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SYNOPSIS OF ARTICLE: The Harmony Triads give each of us: (1) a type that leads with a different one of the
three centers of intelligence – head, heart, and body, (2) a type that leads with a different one of the three great
life energies – active, receptive, and balancing, and (3) a type that leads with a different one of the three basic
forms of emotional regulation and conflict resolution – refraining into positives, containing through logical
analysis, and expressing deep concerns to get to the root of conflict. Thus the harmony triads provide all that is
necessary for a satisfactory life and the understanding of self and others. This article is the first comprehensive
paper that deals with and explores all three of these vital functions in depth.
Working with the Harmony Triads
A Key to Development and Integration
What do I mean by the Harmony Triads being a key to development and integration?
What is integration and what is its relationship to transformation?
How might these triads provide keys to much of what is needed for our work of development?
I start with the questions of how can we provide the Epicure Seven with a Heart Center connection
and the Giver Two a Head Center connection? The lines of connection in the process Enneagram
view of the Enneagram simply don’t do this. Moreover, types Four and Five are only connected
through being each other’s wing type. Yet we all know that we have some of all three centers of
intelligence. When we draw the line between types Four and Seven we have a new equilateral
triangle of Types 1-4-7 and our Epicure Sevens now has a Heart Center. Similarly, when we draw the
line between Types Two and Five, our Giver Twos now have a Head Center. We now have three
equilateral triangles each of which have all three centers of intelligence represented – types 3-6-9, 14-7, and 2-5-8. These can be named the Harmony Triads (Figure 1 below). These triangles also
result from ancient astronomical observation of the planet cycles of Jupiter and Saturn over time.
Figure 1: The Three Centers of Intelligence Rooted in the Harmony Triads
Over the years I have found that every Two has a “secret” connection to type Five where they pull
back, restore, conserve energy, and reflect mentally. And Fives can be giving with heartfelt
generosity. They just want to know for how long, essentially that there is a beginning, middle and end
to the claims being made upon them. Also I have seen many Sevens confused because they have
times of strong feelings especially as they awaken and allow in a range of feelings that include the
“darker” feelings. Likewise Fours have times of the incredible lightness of being especially as they
awaken and focus more upon the positives that have always been there.
Furthermore, the Harmony Triads provide a natural flow among the three centers of intelligence once
attention is put on these equilateral triangles. Those of us in the basic triad of types 3-6-9 know that
there is much movement among the types in the triad with each of the types becoming a resource.
Flow can occur in any direction depending upon the requirements of any particular situation once we
awaken to this natural process. When those in the other two equilateral triangles become aware, they
too can experience this natural flow of movement which allows for an increase of free energy. This
may, in fact, be the most important facet provided by the Harmony Triads.
The Harmony triads also present three ways of relating in the world.
• Types 3-6-9 can be called the Pragmatists as they relate to how we blend into and thrive in the
world. Don Riso and Russ Hudson call these types the Attachment triad as they tell how we
connect on a down-to-earth basis in our daily lives. Bill Schafer even names these the Earth
triad as these types govern our basic existence and hands-on attachments in the world. Thus
Threes seek a practical and sustaining role in the world. Sixes seek to assure a safe and
secure existence in the world. And Nines seek a comfortable position or place in the world.
Threes have “lost” or gone away from the higher quality of hope, of knowing that being can
manifest in the material day-to-day world. Sixes have “lost” or gone away from the higher
quality of faith knowing that the quality of pure being can manifest in the practical day-to-day
world. And Nines have “lost” or gone away from the higher quality of true love, of love of self
which is equal to love of all others. The path for those of us with these types is to release from
clinging to reassuring worldly attachments, allow in discomfort, and ultimate integrate in the
higher qualities into the day-to-day material world in which we all live.
