THE PEACEMAKER

Enneagram Nines are motivated by a need to be settled and in harmony with the world and, as a result, being accommodating and accepting will be important to them. They strive for a peaceful existence and appreciate stability, preferring to avoid conflict. At their best, Nines are experienced as self-aware and vibrant. They offer the gift of right, sustainable action to themselves and the world around them. Less-healthy Nines may be experienced as procrastinating, stubborn and self-denying. This stems from a pattern of going along to get along with others and the eventual discomfort that arises when this strategy is not satisfying.

GETTING TO KNOW THE TYPE NINE:

  • Basic Fear is being immoral or unethical

  • Basic Desire is to be morally good and have complete internal peace.

  • Basic Strengths are defending rights of others and being deeply motivated

  • Blind Spots include a tendency to be a perfectionist and being highly critical

  • Motivated by fighting for issues/social justice, personal growth and helping the less fortunate

  • Drained by being perceived as rigid, receiving criticism from those they admire and not feeling that they are making a difference

  • Best Jobs for Type Nine: Counselor, Social Worker, HR manager, veterinarian, diplomat, psychiatrist, librarian, editor, religious worker

  • Agreeable: Nines are easy to get along with. Others experience them as open, receptive and peaceful.

  • Understanding: are able to listen to differences and understand multiple perspectives, with a great skill in synthesis and finding commonalities across differences.

  • Patient: they do things in a calm, sustainable way, trusting the natural rhythm of projects and processes.

  • Supportive: others feel accepted, heard and understood in the presence of Nines. They accept people for who they are and see their full potential.

  • Genuine: What you see is what you get with a Nine and they are unpretentious. Others can be at ease with them.

  • Optimistic: The Seven’s focus on what brings joy, happiness and pleasure to life enables them to exude optimism.

  • Flexible: As Sevens are attuned to possibilities and like to keep their options open, they will be adaptable in the face of change, setbacks and challenges.

  • Future-Oriented: By focusing on what is next, the Seven’s enthusiastic and visionary qualities enable them to both anticipate and create an exciting future.

  • Practical: At their best, Sevens combine their ideas with a practical and productive focus that enables them to make things happen.

  • Adventurous:As a playful, versatile and spontaneous person, Sevens savour their freedom and like to explore new territories and experiences.

RELATIONSHIPS

IF YOU LOVE A NINE:

Be sure to include a Nine in your decision-making processes. Because they will naturally gravitate away from voicing their opinions, encourage them by presenting multiple-choice questions rather than open-ended ones (as these can be overwhelming). Celebrate their moments of voicing opinions.

The Peacemaker is known to be a people-pleaser who wants peace and calmness around them. They tend to be the ones who enjoy taking things easy, and they do not like confrontations. They adapt well to changes, take pride in understanding other perspectives and are very encouraging. The Peacemakers will often sacrifice their own needs to avoid conflict. They crave physical and emotional comfort, and they want to be heard and acknowledged. They do not fare well with emotionally charged issues or lengthy discussions.

PROFESSIONAL LIFE

Type Nines tend to thrive in environments that allow them to have stability and cheers them on. They also enjoy a slower pace. Nines work professionally best with driven and rational peers. They also need to be held accountable when working with another type Nine. They bring peace to a job and those around them. They do not like feeling overlooked or ignored and can often miss deadlines.

WORKING WITH A TYPE NINE

Communicating: Encourage them to be open about their personal needs and ideas; create an environment in which they feel safe to communicate honestly.

Meetings: Avoid creating pressure and encourage them to share their opinions or feelings.

Emailing: Communicate the purpose clearly, while allowing room for small-talk and personal connection.

Giving feedback: Avoid being overly negative or critical; express growth areas as opportunities rather than flaws.

Resolving conflict: Ask them what they need, remain calm and patient, and express yourself gently.

ROMANTIC LIFE

Romantically, Nines are supportive and understanding partners, They like to share the load of making decisions and leading in a relationship. Type 9 in love makes good partners as they easily adjust to the other person and go with the flow. The Peacemakers tend to neglect their own needs, but it is more of a case where they don’t speak up and allow others to use their voice instead. They can be too sensitive, taking things personally, so they need a partner who understands that.

HOW TO LOVE, SUPPORT and GET ALONG WITH YOUR TYPE NINE:

  • Remain open and do not pressure

  • Inquire about their frustrations in a kind and receptive manner

  • Listen fully to them. They can tell when you are not present

  • Validate their perspective; especially when you have a different opinion to share

  • Demonstrate verbally and nonverbally that their thoughts and opinions matter

  • When they are an unhealthy Nine, they tend to meander in a talk-style because they are unsure of what to say or feel

  • They will sometimes just go along with a plan to get along with you

  • Nines are very nonjudgemental, optimistic and engage fully with others

  • Peace and harmony being disrupted make me upset

  • Being told what to do instead of being asked

  • Feeling overlooked or dismissed

  • Rude, insensitive and inconsiderate people turn me off

  • Do not confront a Nine directly and expect thoughts immediately

  • Encourage a Nine to name their own desires and wishes

  • Try to focus on what they do as opposed to what they forget to do

  • Need alone time and independence

  • Don’t interrupt them while they are talking. They meander to get to the point.

