All too often I hear from people who are unfamiliar with the Enneagram that the Enneagram puts people in a box. There is nothing further from the truth. The Enneagram gives you insight into who you truly are and how you react when you feel disconnected from your divine essence. As such, the Enneagram does not label you, but rather, it frees you by giving you a choice in how to respond in a moment of stress or challenge. When we know who we are, we can choose what we do. Higher path? Lower path? Without understanding our higher emotion and lower emotional habit, often we mindlessly react to stimuli (and often regret it afterwards, feeling drained, embarrassed, or exposed). The Enneagram offers us the chance to respond to challenges consciously – not just reacting to stimuli, but responding through choice. This experience empowers us, and even energizes us, even in the most difficult of situations.
Our higher emotion is also sometimes called the Virtue of our type. Our Virtue is what we bring to an experience when we have a full and open heart. Our lower emotional habit is sometimes called our Passion, or the lower emotional reaction we have when we have disconnected from our Virtue or higher emotion.
Here is a chart of the higher emotions and lower emotional habits for each type:
Body Types Higher Emotion Lower Emotional Habit
Type 9 Right Action Laziness, Sloth
Type 8 Innocence Excessive behavior, Lust
Type 1 Serenity Anger and resentment
Head Types Higher Emotion Lower Emotional Habit
Type 7 Sobriety, acting without diversions Gluttony and fear of limitations
Type 6 Courage Fear and doubt
Type 5 Non-attachment Avarice or greed
Heart Types Higher Emotion Lower Emotional Habit
Type 4 Equanimity, knowing there is enough Envy or Melancholy
Type 3 Honesty and Truthfulness Vanity and deceit
Type 2 Humility Pride
Would you like to learn more about your Enneagram type and your higher emotion and your lower emotional habit? Reach out to me and we can set up an Enneagram Typing Interview to discover your Enneagram map. You may also schedule a complimentary discovery call if you have questions about how the Enneagram journey can help you live your fullest life.
Maria Mandarino
Contact Me
