Exploring the Wings: How Adjacent Types Influence Your Enneagram

Discovering your core personality through the Enneagram test is only the beginning of your journey into profound self-awareness. The Enneagram, a dynamic model of human psyche, comprises nine interconnected personality types.

While individuals may identify strongly with one type, nuances come into play through wings, which are the adjacent types that further influence your primary Enneagram type.

Let's delve deeper into understanding how exploring the wings of your Enneagram can lead to greater personal insights.

Understanding the Enneagram: More Than a Number

Before examining the concept of wings, it's essential to grasp the basics of the Enneagram test. The Enneagram is a geometric figure that maps out nine distinct personality types and their complex interrelationships. Each type, numbered One through Nine, represents a range of attitudes and behaviors.

When you take the Enneagram test, you're not just receiving a static number; you're given a starting point to explore the rich, multi-layered aspects of your personality. This understanding is where the concept of wings comes into an integral role, adding shades to your primary type.

Wings in the Enneagram: Adjacent Influences

Each Enneagram type has two wings, directly adjacent to your main type on the nine-pointed diagram. For example, if your primary Enneagram type is Three, your wing could either be Two or Four. These wings subtly modify your principal type, leading to unique combinations in your personality profile.

Why Your Wings Matter: Adding Depth to Your Enneagram Profile

1. Complexity and Balance: Your wings bring in complementary qualities, creating a balance and adding complexity to your personality.
2. Behavioral Patterns: They can explain variances in similar primary types, providing insights into different behavioral patterns and responses.
3. Growth and Development: Identifying and developing your wings aids in personal growth, allowing a broader range of traits to explore and cultivate.

Identifying Your Wings: The Next Step After Your Enneagram Test

After determining your primary Enneagram type, how do you identify your wings? And more importantly, how do they influence your core type?

1. Study Adjacent Types: Start by studying the descriptions of the types adjacent to your primary number. One or both might resonate with you.
2. Reflect on Your Behavior: Consider your behavior, feelings, and thoughts. Ask yourself if you lean toward the characteristics of one of your adjacent types.
3. Take a Comprehensive Test: Some advanced Enneagram tests provide a more detailed breakdown of your scores, helping identify your wing.

Examples of Wings at Work

To visualize how wings influence the primary Enneagram types, let's consider a few examples:

• Type Four with a Three Wing (4w3): Known as the "Aristocrat," they may be more extroverted, ambitious, and image-conscious than the typical Four.
• Type Seven with an Eight Wing (7w8): Referred to as the "Realist," individuals with this combination are likely more grounded, confident, and authoritative compared to the standard Seven.

These examples underscore the nuances wings bring into each Enneagram type, making the study of your wings as crucial as understanding your primary type.

Developing Your Wings: Pathways to Personal Growth

Recognizing your wings' influence is part of your self-awareness journey, but working to develop these aspects of your personality fosters growth.

• Engage in Self-Reflection: Understand how your wings manifest in your life. Are they balanced, or do you lean more on one side?
• Seek Feedback: Sometimes, it's easier for others to notice aspects of ourselves that we can't see. Open dialogues about your personality traits with close ones can be enlightening.
• Personal Development Practices: Engage in practices that nurture aspects related to both your primary type and your wings. Meditation, journaling, or targeted skill-building activities can be beneficial.

Conclusion: Embracing the Full Spectrum of Your Enneagram Personality

Exploring the wings of your Enneagram unveils the subtle layers of your personality, providing a pathway to a more harmonious understanding of self. By acknowledging and integrating these influences, individuals can embrace a full spectrum of their Enneagram identity, leading to a more balanced, authentic existence.

Whether you're new to the Enneagram test or well-versed in the theory, considering the role of wings in your Enneagram type is a step forward in your journey of personal evolution.