Orientation on the so-called "Heart Point" (the "Soul Child")

The well-known Enneagram teacher, Russ Hudson, once said that there is no healthy version of an Enneagram Type who hasn’t integrated some of the qualities of what will be referred to in this article as “the Heart Point” (Type 7 for Type 1s, Type 4 for Type 2s, Type 6 for Type 3s, Type 1 for Type 4s, Type 8 for Type 5s, Type 9 for Type 6s, Type 5 for Type 7s, Type 2 for Type 8s, Type 3 for Type 9s). This insight holds up in my personal experience.

But this isn’t something we (i.e., our Superegos) can “do”, or make happen. Instead, we bring our attention to a particular shape that consciousness takes – the “Soul Child.”

At a certain stage in development, the Heart Point can become so powerful in our experience of ourselves, it can actually make us doubt our core type.

But we never become a different type – rather, the Essential Quality associated with the Heart Point becomes readily available to us, and a support for realisation of other qualities.

The “Heart Point”

As indicated by the title, the Enneagram Type connected to ours by the arrow pointing towards our core type has been called many things. “Heart Point” is the name given to it by A.H.Almaas, a key developer of the theory on this aspect of the Enneagram. His theory was laid out in one of Sandra Maitri’s books on the Enneagram: The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram.

According to Almaas, before our ego type solidified, we began life more in touch with the Essential Quality of the Enneagram Type corresponding to our Heart Point. At a very young age, however, something about being this type felt unsafe, unmirrored, or outright rejected. In response, we abandoned it and developed the defensive strategy of our core type. This abandoned structure forms “the Soul Child.” It’s values are, in a way, directly opposite those associated with the core type.

For example, a Type 1’s Soul Child is Type 7 —a playful, joyful, spontaneous being. But if early experiences taught that joy was irresponsible or unwelcome, the 1 adapted by suppressing spontaneity and forming a rigid identity around self-control and correctness.

That we have young parts is nothing new

If you are at all self-aware, you’ve probably noticed yourself feeling and reacting like a child at times. And psychology has long since recognised this. It happens because, throughout our development, as our innocence meets the external world, aspects of our nature are supported and rejected. The rejected parts are “split off”, and the Superego helps to maintain that boundary between “us” and the young rejected parts.

The Soul Child is a distinct structure, one of many young parts of the Soul. We split off from its qualities, but as Carl Jung famously said, what we resist persists. Our Soul Children never really go anywhere — they just show up in distorted ways.

From The Inner Journey Home: “[The Soul Child] is fluid and emotionally labile in a passionate way. It is the core of the soul that becomes repressed or split off. It is not the dissociated essence, but a soul structure that still has some ability to experience it. In fact, it is the most developed structure of the soul in which we can still experience the soul as a medium. It is the most developed of the structures that still retain the basic properties of the soul. Nonduality between experiencer and experienced is still present to some degree.”

Why Was the Soul Child Rejected? Cross-referencing the Essential Quality with the Personalities of Early Caretakers

To begin to explore the Soul Child, it helps first to reflect on the early holding environment, and how expressing the Essential Quality associated with the Heart Point may have been threatening to the personalities of your primary caregivers. It really helps to know a lot about your parents’ psychologies and their situations.

It takes some work to understand the Essential Qualities connected with the Enneagram Types (“Brilliancy” for Type 1, “Merging Gold” for Type 2, “Value/The Pearl” for Type 3, “Identity/The Point” for Type 4, “Guidance” for Type 5, “Will” for Type 6, “the Markabah” for Type 7, “Strength” for Type 8, “Boundless Love” for Type 9) — they are each a study of themselves (see the book, Keys to the Enneagram. You can find links to the definitions of these terms at the bottom of this article.)

Below is a description of how each of the Essential Qualities may express themselves in young children.

Brilliancy (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 4)

Radiant Intelligence and Wholeness

The child displays a sparkling clarity, picking up patterns and connections intuitively.
There’s an effortless creativity — they draw, speak, or play with surprising elegance or completeness.
When asked questions, their responses may seem insightful or surprisingly “put together”, beyond learned knowledge.
Their attention is bright, quick, and fluid, moving naturally between inner and outer experience.

