<—- DIAGRAM – Each Type’s proportion
of the triune brain, combining: (scroll down)
Intellect (green)
Emotions (blue)
Instinct (red)

PREVIOUS: Type Strengths (#4c)

SITEs: Ennea Triads – Centers of Intelligence

BASIC TRIADS
 As mentioned in ‘Enneagram Basics – Part 3’, there are many different ways to sub-divide the Enneagram, usually in groups of 3. Others will be addressed as well, but we start with the fundamentals, always beginning with TYPE 2.
The Triad that our Type falls into dictates the general way we approach life’s challenges. This gets combined with our specific VICE (character weakness) to form our Driving Need. These create all our traits & desires, fueling an automatic way of responding in the world, often cleverly disguised as defense mechanisms (Enn. Defects, Part 3a…..).

NOTE: Main approaches to categorizing the trios
a. From Helen Palmer – the most popular approach :
234= Heart-based Emotion
567= Head-based, Reason
891=Gut-based, Instinct

b. From Don Riso:
Feel / Do / Relate to environment

c. From Dick Wright, PhD, who believes his approach is truer to Gurdjieff’s original teachings:  234 = Doers,
567 = Perceivers
891 = Feelers/ Sensers**.

◆ Each grouping is named by the function they do best, & what’s most important to each type in the sub group: (see below).
The Primary style is what is most Instinctual, the 2nd is an Auxiliary & the 3rd is Buried —->
EXP: Quality that’s buried for Type 7 is ‘Doing’ = to motivate

**In the Enneagram, Feeling or SENSING refers to basic, primitive instincts which come from deep inside & can’t be faked (891s). It does not mean Emotion or Sentiment – like the ‘show’ of 234s, which is more surface – a reaction to external ideas & events – picked up from others.

DOERS Triad (HEART #s 234) – They Motivate
Unconscious Types that deal with life experiences. Focus: emotive center
POSITIVE purpose : To achieve healthy, perfect union with others, the universe & with Spirit, to understand the stages of human development that create maturity and wholeness.
NEGATIVE use : To manipulate one’s own & others’ way of feeling, including the emotional climate within relationships

PERCEIVERS Triad (HEAD #s 567) – They Communicate
Conscious Types that define & justify emotions. Focus: theoretical center
POSITIVE Purpose: To develop creative vision & open people up to the real meaning of life, to be fully conscious of the true nature of self and others.
NEGATIVE Use: To think, plot & make intellectual decisions limited by a narrowly defined universe.

SENSERS Triad (GUT / Body #s 891) – They Translate
Subconscious Types that deal with sensations. Focus: effective center
POSITIVE Purpose: To energize & motivate people to actively live as we were intended, according to our true purpose & vision, to actively create & complete the work we are meant to do.
NEGATIVE Use: To protect & preserve our physical body & fulfill our basic needs, no matter the cost to others.

NEXT: Triads (Part 2a)