[Enneagram Type 6, the Loyalist] Behavioral Differences Across Instinctual Variants (sp/sx/so)

The discomfort that arises when things do not go my way

Many people have probably experienced this at least once: being in a situation that seems to follow its own course, regardless of your wishes. For example, when you simply want to read quietly but see your surroundings continuing as they are, or when a schedule you have prepared unexpectedly falls apart. At such moments, we often feel stress along with anxiety. People of Type 6 frequently experience similar feelings. Known as the 'Loyalist,' they often locate the anxiety arising within them in their external surroundings. At times, they interpret their inner anxiety as a problem in the external situation. Seeing their inherent anxiety in external situations is their way of protecting themselves, a kind of defense mechanism for easing anxiety.

The variant that seeks safety

In this article, instinctual variation refers to differences in expression according to instinct among people of the same Type 6. We explore these differences from three perspectives: the self-preservation instinct, social instinct, and sexual instinct. Being Type 6 does not in itself mean that the self-preservation instinct is strongest. Even among people of the same Type 6, the sexual or social instinct may be more prominent. Here too, it is important to identify what they consider more important, rather than define their personality solely by outward behavior.

Ways of easing anxiety

Exploring differences associated with instincts allows you to reflect on how you respond to anxiety. Even among people of the same Type 6, the ways they attend to their own needs or interactions with others may differ. It is important to examine how each person responds to danger in their own experience. By exploring these differences, people of Type 6 can better understand how they deal with danger and how they ease their anxiety.

Understanding yourself more fully and growing

Exploring differences associated with instincts helps people of Type 6 understand themselves more deeply. They can reflect on how they protect themselves and seek safety, and how they respond to anxiety.