Type 9: The Need to Avoid

Enneagram Type 9 are typically called Peacemakers. 9s observe everyone around them, work hard to understand everyone, and then take great efforts to bring everyone together in peace and harmony. The one person they ignore: themselves! If things are going well, 9s will go with the flow. But as soon as the peace is disturbed 9s will either retreat or sacrifice themselves to create peace.

Words that describes Type 9 people include…

Basic Fear

9s fear being lost, separated, left out, and/or fragmented.

Basic Desire

To have peace of mind and wholeness

A Few Key Motivations

• to be stable, settled, and in harmony with others
• to avoid conflict and tension
• to avoid rocking the boat (ie keep things as they are)
• to resist anything upsetting or disturbing

Virtue

Decisive Action. When 9s reach a decision, it happens in a moment of absolute clarity. Then they will act and no one will be able to stop them. This coupled with the gift of mediation and understanding gives 9s an ability to cultivate peace, reconciliation, and renewal.

Vice

Sloth – SLOW and steady! (not lazy), lethargic, self-forgetting apathy

Defense Mechanism

9s “Go along to get along.” They withdraw in distressing situations. So retreat is their defense – anything from sleep to addiction.

Pitfalls

• Believing they are worth nothing and
• When things get hard or overwhelming, 9s give up, retreat, opt out
• Lethargy and Comfort
  • Lethargy: Waiting for someone else to take the first step, slow down, don’t rock the boat
  • Comfort: The familiar is the path of least resistance; to change is to stir up conflict

Childhood

As children, 9s felt overlooked, lost, ignored, or rejected when they expressed an opinion. People failed to acknowledge them, looked past them. Someone else’s interest took precedent over theirs, and they learned to just keep to themselves, to keep their feelings to themselves, to stay under the radar, and to make sure everyone else was fine.

In the midst of competing sides, 9s learned to see each side so as not to get caught in or between one or the other. The intensity of others meant discomfort and trouble. So, 9s learned to be easygoing and undemanding.

Examples

Rapunzel sets her life aside to maintain the peace of her routine given the rules and expectations of her Mother. It’s not what she dreams of, but it is what she believes she has to do to maintain peace and stability. Her struggle is to not assert her own self, her ideas, her desires, her needs in order to not rock the boat.

Remember that scene later in Tangled when Rapunzel gets mad at Mother Gothel and unleashes her angry? That is very 9 as well! 9s may seem like they are fine, when in fact they have plenty of anger. They just stuff it down inside – until a line is crossed!

Biblical Character

Jonah is a Nine. God calls him to preach repentance in Nineveh. Jonah knew the Ninevites and that they were not Godly folks and so rather than step into this potential mess, Jonah runs – in the opposite direction of Nineveh. He hops onto a boat, a brutal storm arises… and what does Jonah do? He goes to sleep (classic 9!), he opts out, check out, withdraws, he retreats to sleep! Then, when confronted by his shipmates, he comes clean only because he had to. To keep the peace, he tells them to throw him overboard and the storm would calm. He, like a 9, will sacrifice his own well-being for the sake of others.

The great fish swallows Jonah. The 3 days in the fish-belly force Jonah to reflect, to come to himself, and so he has an awakening. He realizes he has been avoiding and running and retreating from God. Peacemaking had become his idol. He followed after peace rather than God. Upon this awakening, the fish spits him out. He goes to Nineveh and preaches repentance in bold fashion. Remember: when 9s finally make a decision, there are decisive and effective. And Jonah is – all Nineveh repents! There’s more, but I hope you get the gist of both the struggle and the gift that 9s have.

What 9s Need

• Need to know their presence matters; their thoughts, perspectives, gifts are important
• Need to be wanted, to know that others believe in them
• Need to know that Conflict is normal and healthy, not bad
• Need Focus, need to avoid distractions
• Need to consciously struggle to find their own standpoint

Summary

Enneagram Type 9 – The Peacekeeper from Crystal

Are you a 9?

If you think you may be a 9, check out the video below for some helpful connection points to God. Also, be sure to text, call or email Pastor Jason to sign up to take the 40 minute Enneagram Test online. (Paper test are available as well.) Use the contact form on our website or text/call the church office.

Stay tuned to our blog for tips on relationships with Type 9s!