  • Give clear and direct instructions

  • Ask questions of a distracted Nine to redirect them

GROUPINGS WITH A TYPE NINE

To see more pairings by type, click HERE

*Words of Gentle Caution: Keep in mind that much variation exists within a “typical” pattern based upon the level of personal development, cultural background, gender, the influence of other types, and life experience in general. Thus the characteristics and attributes presented for each combination are typical or “classic” for these two types.

GROWTH

GROWTH FOR THE TYPE NINE

Growth for a Nine comes when you are willing to step outside of your own comfort zone. You fear making waves. You fear sharing opinions with others. Nines tend to agree with others just to keep the peace.

GROWTH AREAS FOR THE TYPE NINE

  • The Nine fears separation. Find ways to take small steps toward growth in this area

  • Have a conversation with your anger

  • Take opinions and share them

  • Practice not always being the stable one in the boat. Go against your mantra of “Don’t rock the boat.”

  • Try seeing your true self

  • Take steps to develop and invest in yourself

  • Understand that the peace you seek is actually asserting yourself by sharing your talents and intelligence

SUBTYPES FOR PEACEKEEPERS

The Gut Center: {SLOTH: Lack of Attention Spent on the Self, Resulting in Inaction}

  • SUBTYPE: APPETITE

    The most ‘Eight-ish’ Nine, this subtype is concerned with meeting physical needs, focused on activities such as eating, reading or sleeping for their comfort and well-being. These activities are typically a strategy to escape or comfort themselves through fulfilling their appetites. Peace and time alone are important to them and they may be irritable and stubborn when others upset their balance or create problems.

    Finding a sense of comfort in the world through satisfying their physical needs. Find satisfaction in activities such as eating, reading, watching television, sleeping, or working. Merge with the experience of satisfaction of their needs. Focus on ensuring a certain rhythm occurs in life. Unpredictable or complex activities might cause discomfort.

  • SUBTYPE: FUSION

    This subtype fuses deeply with significant others in relationships as a strategy to feed their sense of self and sense of comfort. They tend to feel more secure when partnered with others and may find it challenging to be on their own. They are resistant to paying attention to themselves, their passions and desires and tend to go along with the preferences of others, even if this means sacrificing their own plans and needs.

    Have a sense of “being” by merging themselves with someone else. Might sacrifice own desires and take one another’s feelings and agenda when merging. Kind, gentle, tender, and sweet. The least assertive of the Nines. Empathetic and sensitive to others. Sexual Nines would prefer to go through life with a partner than going through it alone.

  • SUBTYPE: PARTICIPATION {COUNTERTYPE}

    This friendly, social Nine countertype ‘leans in’ and participates fully, often taking the role of mediator or facilitator in groups. They put their own issues aside, maintain a happy front to avoid burdening others and make sacrifices to meet group needs. They take comfort from feeling part of things in a broader group or community. Working hard to keep the people in their life happy, they may run the risk of becoming a workaholic, hiding their pain or stress.

    Express the passion of laziness (sloth) through merging with groups. Working hard at the group interests, prioritizing the group’s needs above their own. Need to participate comes from their deeper feeling of not belonging to the group. Work twice as hard to support to ensure they belong. More outgoing and energetic. Make very good leaders. Unselfish, and able to handle a lot. Work hard and accomplish a lot without showing stress of it.

    Might be mistyped as Type 3s.

CENTER OF INTELLIGENCE

The Gut Center

The Gut Center (or Instinctive Center) is home to enneagram types 8, 9, and 1.
While these numbers all seem rather different, they share them same gut instincts (as opposed to the heart or head centers.)

8’s, 9’s, and 1’s all take in life through their instincts (with their gut) and generally respond based on what their instinct is telling them to do.

8’s, 9’s and 1’s are all:
Concerned with: Justice
Seeking: Autonomy
Underlying Issue: Anger

Each of these enneagram types all deal with anger as their gut center issue. However, each type deals with the anger very differently.

8’s tend to display their anger (in hopes of controlling it)
9’s tend to deny their anger (in hopes of not upsetting anyone)
1’s tend to repress their anger (in hopes of achieving perfection)

Advice for those in the Gut Center: Instead of acting quickly based on your instincts, allow yourself to think first. Think about how your anger (which is likely the deep underlying cause of your instinctual reaction) affects you and those around you.

MOVEMENTS OF STRESS AND INTEGRATION FOR THE PEACEKEEPER

In stress, Type Nine’s take on the negative traits of Type Six. Nines feel stressed when feeling judged and misunderstood. The more stressed they get, the more they criticize themselves. They worry too much about what others think of them, always assuming the worst. Nines are often overly sensitive to criticism taking any words or expressions too seriously. When under stress, nine's like to hide. Nine wrongly feel that they are insignificant. They doubt themselves looking outside themselves for guidance, even though they often ignore the advice. It is easy for them to get stuck in passivity, thinking they can hide from the rest of the world. They become awfulizers focusing on the worst possible scenario that is unlikely going to happen. They become fearful of trying anything new.

