Enneagram Complexities: Wings

Each Enneagram temperament can activate or temporarily move into the Enneagram Styles on either side of its basic style around the circle. This looks like the 2 moving to 1 or 3, the 7 moving to 8 or 6, the 4 moving to 4 or 3, and so forth.

The 6 Guardian, for example, might have a 5 Wing, which makes her quieter at times, or a 7 Wing, which allows her to morph into fun after creating safety or exhausting a worry. Or she might have both wings and can be seen to activate one before the other. The 4 with a 5 Wing, for instance, is quieter than the 4 with a 3 Wing.

Wings are complexities of the Enneagram, possibly from childhood influences. They may arrive from birth or be utilized based on the childhood environment.

Wings can also balance the propensity of style so that the Enneagram challenge can be softened. For instance, a Detail-Oriented Enneagram 1 with a 2 Kind-Hearted mother might have learned to think before criticizing and be more likely to notice the effects of his corrections. In that case, the Enneagram 1 has a helpful 2 Wing that can step in when needed.

Use of the Wings may cause a client to be unsure about his temperament. He may have developed a Wing to accommodate his family, but it is not his true temperament.