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Multiple Enneagram Subtypes/Instincts Purpose of Instinctual Variants

gromit

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I'm not sure if this is addressed elsewhere, but what's the purpose of instinctual stacking? As I understand, with the enneagram numbers, there are levels of growth and that kind of thing. Is it the same for instinctual variants, or are they more primarily descriptive?

Edit: What are some ways you have used information about your instinctual variants to promote personal growth or achieve goals?
 
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CuriousFeeling

From the Undertow
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
2,937
MBTI Type
INfJ
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
As far as I can tell, it's to describe what variation of the Enneagram type you are... taking into account introversion/extroversion, and what your primary drive is behind your type. SX (sexual) variants are more interested in one-to-one relationships with other people, SO (social) variants take their type's drive in relationship with others/society around them, and SP (self-preserving) variants take their type's drive in relationship with how to survive in the world. There's a combination of how each of these are stacked with each other based on how much of each variant you have, the highest percentage is your main variant, and the second highest is your second one. It's like comparing three flowers of the same species, but each expresses a different color. Hope this helps! :)
 

rav3n

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Hopefully an enneagram expert will correct this if it`s inaccurate but IMO, instinctual variants are how you interact with people.
 

gromit

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So it's really only to describe the different tendencies we have, there's not really any path for growth associated with the different variants/stackings?
 

JocktheMotie

Habitual Fi LineStepper
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Nov 20, 2008
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Yes, they're really more descriptive. They describe your interpersonal focus.
 

gromit

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Haha. Okay. Good thing I made this whole thread about it...
 
B

brainheart

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I don't know. I think it's helpful because it's making me realize what I tend to over focus on and what I tend to neglect. For example, in the description for four sx/so (as it says in my signature) it says, "these Fours become more healthy when they learn to control their impulsivenss and focus their energies." Now I knew that was true before hand, but sometimes it's helpful to see it in writing.

I'm reading Bob Dylan's Chronicles and what strikes me the most about him is his self preservation variant. He became successful not only due to talent, but because he knew what he wanted, what he wanted was consistent, and he stayed consistently focused on making it happen. Conversely, the only thing I'm consistent about is changing my mind. Now that I'm more aware of this, I'm trying to tap into my self-preservation energy more and make things happen.
 

gromit

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Ok interesting. So the third/last one is the one to focus on "developing," as it were?
 
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brainheart

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Ok interesting. So the third/last one is the one to focus on "developing," as it were?

Seems to be the case for me, anyway. I have to force myself to eat, get sleep, take showers, make money, etc. I find all of that stuff really unimportant and unexciting. But it's required.

And what I get so hung up on is my inability to sustain attention on even the things that matter to me, because something new and shiny comes along. So I am invoking the sp muse, to come and please help me.
 

rav3n

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Any information can be utilised. But it's up to you to find a use for it or not.

As an sx/sp, I rein in my natural tendencies to immediately connect until I've had some time to gauge the other person. So it's using sp to offset sx.
 

gromit

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Interesting. Thanks brainheart and Metaphor. I am very curious about ways that people have used information on their instinctual variants to promote personal growth or achieve goals. Maybe I'll add that to the OP.
 

Kasper

Diabolical
Joined
May 30, 2008
Messages
11,590
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
Being so dismally un-sx and having quite strong sp leanings it's been a matter of awareness of how craphouse I am at one-on-one relationships, how I prefer solitude or group settings to something more intimate. There's a few areas in life that I keep coming back to as needing improvement and developing deeper reciprocal relationships is one of them, it's not about being open though, I'm fine with that, it's more specific sx type things. I need separation between me and another person problem with that is I then push against situations where a relationship could go deeper.

Being able to read about sp/so/sx experiences and see where I'm at has allowed me to use the Enneagram language to describe things and gain a better awareness of shortcomings. I've always known I push people away but this knowledge gives me an understanding of when and why so that I can resist my urges to retreat to safe ground when a sx-dom attempts to wear my skin as they so enjoy. (sickos!)
 

Magic Poriferan

^He pronks, too!
Joined
Nov 4, 2007
Messages
14,081
MBTI Type
Yin
Enneagram
One
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
The instincts are about personal priorities/motives/interests... you get the idea.

They are vaguely, vaguely related to the survival instincts, mating instinct, and pack instinct.

One is not exactly a type based on their instincts stacking. All people of one Enneagram type, say type 1, are supposed handle contextually social matters the same way, or self-preservational matters the same way, etc. The difference between the stacking is merely that a person who's I-P-S (usually called sx/sp) is more focused on, puts more resources* into the Intimate/Sexual matters than others, while a S-P-I (so/sp) puts more resources into social matters than the others.

So yes, they are entirely descriptive (and the rest should be, too :tongue10:)

*the word resource is used very loosely.
 

Elfboy

Certified Sausage Smoker
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
9,625
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
5w4
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
IMO instinctual variants have more to do with your social/emotional needs. for instance a sp/sx is going to have relatively need to fit into a group or social circle, but a so/sx type needs this kind of belonging and group interaction to grow and be emotionally healthy. similarly, many sp typed would become psychologically traumatized in if forced into the military draft. most so/sx types would probably be okay psychologically because their psychological need for safety, security and relaxation is less prevelant. similarly, a sx/so type (especially a 2) could feel overwhelming levels of depression without any intimate friends to share his feeling with. many sp/so types on the other hand can never have an intimate relationship in their life and be perfectly fine.
PS: this is my beef with modern psychology. it tries to through people under all these umbrellas like "all people do this" or "all people need this" when it's just not true. everyone has different cognitive and emotional needs (and MBTI, Enneagram and social variant stackings can be very good indicators). that's what I really like about relavent personality tests, they pinpoint these needs that modern psychology labels as "pseudo science" when in reality we are probably 20-30 years ahead of them in many regards.
 
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