Merging Gold (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 8)

Oneness, Unity, and Heartfelt Connection

The child melts into the caregiver’s lap with total trust, their sense of self and other still fluid.
They may express deep contentment just being near someone, without needing interaction or stimulation.
Eye contact or physical closeness feels holy or nourishing — not needy, just intimate.
They move in and out of connection with natural rhythm, without fear of abandonment or clinginess.

Value (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 9)

Inherent Preciousness and Warm Presence

The child delights in simply being seen, not to perform but to exist.
They beam when appreciated, not with pride, but with innocent joy at being valued.
There’s a quiet dignity, even in play — they carry a sense of their own importance without arrogance.
They give spontaneously, like offering a toy or a hug, from fullness, not strategy.

Identity (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 2)

Authentic “I Am” and Coherence of Self

The child declares “Me!” or “Mine!” with a strong sense of presence — not possession, but existence.
They may show preferences or create rituals that reflect their inner rhythm (“I do it this way”).
Moments of solitude or self-directed play have a solid, settled quality — they are with themselves.
They express emotions with integrity — what you see is truly what they feel.

Guidance (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 7)

Inner Knowing and Attunement

The child often knows what they need or want, even if they can’t explain it yet.
They may resist being told what to do not out of defiance, but because they feel their inner compass.
They look at situations with a kind of quiet orientation, scanning or pausing before engaging.
Their questions reflect a desire for truth, not just curiosity (“Why is that really like that?”).

Will (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 3)

Inner Support and Grounded Autonomy

The child insists on doing something “by myself!” — not from ego, but from an emergent sense of sovereignty.
They take stands or refuse things with unexpected clarity and finality.
They show patience or perseverance in small tasks (building, climbing), revealing inner steadiness.
Their presence can feel solid and immovable, even in a tiny body.

The Markabah (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 1)

Inner Structure and Spacious Integration

The child can stay with experience — joy, sadness, discovery — without collapsing or rushing to the next thing.
Their play has structure and coherence, not just chaos — things have rhythm, shape, and meaning.
They can transition between activities without losing themselves or falling apart.
They seem to hold a silent blueprint of how things fit together — both in play and in emotion.

Strength (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 5)

Energetic Presence and Capacity

The child moves through space with vitality and grounded confidence — they know they exist.
They can hold strong feelings (like anger or excitement) without losing center or attacking.
They may protect others or take charge with natural leadership, not dominance.
Their gaze and posture radiate clarity, readiness, and alert contact.

Boundless Love (Heart Point for Enneagram Type 6)

Unconditional Warmth and Holding

The child reaches out in pure affection, offering hugs, kisses, or comfort instinctively.
They forgive easily, returning to connection without grudges.
They hold their stuffed animals or family members with a sense of infinite gentleness.
Their entire body radiates openness and love, especially when relaxed and safe.

Recognizing the Soul Child

To experience our adult selves as the Soul Child structure, we need to learn how to recognize their secondary manifestations. The Soul Child’s longings are behind a lot of surface level reactivity. Not all of our reactivity is a result of the Soul Child, but a lot of it is.

Below is a list of the possible manifestations of the Soul Children.

1 (Soul Child: Type 7)

Secret longing for freedom, spontaneity, and indulgence.
Occasional rebellious bursts against self-imposed rules.
Hidden fear of missing out or being trapped in obligation.
Playful side emerges when feeling safe or with trusted people.
Unconscious escapism through planning or fantasy.

2 (Soul Child: Type 4)

Deep sensitivity and fear of being unwanted or unseen.
Occasional feelings of melancholy or yearning for authenticity.
Creative or artistic urges that conflict with “being needed.”
Tendency to dramatize emotional life privately.
Subtle envy of others who express themselves freely.

3 (Soul Child: Type 6)

Inner insecurity masked by image management.
Hidden need for support, guidance, or reassurance.
Fear of failure or being unprepared drives success.
Occasional anxiety about being “found out.”
Moments of self-doubt or loyalty conflict that feel threatening.

4 (Soul Child: Type 1)

Strong internal critic and moral idealism.
Desire for order and virtue beneath emotional chaos.
Self-judgment about not being “good enough.”
Occasional rigid or judgmental thinking.
Attraction to causes or ideals for purpose.

5 (Soul Child: Type 8)

Secret longing for assertiveness and strength.
Occasional emotional outbursts or impulsive actions.
Tension between isolation and control.
Fear of weakness hidden behind withdrawal.
Intimidating presence when boundaries are crossed.

