Enneagram type 8

The information below is all based on the following book (The Complete Enneagram | By Beatrice Chestnut) which is highly recommended, if you want to learn more and go much deeper on the enneagram and on type 8 specifically.

Ryan is direct and unapologetic. He says what he means and he goes after what he wants in life without fear and without concern for being judged.

Others see Ryan as strong and powerful. Ryan also sees himself this way. He has no respect for people that are weak and dependant on others.

Ryan is a leader, he believes in taking action, sometimes he acts too quickly without thinking it through.

Ryan is not afraid of confrontation and doesn’t avoid it. Many times he will even take things into his own hands.

When there is a void of leadership, Ryan naturally steps up to fill that void.

He can be revengeful when he feels he or someone else was wronged. He has a strong sense of justice.

Ryan believes in being self sufficient and making sure his needs and wants get met.

His strong personality can sometimes be excessive. Working too much, playing to hard or lusting for unlimited pleasures of all kinds.

Ryan is compensates for any weaknesses or vulnerabilities of his own be denying them and making sure to always be strong and take control of any situation.

In fact Ryan, represses and denies most of his softer emotional needs and makes a point of downplaying and ridiculing these in himself and in others.

The way the Ryan can ignore his own weaknesses and limitations can sometimes come back to bite him.

Being overly aggressive towards others can make them resentful and antagonistic.

Ignoring healthy limits can cause sickness and health issues.

Ignoring authorities and external limits can get you in trouble.

Acting too rashly can have negative consequences.

The 3 subtypes:

Self preservation Ryan is extremely impatient and gets very angry when his pysical needs don;t get met immediately.

Social Ryan uses his strength and power to protect and care for those that are weak and in need and who are unjustly harmed. Maybe he sees his own weakness in them, but he probably doesn’t realize it.

Sexual Ryan, is the anti social, unconventional type. He seduces people to his way of thinking with his strong personality. He goes out of his way to show how little he cares for common assumptions and what people think. He wants what he wants and goes after it without concern.

The growth path for Ryan:

Becoming aware of and being realistic about his own limits and external boundaries which can be healthy.

Innocence, being patient and having faith that his needs can be met.

Becoming aware of and allowing himself to feel his softer feeling like fear, helplessness, dependency that he may be hiding.

Learning to be vulnerable in friendships and relationships and opening up to receiving love and caring for himself from others.

Read about Enneagram type 9

To learn more about Beatrice Chestnut and her work please visit her website at https://beatricechestnut.com/ were she offers books, coaching, trainings and workshops.

Originally published at blog.myquestions.co on June 17, 2018.