Subtypes of Type 5, The Observer

The London Enneagram meetings this year are focusing on the Instinctual Subtypes. These are important variations of the nine personality types. Learning to manage subtype issues and preoccupations is an important tool for personal awareness, relationships and growth.
Although the name ‘Subtype’ implies something subordinate to Enneagram Type, in fact it probably pre-dates it, because it is about instinctual, body-based, behaviour. While our Enneagram type describes our motivations, which are affairs of the Head and the Heart Centres, with the subtype, we bring in the Body Centre through the three survival strategies of: self-preservation, concerned with survival of the individual; intimacy – known as one-to-one/sexual i.e. couple-relating - concerned with survival of the species and social, concerned with survival as a group and within the group.
We use all three of these instincts in daily life, and they each come to the fore at different stages of life, but one of them draws more of our attention and energy on a consistent basis. This is our subtype and we may find we have more in common with others of the same subtype than we have with people who are the same type as we are.
Subtype affects the way the type presents, so that, for each of the types, one of them appears different from the other two. When we first learn the Enneagram we learn about the two versions of the type that are most similar, so we may be confused when we, for instance, meet a Sexual 6 who goes against their fear (counter-phobic) and may seem more like an 8; or when we meet a Social 9, who speaks out and may even deliberately get into conflict – until we realised that this is only as long as it is serving the needs of the group they belong to.

Type 5, The Observer, is a withdrawing type, preferring to detach and observe than become too involved because they believe that they do not have sufficient resources - time, energy, money etc. - to deal with the demands of the world, especially emotional demands. When mixed with the three survival instincts, three different versions of Type 5 emerge. We will be exploring this with the help - we hope - of several people who recognise themselves as Type 5.

I know this can be a big ask of people who prefer to keep to the sidelines, but if you recognise this way of being, and would be prepared to explain about it to others, please contact Rosemary as we would love to hear how your Type and Subtype play out in the world.
Schedule for the rest of 2023, online via Zoom, from 6.30-8.00pm – all Wednesdays:

Subtypes of:
Type 6: Loyalist; Charmer/Warrior; Trooper October 25th
Type 7: Bon Vivant; Don Juan; Visionary November 29th

Looking forward to seeing you!

Contact Rosemary for the Zoom link - and if you would like to make a donation, that is also possible!