6 (Soul Child: Type 9)

Hidden longing for inner peace and rest from vigilance.
Tendency to space out or disengage under stress.
Conflicted desire to merge or disappear.
Resistance to change masked as caution.
Idealization of comfort as a defense against anxiety.

7 (Soul Child: Type 5)

Hidden fear of emptiness or depletion.
Tendency to hoard knowledge as safety.
Longing for depth and space beneath activity.
Secret worry about being scattered or shallow.
Restlessness as a cover for existential dread.

8 (Soul Child: Type 2)

Deep desire to be cared for.
Protecting others as a way to receive love.
Vulnerability expressed through over-giving.
Anger at rejection masks fear of being unlovable.
Softness shown only in rare, safe relationships.

9 (Soul Child: Type 3)

Longing for recognition and impact.
Frustration with self for “not doing enough.”
Fantasies about effortless success.
Competitive drive hidden behind calm exterior.
Fear of standing out masks ambition.

Below are a few more points intended to offer clarity about the Soul Child structure.

The Soul Child can feel really joyful and not like a problem

The Soul Child becomes the most available to awareness alongside the experience of joy and freedom, and a generally expanded state. This is because as we work on ourselves, a lot of us tend to get freer from the tyranny of the Superego, which has been keeping the Soul Child down.

As they come out to play, the tender, innocent Soul Children tend to bring access to Essential Qualities. It feels wonderful to have all that freedom compared with before.

However, we can inadvertently be acting out the Soul Child’s wishes and as with anything acted out, we can be subconsciously sabotaging our development.

The Rejecting Object Relation Unit can be a hallmark of the Soul Child structure

If we are experiencing self-rejection, we may be in some kind of reaction to the arising of the Soul Child.

Our adult ego internalizes the sense that the Soul Child’s qualities are naïve, weak, or unsafe. So when the Soul Child begins to emerge — through longing, joy, or regression — the ego often pushes it away.

[Related to the above], sometimes what is most present are our defences against the Soul Child

Not all immature behaviors stem from the Soul Child – often, they are defenses against it. These can include overcompensation (acting opposite the Soul Child), projection (seeing Soul Child traits as weak in others) and reactive defenses (anger, avoidance, rebellion).

The Soul Child will most express itself in the area of the dominant instinct

The animal or instinctual soul lies beneath the Soul Child structure, but its energy is channelled through it.

For example, the Self-preservation 4 may rigidly control their diets and exercise regimes, whereas for the Social and Sexual subtypes, the distorted 1ish behaviour will emerge in a different way.

Not all Soul Children behave like little kids in an obvious way

While some types regress into playful or avoidant behaviors, this isn’t always the Soul Child. Think of the Soul Child more as “the part of me that once believed in xyz —and still longs for those things, but has been silenced”, not “the part of me that eats snacks and avoids email”.

Working with the Soul Child

The deepest way of working with the Soul Child involves:

Recognizing the longings underlying our reactivity.
Creating space for its innocence to emerge.
Re-establishing contact with the presence of the Essential Quality of the Heart Point (working through the various barriers).

Gestalt exercises with the Soul Child

A Gestalt exercise is a structured activity used in Gestalt therapy to help individuals bring unconscious processes, emotions, or internal conflicts into direct, embodied awareness. Rather than just talking about a problem, Gestalt exercises invite people to live into the experience and make it more real, vivid, and integrated.

Gestalt exercises can be great for bringing more of the Soul Child structure into the light.

Below are some speculative “views of the Soul Children”, to inspire your dialogue with your own Soul Child.

Soul Child Type 7 (Disowned by Type 1)

Core experience: Felt that joy, spontaneity, and exuberance were unwelcome or dangerous. Experienced repression of enthusiasm or punished for “being too much.”

Unmirrored longings:

To be delighted in for their exuberance and imagination.
To be safe in their freedom and curiosity.
To be met in joy without being shut down.
To explore without guilt.
To trust in life’s abundance without needing to plan escape routes.

Soul Child Type 4 (Disowned by Type 2)

Core experience: Felt that their emotional depth or uniqueness was too much, too sad, or unwanted. Told to be more “positive” or to not make it about themselves.

Unmirrored longings:

To have their emotional states deeply seen and mirrored.
To feel that their sensitivity is a gift, not a burden.
To be loved in their authentic, imperfect being.
To belong without having to change or explain themselves.