How can a Type Nine fight stress?

  • Express to friends and family what you need and desire

  • Let people know what you are thinking and feeling

  • Read a book on motivation

  • Take a long walk in nature

  • Go out with a best friend

  • Treat yourself to something special.

In growth, Type Nines take on the positive traits of the Type Three. Learn to take action and push yourself to strive harder (towards Type 3), to develop a stronger moral compass (towards Type 1) and to handle stress in a more productive way (towards Type 8). Be willing to develop your analytical skills in order to prepare for the future (towards Type 6). Opportunity for growth arises when you start to realize that ignoring a problem does not make it go away. You learn to overcome the habitual response of choosing the least problematic strategy, which may not necessarily be the best way to tackle an issue. Instead, you make the decision to stay present to the problem and finding a solution. By meeting your challenge, you eventually discover that you are able to have the peace that you desire.

Opportunity for growth arises when you start to realize that ignoring a problem does not make it go away. You learn to overcome the habitual response of choosing the least problematic strategy, which may not necessarily be the best way to tackle an issue. Instead, you make the decision to stay present to the problem and finding a solution. By meeting your challenge, you eventually discover that you are able to have the peace that you desire. You find out that your problem is likely to escalate or worsen should you refuse to confront the pain earlier on.

Type 9 growth lies in reclaiming your sense of self. Thus, you stop idealizing others. You learn to assert yourself and allow your voice to be heard. You find healthy ways to express your anger. Instead of projecting the qualities of others that you admire, you are able to appreciate and value who you are. In doing so, you are in a better position to rise to your fullest potential.

You are able to direct your positive energy towards proactive action. You move towards an Enneagram Type 3 and become highly motivated. You start to prioritize. You are also able to make accurate risk assessments by staying alert to issues like a Type 6, along the grid line of the Enneagram.

You exude a calm energy even though you could be right in the middle of chaos. You are your own person and you do not need to give yourself away in order to be accepted or to keep the harmony. You use your gifts to maintain oneness, harmony and wholeness. You are at peace on the inside and outside.

WINGS

IMPORTANCE OF WINGS

Understanding Enneagram wings is important because the wings of each personality type affect each type in significant ways and can be used to understand the motivations of an individual further.  Recognizing each enneagram wing’s influence can help you avoid their weaknesses or lean into their strengths when needed. The wings of each type can seemingly contradict the dominant Enneagram personality types they are attached to.  Learning about enneagram wings can help you discover, enhance your journey of self-discovery, better understand others, and strengthen relationships. Once you understand your Enneagram wing type, you can use the knowledge you’ve gained to better yourself as a person by recognizing your behaviors.  This process can help you develop desirable qualities so that you avoid blindly hurting yourself and others.

WING OVERVIEW | TYPE 9 | PEACEMAKER

  • THE ADVISOR

    Basic Fear

    Afraid of being separated from the world.

    Basic Desire

    To be internally balanced. They seek to be at peace with themselves and others.

    Overall

    Be afraid of loss and separation

    Avoid personal confrontation and conflict

    Be social and adaptable

    Seek balance and peace in life

    Use routine to ignore their problems

    Strengths

    Encouraging and supporting other people

    Ability to assert themselves in professional settings

    Adapting to new ideas or circumstances

    Connecting with and effectively leading others

    Seeing multiple perspectives in a situation

    Weaknesses

    Struggling to balance assertiveness and passiveness

    Tendency to avoid difficult situations

    Minimizing emotional issues or problems

    Being perceived as blunt or stubborn

  • THE PEACEMAKER

    Basic Desire

    To have internal peace. Strive to be in harmony with themselves and the world around them.

    Basic Fear

    They may lose or be separated from others.

    Overall

    Avoid conflict with the world around them

    Seek peace and harmony with themselves and others

    Fear loss and separation

    Be accepting and agreeable

    Try to ignore or numb themselves to their problems

    Strengths

    Ability to see multiple perspectives

    Remaining calm and adaptable

    Supporting and reassuring those around them

    Mediating conflict between others

    Being open minded and suspending judgement

    Weaknesses

    Difficulty facing personal conflict with others

    Tendency to minimize problems

    Avoiding difficult or upsetting situations

    Being passive aggressive rather than addressing conflict

  • THE NEGOTIATOR

    Basic Fear

    Nines with a one wing are afraid of being separated from the rest of the world and losing what matters to them.

    Basic Desire

    They desire peace, both internally and externally. Their type one wing encourages them to make their idealized, peaceful world a reality.

    Negotiators defend themselves by participating heavily in routine to distract themselves and avoid negative emotions.

    Strengths

    Easily seeing many sides to a situation

    Desire to help and improve the lives of others

    Strong work ethic and focuS

    Deeply rooted motivation and purpose

    Ability to remain open-minded

    Weaknesses

    Overlooking their own needs

    Tendency to be overly critical of themselves

    Being perceived as cold or aloof when stressed

    Difficulty facing conflict head-on

    Overall

    Seek routine and moral action

    Fear misfortune and isolation

    Be optimistic and orderly

    Avoid disturbing peace and balance

    Try to numb themselves to their problems

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ENNEAGRAM 8