ENNEAGRAM
The
Ancient symbol. Modern psychology.
POINT SIX: THE LOYALIST
Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, and Suspicious
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
BASIC DESIRE
to have security and stability, to have support and guidance
PASSION / BLINDSPOT
Fear:
manifests as a deep distrust in all things: self, people, information, systems, authority, actions, beliefs, and behaviors
BASIC FEAR
to feel unstable or without guidance, to be without support
FIXATION / TRAP
Cowardice:
a paralyzing pattern of panic, distrust, inaction, and helplessness when faced with challenges to stability and security
CORE MOTIVATION
to have security and backup plans, to feel supported by others, to have certitude and reassurance, to test the attitudes of others toward them, to fight against anxiety and insecurity
VIRTUE / GIFT
Courage:
an acceptance of trust in themselves and others allows for purpose and strength in all things
CENTER OF INTELLIGENCE
Head / Thinking
concerned with resisting aspects of the present the internal chatter of their minds is always scanning for threats to their security and stability
retreat inward to manage and redirect fear and anxiety they are not as connected with action or emotion
Pain and suffering often transforms into internalized and redirected anxiety and fear
WINGS
FIVE
negative — incredibly pessimistic and cynical, emotionally stunted, detached, cold, and aloof, socially awkward and tone-deaf
positive — practical problem solving, passion for finding truth and fighting unfair systems
SEVEN
negative — Doubt in all things, selfish, indecisive and scattered, focused on negative, tone-deaf
positive — dedicated to a cause, deeply connected to the wellbeing of others, loyal and sociable, optimistic and engaged
ARROWS / LINES
THREE
negative — narrow focus creates an isolated perspective, self-centered behaviors to gain leverage or security, overwhelm and exhaustion
positive — confidence and trust in self creates decisive action and courage, outgoing
NINE
negative — maintain status quo, disregard for others, incredibly detached and apathetic
positive — balanced perspective and a drive to find collective peace and harmony through courageous action
OVERVIEW
Sixes are reliable, hard-working, responsible, and trustworthy. Excellent "troubleshooters," they foresee problems and foster cooperation, but can also become defensive, evasive, and anxious—running on stress while complaining about it. They can be cautious and indecisive, but also reactive, defiant, and rebellious. They typically have problems with self-doubt and suspicion.
Sixes exemplify the desire to create a stable, safe environment, to cooperate and work with others, and to be adequately prepared for the various difficulties that life presents. They are meticulous, disciplined, persevering, good with details, able to see potential problems and deal with them before they get out of hand. Sixes have a tendency to organize resources, prioritize tasks, and see projects through. They bring reliability, responsibility, hard work, and a sense of honor to all their affairs. They’re not necessarily "group people," but they like the feeling of "belonging" somewhere and being part of something greater than themselves. They enjoy being of service and really want to contribute to the world. They do their best to be solid and responsible, but they are often troubled by an undercurrent of doubt and anxiety. Many sixes often seem a bit jittery or uneasy, and live in a state of worry with a constantly operating “committee in the head”.
LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT
Healthy Levels of Development: When operating from a healthy level of development Sixes honor the value in truth and duty, they stand up to destructive forces and challenge the systems designed to create disparities and inequities all while managing the polarity of fear and integrity. Their courageous spirit and the true force of their inner strength begins to guide them on their journey of becoming a leader in the fight for collective security. The anxiety and fear that once paralyzed the Sixes now evolves and makes space for a decisive and truth-seeking champion who recognizes their fear as a wake-up call to take action. They will stand up and fight against any challenge to the stability and security of any human or group; cutting through the false narratives and the negativity with courage and compassion.
Average Levels of Development: Sixes become highly suspicious of others and their own beliefs. They become reactive and unpredictable, continuously focusing on the threats to their own security. These are the deeply fearful and apathetic humans who refuse to acknowledge opportunities for hope or humanity. They are critical, panicky, passive-aggressive and sarcastic, fearful of change, and apathy is caused by ambiguity. They are oftentimes wounded individuals attempting to conceal their true fears by lashing out with distrustful and irrational beliefs and hollow acts of hatred aimed at anyone who threatens their perception of stability and security. Despite having the innate ability to see the big picture and access all perspectives in question, these Sixes choose to select whatever data supports them in their quest for justifying their own fear.
Unhealthy Levels of Development: They become incredibly unstable, nihilistic, irrationally belligerent, self-destructive individuals who justify their actions and beliefs from the unhealthy energy of Point Six. Fear, distrust, and paranoia are the primary motivators that distort reality, resulting in disdain for humans who may be perceived as a threat or challenge to their way of life. Many unhealthy Sixes hold on to an unquestioned loyalty in favor of unfair and biased systems already in place out of fear of being left on uncertain or shaky ground. Fearful, unstable, delusional, and blindly loyal, these individuals cause deeper divides between their authentic selves and other people. They become irrational and are prone to outbursts of truly detestable behaviors toward other people. They have lost control of their inner narrative and allow their fears to pour out through biased, bigoted, and deeply hateful remarks.
IDEA CONNECTIONS: TRIGGERS • BIASES • DISCONNECTS
Triggers / Biases: being forced into a situation outside of their personal ideals or beliefs, deviating from the group or becoming an outsider, uncertainty and fear of the unknown in situations causing extreme/radical/unpredictable responses, challenging established beliefs and systems, spontaneity and taking action without planning, people who live without fear, new ways of thinking, people who challenge the “system”
IDEA Challenge: Intersectionality and the complexities of challenges faced depending on how a person identifies is a distinctly difficult polarity for Sixes to manage as it contains many confounding factors that must be acknowledged and measured. The duality of Black and White or Male and Female, for instance, can become a disorienting concept when any aspect of multidimensional diversity is added to the equation (ie, nonbinary, queer, transgender, multiracial, bi-racial, etc...). The possibility of more than one perspective is a balancing act that many Sixes may find particularly challenging. When faced with uncertainty and ambiguity, the Six can revert to whatever “comfort zone” they have created in their head and allow their anxiety and fear around new perspectives to control their narrative.
Disconnects: They often experience a blindspot for opportunities to choose courage and advocacy for connecting across differences. A typical disconnect for Sixes is having their belief systems challenged by new ways of thinking or different perspectives. The fear and anxiety arise when the truth of what a Six trusts is put into question or when the security of their world is challenged by opposing perspectives. This can trigger and reinforce the deep distrust they allow to fester within them and may create a defensive and misdirected outburst aimed at redirecting their own fears onto others.
RESPONSES TO CONFLICTS ACROSS DIFFERENCES
Unhealthy Reaction: distrust, avoidance, external blame, irrational defensiveness, cowardice, inflexibility, passive-aggressive behavior, ambivalence, highly reactive and defensive, dividing others into groups, irrational outburst of panicked paranoia, radical response to “outsiders”, fanaticism, violent outburst in extreme cases, blindly defending their way of thinking in order to dismiss or demean anything that may challenge their stability, making tone-deaf comments lacking in empathy and genuine human emotion.
Healthy Reaction: truth-seeking, challenging of status quo or destructive leadership, sacrifice, courage, speaking out against threats to collective security and safety, standing up and finding solutions when witnessing unfair practices harming other people, remaining loyal to their beliefs when acting from a kindhearted and courageous space, recognizing their fear as a wake-up call to take action they are no longer paralyzed by their anxiety, stand up and fight against any challenge to the stability and security of any human or group; cutting through the false narratives and the negativity with courage and compassion.