Soul Child Type 6 (Disowned by Type 3)

Felt uncertain, anxious, or dependent and were shamed or rejected for this; pressured to be confident, decisive, or successful.

Unmirrored longings:

To feel safe in their doubt and confusion.
To be guided without judgment.
To trust in others and in their own inner authority.
To be reassured they don’t need to be perfect or polished.

Soul Child Type 1 (Disowned by Type 4)

Core experience: Felt a need for order, goodness, or rightness in a chaotic emotional world, but were told their standards were rigid or wrong. Shamed for their inner critic or high standards.

Unmirrored longings:

To trust their sense of rightness without fear of rejection.
To be affirmed for wanting to improve things.
To live with integrity and be loved even when flawed.
To bring structure to their world without suppressing feeling.

Soul Child Type 8 (Disowned by Type 5)

Core experience: Felt instinctively strong or powerful, but this was crushed, controlled, or punished. Learned to disconnect from the body and emotions to stay safe.

Unmirrored longings:

To feel free and powerful without being shamed.
To be protected as they express their strength.
To be emotionally safe enough to stay open.
To use their force in service of love, not defense.

Soul Child Type 9 (Disowned by Type 6)

Core experience: Felt peaceful, harmonious, and open to merging, but experienced a world that was too tense, mistrustful, or conflict-driven to support that ease.

Unmirrored longings:

To remain in unity and peace without being overrun.
To be supported in their gentle rhythm and pace.
To trust others without anxiety.
To assert themselves without fear of fracture or rejection.

Soul Child Type 5 (Disowned by Type 7)

Core experience: Felt deep sensitivity and need for space, but were overwhelmed by emotional demands or overstimulation. Learned to detach and overthink.

Unmirrored longings:

To have their need for solitude honored.
To be emotionally nourished at a pace they can digest.
To feel that their presence matters even in stillness.
To feel secure enough to stay connected while being private.

Soul Child Type 2 (Disowned by Type 8)

Core experience: Felt deep need for connection and nurturance, but were shamed for being too needy or soft. Learned to toughen up and reject vulnerability.

Unmirrored longings:

To be cherished for their softness and care.
To give and receive love freely, without power dynamics.
To depend on others without fear of betrayal.
To feel safe enough to be tender and expressive.

Soul Child Type 3 (Disowned by Type)

Core experience: Felt energetic, goal-directed, and full of initiative, but were discouraged from asserting themselves. May have feared standing out would cause conflict or loss of love.

Unmirrored longings:

To be recognized for their natural vitality and drive.
To shine without being punished for taking up space.
To be celebrated for who they are, not just for harmony.
To know their identity matters and has impact.

The Soul Child and our core Enneagram Type

Working with the Soul Child is powerful work in liberating ourselves from what is ultimately a painful place – a part of our True Nature that wasn’t welcomed – where we wasn’t allowed to be. Practically speaking, in our lives, our Soul Children drive much of our reactivity and suffering. We fail to recognise the longings underlying our sabotaging behaviours and attitudes, and so we continue to act out in ways that are detrimental to our growth.

To bring the structure into the light is not only to free ourselves from the associated distortions, but to reclaim that Essential Quality represented by the Heart Point, enjoying its free flow in our daily lives. All of which is much more valuable than simply performing our “growth point”, which is what our Superegos have us do.

Also, as alluded to by A.H.Almaas in the Appendix of Keys to the Enneagram, liberating the Essential Quality associated with the Soul Child supports the liberation of the Essential Quality associated with our core Enneagram Types (according to Almaas’s mapping of Essence). Realizing:

the Markabah (also known as “the pleasure vehicle”) for Enneagram Type 1, paves the way for the timelessness of Brilliancy;
the Point for Enneagram Type 2, paves the way for the experience of Merging Love;
the support of Will paves the way for Enneagram Type 3 to realise Value;
the timelessness of Brilliancy for Enneagram Type 4 negates the need to construct identity and supports the realisation of the Point;
the discriminating power of Strength paves the way for Enneagram Type 5 to experience Guidance (or direct knowing);
the experience of Boundless Love relaxes Enneagram 6 into the realisation of true Will;
Guidance lets Enneagram Type 7 reconnect with the Markabah;
Merging Love paves the way for Enneagram Type 8 to reconnect with the vitality and aliveness of Strength; and
Value opens Enneagram Type 9 to the experience of Boundless Love.