Known as the Peacemaker, type 9s are likable and easygoing. They're chameleons who are adept at merging with another person to keep the peace … often at the expense of their own needs. Here, Enneagram experts share cherry-picked wisdom and guidance aimed at helping 9s come into full expression.
In case you’re in need of a refresher, the Enneagram is an ancient personality typing system — based on our core motivations — that includes nine different types, or ways of viewing the world, says Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober, MA, founder of Enneagram Ashton and author of The Enneagram Made Simple.
To put it metaphorically, says Doug J. Moore, PhD, a psychologist, life coach, and spiritual teacher, “our type is the pair of colored glasses we see the world through."
And if you’re a type 9, those lenses are focused on keeping the peace at all costs, often neglecting your own needs in the process. Sound a little too familiar? You might be a 9!
Type 9: Your Defining Characteristics
You get along with everyone
Known as the Peacemaker, 9s are driven by a fear of conflict and being separated from those they love, Whitmoyer-Ober shares with us. “The 9s are easygoing, likable, and nonjudgmental. They just want people to be happy and get along.”
You love going down the self-discovery rabbit hole
Moore, who’s a 9 himself, says the 9 is at the top of the Enneagram symbol. They represent the idea that we’re all connected in a deep way, because we’re all one “mind” or consciousness. “Oftentimes, 9s are going to be more interested in self-discovery because of seeking that oneness at the personality level,” Moore says, but it can be what the expert says is a “false sense of oneness,” since 9s will sweep things under the rug in order to feel that connectedness.
Type 9s are in the body triad. They need to be rooted in their body to feel their best.
You can be a people-pleaser
While 9s might present as the picture of perfect calm, it can be a facade: In order to keep the peace — and the emotional duress at bay — they neglect their own needs and desires. This can result in anxiety, which is often a mask for their own anger.
Interested in learning more? Check out Assert Yourself Without Isolating Others
Enneagram Type 9’s “Wings”: Type 8 and Type 1
Many Enneagram experts believe that we share traits belonging to one or both of our “wings” — which are the personality types surrounding us that bring us into balance. “If you’re a 9 with an 8 wing, you’re going to be more direct and able to state your opinions,” Whitmoyer-Ober says. “With the 1 wing, you’re going to be more focused on perfection and right versus wrong. You may be more organized and orderly.”
In Moore’s experience, all types can have both wings — and use them accordingly. “For example, the 1 wing in me shows up as I’m developing my website; I can get lost in the details about how something can be corrected. The 8 wing will come out when I’m teaching. I become more embodied and fully present,” he says.
Navigating Relationships and Compatibility as an Enneagram Type 9
As a 9, Moore says that his peacemaking interactions with others have evolved over the years. “In my 20s and 30s, I was the person who tried to get everybody in my family to be connected. It got me into trouble, and eventually I backed out of that role.” Although it might be tempting to get involved in conflict with family, friends, or even at work, it’s helpful to remember that you can’t be responsible for everyone’s feelings. Instead of focusing on the happiness of others, focus on doing what you can to remain calm in the storm.
Regarding compatibility with other people, Moore believes the relationship between a 9 and another type really depends on how evolved the type in question is. “For example, it might be challenging for a 9 to be with an emotionally distressed 4. But if a 4 has really done their work, 9s can really relate to the dynamism of their nature.”
Adds Whitmoyer-Ober, “Any type can be a great match for someone as long as they are the healthy version of their type and working toward understanding themselves and others.”
Optimal Wellness Approaches for Enneagram Type 9
The nine Enneagram types are divided into one of three “triads,” or sections — the “body,” the “heart,” or the “head” — with each type identifying with one of the three.
“The 9s are in the body triad,” Moore tells us, as are 1s and 8s. Types 5, 6, and 7 are head, while 2, 3, and 4 are heart.
The body types like Enneagram type 9 need to be rooted in their body to feel their best. If they haven’t done much inner work, Moore says, they can feel almost as if they have gauze in front of them, meaning they might not feel present, embodied, or vibrant — like they’re walking through life with their eyes half open. To lift the gauze, grounding is crucial, says Moore, who now does a full embodiment routine consisting of exercise and energy work (which might mean breathwork, reiki, or acupressure) every morning. “Spending time in nature, really connecting to it, is important, too.”
Fostering healthy habits is typical type 9 behavior. “The 9s will focus on things that help them maintain peacefulness, likely healthy sleep habits,” Whitmoyer-Ober adds.
Strengths and Needs in the Workplace
When it comes to the workplace, 9s make great mediators, therapists, or coaches, Moore tells us. “Being a 9 has really helped me relate to a broad range of people and connect with them at a deep level in my work as a psychologist and life coach. I get people and appreciate them for who and where they are.”
Adds Whitmoyer-Ober, “Nines tend to prefer positions where they are able to take more of a supportive role. They might gravitate toward the helping or teaching field, or anything that feels peaceful to them.”
If, as a 9, you’ve had trouble choosing a career path, you’re in good company. “The 9 is going to easily be drawn to a variety of options,” Moore says. “Part of the 9’s work is learning how to really listen to a deeper intuition” to identify and pinpoint which direction you should take.
Other Opportunities for Self-Development
Learning to freely speak their truth is the biggie. “Type 9s need to learn how to vocalize their desires, needs, and opinions, even if they could cause conflict with others,” Whitmoyer-Ober says.
Adds Moore, “As the 9s are integrating and becoming more conscious, they’re learning to be more engaged and find their own light, rather than stay in the shadows. It’s about learning how to express their heart and be authentic and genuine.”
The other part is to recognize that they don’t need to strive to acquire oneness — or that feeling of divine connection, Moore says. Instead, “the 9 is on a journey of understanding that we’re already connected. It’s not something that we have to achieve. It’s who we are.”
As the 9 awakens and evolves, and begins to understand their innate self-worth, the desire to “do” — to constantly placate, people-please, get along with everyone, and blend in — transforms into the desire to just “be.” It’s from that state of “being” that true self-expression takes root.
And the 9, at long last, finds what they’ve been searching for.
