Season 2 Ep.7: Self-Defense Mechanisms of the Enneagram

Description

Our ego is such a tricky thing that wants to keep us safe and comfortable. But this can also result in self-defense mechanisms that make us play a small role in life.

There is a specific defense mechanism assigned to each Enneagram type based on their fears and what self-image they want to maintain. In this episode, I want to deep dive into each self-defense mechanism and help you understand why you do things to keep yourself comfortable and feel safe. I also want to emphasize that you have access to each self-defense mechanism, and should not be used as an excuse to not improve yourself and be your healthiest self.

Do you resonate with your Enneagram type’s self-defense mechanism? Let me know by leaving this episode a review or sharing this episode with your friends and on your favorite social media platform!

Key Points of the Episode:

The importance of recognizing the self-defense mechanisms of the Enneagram.
The self-defense mechanisms of each Enneagram type.

Quote:

“When I started diving into the Enneagram, it's like this realization that people are wonderful, people are awesome, but also people are difficult.”

“Enneagram Eight wants to negotiate every single part of their existence, their day, to doing everything they can to squash down any kind of thoughts, feelings, emotions, or anything that will make them feel the least bit vulnerable.”

“Enneagram Nine narcotize themselves, not literally, but they do this. It's a numbing. It is a checking out. It is being asleep to deep avoidance to avoid conflict.”

“Reaction formation is basically trying to reduce or eliminate their anxiety because anger comes up a lot as angst or anxiety or resentment for the Enneagram One.”

“Enneagram Two will repress all of their own needs and feelings to avoid making you feel that they are needy or they want to maintain the self-image that they're very helpful.”

“Enneagram Three’s identification is basically what helps them maintain a self-image of somebody successful. It's like a facade.”

“Enneagram Fours interject negative information, like mofos, and they repel the positive data about themselves as a way of coping with painful information and neutralizing external threats.”

“Isolation. That's how Enneagram Fives deal with things. Solitude, isolation, cutting myself off from certain relationships, from certain friendships, from certain things in my life that I know aren't good for me have really, really served me in my growth.”

“What Enneagram Sixes do to assure their safety and to justify to you that they're a loyal person, is they project positive feelings into the relationship or to an external authority figure to avoid rejection at all costs.”

“The primary defense mechanism of Enneagram Seven is something called rationalization. It's explaining uncomfortable or unacceptable thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to both themselves and others in a way that deflects or obscures the true motivation, intention, or impact of the behavior.”