals, and base many decisions on what they feel in others’ energy field.
Greater emotional volatility means they are often mistaken for 4s.
Combine an earthy sense of enjoyment with an ethereal quality.
Attract with a presentation of innocence and openness, even though they may be highly experienced in the ways of the world.
Go back and forth with the objects of their attraction, becoming intensely involved before moving away to restore themselves.

Social 9

‘Participation’ – the countertype (Ichazo, Naranjo and Chestnut)

On the surface, they don’t look like 9s (more like 3s).
Focus on working hard to support the groups they are a part of as a way of seeking a sense of comfort in belonging.
The need to participate, which may be intense, comes from a deeper feeling of not belonging.
Like to control things and to talk a lot.
Outgoing and energetic, Social 9s tend to be light-hearted and fun, and expend a lot of effort in doing what it takes to be admitted to and supportive of the group or community.
Somewhat detached from emotions, they tend to neither feel suffering nor deep euphoric highs.

‘One Happy Family‘ (Hudson)

The wish to be inclusive is strong in these 9s, and they are more likely to be found in organizations than the other two subtypes.
Have the ability to be involved while maintaining an ‘untouched’ inner world.
When stressed, they still show up but are disengaged emotionally.
Tend to have a robust sense of humor.
Can be outgoing, positive and purposeful, and can resemble 3s and 7s.
Sometimes struggle to find their purpose but can pursue goals when they feel someone believes in them.
Want to belong but get annoyed with themselves when they lose their identity in relationships or group dynamics.
When troubled, the usually energized Social 9s become flat and listless.
Prone to depression and a sense of futility, surviving through basic routines.
At their best, they are wonderfully sensitive and inclusive, inspiring leaders, and profoundly supportive friends and partners.

For more information and support in identifying subtype, do read the pages on the instincts.

Types connected to 9 (and how connected)

Type 6 – the ‘Stress’ (Hudson) or ‘Resolution’ (Uranio Paes/Chestnut) point

The inner lines are important when it comes to a growth path. As a general rule, the more dynamic movement between the arrow points and core point, the less fixated we are in our types. And the more conscious the movement, the greater our depth of presence (and freedom from the patterns).

The lines can also help us to know for sure that we have typed correctly. Following Russ Hudson’s teaching on the lines, 9s who have been ‘9-ing out’ too much move to type 6. When 9s move to 6 unconsciously, they may get angry at not being considered and protected; get more in contact with fear and anxiety; get rebelliously passive-resistant, and focus more on problems and threats to comfort.

When the movement is conscious, they may “express their own opinions and positions, even if contrary; enter necessary conflicts; say no and goes against; become change agents and express courage of convictions” (ideas from Paes/Chestnut).

Type 3 – ‘the Security’ (Hudson) or ‘Energising’ (Paes/Chestnut) point

Many of us struggle to own the behaviours we see at the security point for our number, in particular the ‘low’ behaviours. However, as discussed elsewhere on this site, the integration of the security point becomes a way of knowing if we’re making progress in our inner work.

Type 9s moving to 3 unconsciously become more productive, although efforts may be scattered; wrestle with the desire to be seen, versus the tendency to self-erase; take more action although still more in service of others; get active, but focus on inessentials; and get busier in service of finding new ways to avoid conflict.

On the conscious/positive side, the movement helps them to “increase action, energy and dynamism; become more self-confident; take charge of their own life; stop doing for others and focus on their own priorities; value their own efforts; engage in positive self-promotion; heighten tolerance for conflict in service of goals” (from Paes/Chestnut).

The ‘Wings’ or types on either side – Types 8 and 1

The presence of the attributes of the types on either side of our core type is another way of knowing whether we have typed correctly. When it comes to inner development and transformation, they aren’t as significant.

The Enneagram teacher and direct student of Naranjo, Micheal Goldberg, teaches that each Enneagram type is formed out of a reconciliation of the forces of the Wings. So type 9 is reconciling the revenge of the 8 with the resentment and strong inhibition of the 1. It is a stretch between ‘bad’ and ‘good’, to which the 9 responds with resignation and indolence; inertia; deadening of impulse; and stalling of movement.

In terms of practical interventions: 9s in touch with their 8 Wing are able to “get in touch with their power, autonomy and authority; develop a sense of individuality and uniqueness; develop confidence and influence, and boldly speak up” (ideas from Integrative Enneagram Solutions).

9s accessing type 1 qualities “adopt a structured, principled, focussed perspective; are motivated to do what needs to be done; and are willing to work on righting what is wrong, rather than putting up with problems” (Integrative Enneagram Solutions).