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What Are Enneagram Wings? What is their purpose? How do you find your enneagram wing? Can you only have one wing?
Even if you have just dabbled in the enneagram world you’ve probably come across enneagram wings but just what are enneagram wings?
First up, if you are unsure of your enneagram type then you’ll want to check out how to find your type or even how to confirm your type.
What Are Enneagram Wings?
You’ll notice that the enneagram symbol is in a circular shape. Each number following and preceding another number. In the case of my logo, it also includes colors and that can really give a good picture of what enneagram wings are!
Wings are like a color wheel. If you are a type 2 then your base color is green. But people are not complete copies of each other and thus there are shades.
A type 2 has wing options of 1 & 3 (blue and yellow in my symbol). These wings can change the color of our type just a bit.
A 2w1 (that’s how you short hand “2 with a 1 wing”) is green with a bit of blue. A 2w3 would be green with a bit of yellow.
How strong your wing is will determine how much of that wing color you have.
To put it simply, enneagram wings are the shading or flavoring of your type.
Some relate wings to being the salt and pepper to our main type’s “eggs”. Some use a lot of pepper, some use a lot of salt. Some use both… and some use none!
Can You Only Have One Wing?
Having one wing (a dominant wing) is the most common and that’s why you always see people say they are a 1w9. But you aren’t limited to one dominant wing.
It’s actually more accurate to say that we all have two wings…. BUT some use one wing, some use both wings, and some do not make use of their wings. But the wings are still technically there.
Can Your Wings Change?
Some that use one wing may find that they start using their other wing as they age. I’m a 1w9 but my 2 wing has been growing since I hit my 30s. (although I’m still very much a 1w9).
Some with balanced wings may find that they favor one wing from work and the other for home. Those who do not make use of their wings at all may find they start incorporating their wings as they age and grow.
What Are My Wing Options?
Wings can only be the numbers on either side of your type. Remember the color wheel analogy?
You can’t be a 8w5 or a 3w7. It doesn’t work that way.
For a quick breakdown, here are the wing options.
Type 1 has wing options of 9 and 2.
Type 2 has wing options of 1 and 3.
Type 3 has wing options of 2 and 4.
Type 4 has wing options of 3 and 5.
Type 5 has wing options of 4 and 6.
Type 6 has wing options of 5 and 7.
Type 7 has wing options of 6 and 8.
Type 8 has wing options of 7 and 9.
Type 9 has wing options of 8 and 1.
How Can I Find My Enneagram Wing?
While some tests will tell you your wing type, I wouldn’t use that to determine your wing. Mainly because enneagram types are at best 70% accurate and if you toss in a wing result, I believe they are even less accurate.
Instead, you can read the traits of your wing options and see what resonates.
If you find yourself resonating with traits of mainly one wing option then you probably have that as a dominant wing.
If you find you are basically evenly split then you may have balanced wings.
If you don’t resonate traits of either wing option then you may just not use your wings.
Wings of Type 1
The 9 Wing aka 1w9: Causes the type 1 to be a bit calmer and removed than other type 1s. The 9 wing tends to make 1s more introverted, more objective, and more detached from emotions than other 1s. They want to be good/right with a touch of wanting to be at peace.
The 2 Wing aka 1w2: Causes the type 1 to be a bit warmer and more vocal than other type 1s. The 2 wing tends to make 1s more extroverted, more empathetic, and more helpful than other 1s. They want to be good/right with a touch of wanting to be lovable/wanted.
Wings of Type 2
The 1 Wing aka 2w1: Causes the type 2 to be a bit more objective and self-controlled than other type 2s. The 1 wing tends to make 2s more judgmental, more responsible, and have clearer boundaries than other 2s. They want to be lovable/wanted with a touch of wanting to be good/right.
The 3 Wing aka 2w3: Causes the type 2 to be a bit more confident and charming than other type 2s. The 3 wing tends to make 2s more outgoing, more image-conscious, and more ambitious. They want to be lovable/wanted with a touch of wanting to be valued/admired.
