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Enneagram Sub Types

What Are Enneagram Sub-Types?

Although not unique to the Enneagram system of personality, sub-type is a major influence on

how the Enneagram types are demonstrated. The principal is based on evolution and relates to

the basic strategies for survival, e.g. as seen in the animal kingdom. Whilst basic survival

strategies are less relevant in modern western civilization, the basic patterns are repeated in a

modern context.

The sub-type principles are:

1. Self-Preservation: The need to ensure survival through shelter, food, warmth. The collecting of

things so that one is not exposed to shortage (think of a squirrel gathering and hiding nuts).

2. One-to-One: The need to ensure survival of the species through procreation creates this sub-

type impulse (sometimes called ‘Sexual’ but not necessarily meaning in the genital sense,

although not excluding that either).

3. Social: In nature, the herding instinct creates safety in numbers. Herds are successful only

when organized (which is why predators prefer to panic and thus scatter herds to single out their

prey).

How do we adopt a sub-type?

According to acclaimed expert, Peter O’Hanrahan, the sub-type behaviour is developed in

humans during the first three years of a child’s life:

Year 1 = Self Preservation: Earliest childhood awareness of objects; from the nipple to the soft

toy. Children are incapable of play at this age.

Year 2 = One to One: The child becomes aware of another (‘dyad’/’twoness’) in the process of

‘individuation’. Skills of mirroring/reflecting the other comes into the child’s behaviour. Children

learn to play, but alone.

Year 3 = Social: The child now becomes aware of groups and develops early inclusion and

negotiation strategies as part of gaining a social identity. Children learn to play with others.

At some point during this period, the child experiences a natural ‘fit’ between the developing

personality (a ‘protective but limiting shell’ in Enneagram terms) and the expression of instinctual

energy in support of the developing shell. Thus hardens their type and their sub-type as a way of

making their way towards gaining love and affection (or avoiding pain/danger) that is at the core

of the Enneagram teaching.