What is 4's core? More general post about Type 4.

[Animal]

At the core of 4 is a mirror and a desire to be mirrored. Our expression is a mirror of our inner world and our perception. We see ourselves a certain way, based on our experiences, our thoughts, our cravings, our talents, our mistakes, our assets, our faults. That sense of self is often focused on what sets us apart. At the same time we have a deep feeling that the world, or the cosmos, is an inclusive force that we are part of. This also contributes to our sense of self, to answer, what am I? Who am I? In order to make sense of this paradox we need to be mirrored. We express ourselves as we are, hoping to be seen for what we believe we are. If we are mirrored; if someone, or the world, sees us for who we are, then we have a place in the world. The identity has been actualized, substantiated. Through expressing ourselves, we become part of the cosmic force that is ever-present and all-inclusive.

4s are individualistic in the sense that we have an idea of who we are and the will to express it. But 7s are the true individualists of the enneagram.

4s seek mirroring. True and honest as our sense of identity and expression may be, it is accompanied by a want to be seen. To be mirrored. 7s simply expect that whatever they are is awesome and should be admired, just as they already are.

Have you ever seen a 7 try to blend in or get lost in a crowd? It's nearly impossible. Their body language makes them stand out because they march to their own drum, oblivious to anyone else's expectations. If someone blatantly tells them to be something else? "Pfft." Or [insert 1ish tirade]. Image types are more aware of how we come off. Whether we choose to conform, rebel, or ignore it, and whether or not we care, we are aware. I generally stand out, but I am able to blend in and shrink my body language if I must. Because I'm self-aware and also able to be aware of how others perceive me if I tune into it. I'm not constantly worrying about what others think - I am in my own world, in my own conversation, or doing my own thing, quite freely. But I am still able to be aware of how I am perceived, if I want to be.

These are parts of diary entries from many years ago during my acid-days. Not meant to be great poetry; just me thinking aloud in my diary. I tend to think in rhymes if I let myself go. But it reveals the mentality.

____________
we are alone in mutual seclusion
and we are all one living an illusion
everyone wants a reason to live in this confusion
but you and i are the same
resisting & longing for fusion

_______________
am ii too jagged
or is the world too perfectly round?
sometimes ii feel like everyone else is lost
and ii, alone, am found.
but if a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it
does it make a sound?
that question is what keeps me so tightly bound.