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Enneagram type 9s are amiable, open-minded, optimistic, nonjudgmental, supportive, and peaceful when at their best and living in healthy levels. Sometimes called the peacemaker, peacekeeper, or mediator but we did took a poll and the majority preferred Enneagram Type 9: The Peace Seeker!
How Do You Know If You Are a Type 9?
As is true of all enneagram types, your type is determined by core motivation. Yes, there are traits that are more common to type 9s but traits are not what determines your type. (You could be a busy extroverted 9!)
So if you are trying to figure out if you are a type 9, you’ll want to look into the core motivations to see which one resonates with you.
Enneagram 9: The Peace Seeker
Core Motivation of Type 9
Core Desire: to be at peace/harmonious
Core Fear: separation/disconnection/loss
Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to assert yourself.”
Core Longing (what they wish they believed to be true): “Your presence matters.”
Core Weakness: Sloth (better known as not showing up and engaging with life to 9s)
Positive Traits of Type 9
Amiable, open-minded, optimistic, nonjudgmental, peaceful, good listeners, supportive.
Negative Traits of Type 9
Conflict avoidant, indecisive, unassertive, passive-aggressive, stubborn, insecure, forgetful.
Type 9 Wing Options
Type 9s have wing options of 8 and 1.
Keep in mind that while most people have one dominant wing (hence 9w1), but some people find they have balanced wings, and some find that they do not make use of their wings.
Type 9 Stress Number
In stress, 9s take on the negative traits of type 6 (anxious, self-doubting, suspicious of others).
Check out Enneagram Types Under Stress for more info.
Type 9 Growth Number
When 9s are growing they take on the positive traits of type 3 (more assertive, more present, and more energetic).
Triadic Groups of Type 9
Center of Intelligence: Gut/Instinctual Center
This means 9s take in and process the world through their gut instincts.
Check out my Centers of Intelligence post for more info on the Gut Center.
Hornevian Group (also called “Stances”): The Withdrawn Group
The withdrawn group means that 9s move away from people in hopes of earning what they desire (autonomy).
Check out Enneagram Hornevian Groups for more info.
Harmonic Group: The Positive Outlook Group
Harmonic groups explain how the types deal with conflict and 9s are in the positive outlook group meaning they put emphasis on the positive qualities of others and the environment during conflict.
For more info, check out my post on Harmonic Groups.
Harmony Group: The Pragmatist Group
Harmony groups explain how your type relates to the world. Type 9s are in the pragmatist group because they seek a comfortable place (and they attach to what makes that work for them pragmatically).
My post on Harmony Groups has more details.
Levels of Health for Type 9
Depending on their level of health, a type 9 can look a bit different from another type 9. The three main levels of health are Healthy, Average, and Unhealthy.
9s when healthy: become more trusting of themselves and others. They are good at bringing people together, great listeners, and good mediators, They are more connected with themselves and thus can form deeper, more true relationships. They become more assertive and ambitious to better their lives and the lives of others.
9s when average: are more fearful of conflict and thus are accommodating and tend to say “yes” more than they truly would like. They tend to give everything equal priority and thus can not accomplish things in the needed order. May minimize problems and tune out reality.
9s when unhealthy: can feel incapable of dealing with issues and may become neglectful of themselves and others. They can become procrastinators and lose their ability to concentrate on tasks. May lose their ability to know themselves and lose their ability to function.
These are just the three main levels of health. There are actually a total of nine levels of health; three levels in each of these main levels.
If you want the full break down with all the details for the levels of health, I highly recommend picking up Riso and Hudson’s book: Personality Types.