Wings of Type 3
The 2 Wing aka 3w2: Causes the type 3 to be a bit more encouraging and generous than other type 3s. The 2 wing tends to make 3s more covertly competitive, more sociable, and more helpful than other 3s. They want to be valued/admired with a touch of wanting to be lovable/wanted.
The 4 Wing aka 3w4: Causes the type 3 to be a bit more sensitive and introspective than other type 3s. The 4 wing tends to make 3s more imaginative, more work-focuses, and more pretentious. They want to be valued/admired with a touch of wanting to be authentic/find meaning.
Wings of Type 4
The 3 Wing aka 4w3: Causes the type 4 to be a bit more competitive and social than other type 4s. The 3 wing tends to make 4s more productive, more extroverted, and more ambitious than other 4s. They want to be authentic/find meaning with a touch of wanting to be valued/admired.
The 5 Wing aka 4w5: Causes the type 4 to be a bit more introverted and eccentric than other type 4s. The 5 wing tends to make 4s more withdrawn, more unconventional, more intellectual than other 4s. They want to be authentic/find meaning with a touch of wanting to be competent/knowledgable.
Wings of Type 5
The 4 Wing aka 5w4: Causes the type 5 to be a bit more creative and sensitive than other type 5s. The 4 wing tends to make 5s more self-absorbed, ore independent, and more empathetic than other 5s. They want to be competent/knowledgable with a touch of wanting to be authentic/find meaning.
The 6 Wing aka 5w6: Causes the type 5 to be a bit more cautious and social than other type 5s. The 6 wing tends to make 5s more anxious more skeptical, and more loyal than other 5s. They want to be competent/knowledgable with a touch of wanting to be secure/supported.
Wings of Type 6
The 5 Wing aka 6w5: Causes the type 6 to be a bit more intellectual and serious than other type 6s. The 5 wing tends to make 6s more self-controlled, more analytical, and more introverted than other 6s. They want to be secure/supported with a touch of wanting to be competent/knowledgable.
The 7 Wing aka 6w7: Causes the type 6 to be a bit more sociable and energetic than other type 6s. The 7 wing tends to make 6s more active, more entertaining, and more adventurous than other 6s. They want to be secure/supported with a touch of wanting to be satisfied/content.
Wings of Type 7
The 6 Wing aka 7w6: Causes the type 7 to be a bit more responsible and anxious than other type 7s. The 6 wing tends to make 7s more loyal, more dutiful, and more entertaining than other 7s. They want to be satisfied/content with a touch of wanting to be secure/supported.
The 8 Wing aka 7w8: Causes the type 7 to be a bit more passionate and competitive than other type 7s. The 8 wing tends to make 7s more bold, more assertive, and more driven than other 7s. They want to be satisfied/content with a touch of wanting to be independent/able to protect themselves.
Wings of Type 8
The 7 Wing aka 8w7: Causes the type 8 to be a bit more extroverted and energetic than other type 8s. The 7 wing tends to make 8s more impulsive, more materialistic, and more ambitious than other 8s. They want to be independent/able to protect themselves with a touch of wanting to be satisfied/content.
The 9 Wing aka 8w9: Causes the type 8 to be a bit more approachable and gentle than other type 8s. The 9 wing tends to make 8s more introverted, more supportive, and more cooperative than other 8s. They want to be independent/able to protect themselves with a touch of wanting to be at peace/harmonious.
Wings of Type 9
The 8 Wing aka 9w8: Causes the type 9 to be a bit more assertive and outgoing than other type 9s. The 8 wing tends to make 9s more confident, more opinionated, and more stubborn than other 9s. They want to be at peace/harmonious with a touch of wanting to be independent/able to protect themselves.
The 1 Wing aka 9w1: Causes the type 9 to be a bit more introverted and idealistic than other type 9s. The 1 wing tends to make 9s more focused, more orderly, and more passive-aggressive than other 9s. They want to be at peace/harmonious with a touch of wanting to be good/right.
Are Wings Important?
Knowing your wing(s) can help you understand more parts of yourself and if you learn to develop and use the positive qualities of your wings then they can really bring balance and growth to your type.
That said, I would not get hung up on them. It’s much more important to focus on your main type followed by your subtype if you are looking for growth.