• Types 2-5-8 can be called the Relationists as they are core exemplars of the three great moves
in all relationships: toward others to meet needs and care take (type Two), away from others to
deliver reason and perspective (type Five), and declarative with others, meaning to speak out
and assert what is required (type Eight). Don Riso and Russ Hudson name these types the
Rejection triad as they stave off rejection through providing necessary functions with Twos
offering care and support, Fives thoughtful analysis and rational viewpoints, and Eights
strength and protection. They all assert power through these vital functions. Bill Schafer names
these the Human triad as they speak from the heart and the bonds of connection. These three
types also have “lost” or gone away from the integration of their higher qualities into personality
function in daily life. Twos have “lost” or gone away from manifesting altruistic love and care
and being in the natural flow of giving and receiving. Fives have “lost” or gone away from
manifesting higher wisdom and understanding and being in the natural flow of life energy. And
Eights have “lost” or gone away from manifesting a fresh innocent perspective and being in
natural assertive action without a personal agenda. The path for those of us leading with these
types is to release from the deep concerns about rejection and to open the heart to the natural
flow of love and life energy.
• Types 1-4-7 can be called the Idealists as they each hold a vision of the way the world could be
in order for life and spirit to thrive. Don Riso and Russ Hudson call these types the Frustration
triad as they tell us how life fails to reach the idealized view. The world just doesn’t match the
ideal. Bill Schafer names these the Heaven triad as they speak to the possibilities of the
ultimate integration of personality and spirit. Thus Ones seek the perfect world according to the
internal standards of the way things ought to be and are frustrated that this doesn’t happen.
Fours seek the ultimate ideal world in which nothing of importance or substance is missing and
are frustrated and disappointed that this rarely happens. And Sevens seek the ideal positive
world free of suffering and pain by going to something new and positive when frustration
occurs. Ones have “lost” or gone away from the appreciation of difference in life and the
experience of the each being as an authentic expression of the whole range of divine
expression. Fours have “lost” or gone away from the appreciation of the wholeness in all there
is by focusing on what isn’t or is missing. And Sevens have “lost” or gone away from
embracing all of live in each moment and the accompanying wholeness of being. The path for
those of us leading with these types is to release from frustration and embrace the entire
spectrum of live in each moment.
The Three Centers of Intelligence
Here are brief descriptions of the vital functions that these three centers contribute to our lives:
• Types Leading with the Head Center: Types 5, 6, and 7 tend to filter the world through the
mental faculties. The goals of this center are to help us all minimize anxiety, manage
potentially painful situations and gain a sense of certainty and security through our mental
processes of analyzing, figuring out, envisioning, imagining and planning. In addition, all of us
depend upon the Head Center intelligence to develop the higher qualities of wisdom, inner
knowing and thoughtfulness. Importantly, we all experience the basic aversive emotion of
fear/anxiety found in all mammals that we don’t want to feel when we experience threat and
insecurity which motivates us to attain the basic need security and safety. Ironically this
motivation can also inhibit or development as we need to question their validity in order to
grow.Key Words: Security, Safety, Certainty, Assurance, Predictability, and Opportunity.
Key Words: Security, Safety, Certainty, Assurance, Predictability, and Opportunity.
• Types Leading with the Heart Center: Types 2, 3, and 4 tend to perceive the world through the
filter of relational intelligence that covers the range of emotions. The heart center tunes us to
the mood and feeling state in others and ourselves so that we can meet the vital needs for
connection, contact, and approval. We also get recognition from others which helps us support
our self-esteem and fulfill our need for love and connection. To assure that we receive
approval and recognition, we embody an image of ourselves at a very deep and relatively nonconscious level that gets others to accept and love us. Moreover, every type depends on
relational intelligence to develop the higher qualities of the Heart Center – empathy,
understanding, compassion, and loving-kindness. When we have the threat or loss of
connection, we experience the basic aversive emotion of distress/sadness found in all
mammals, but especially powerful in humans because of our long years of dependency. This
motivates us to stay connected or do something to reconnect in order to get and sustain love
and vital bonds with others. Again ironically avoidance of these feelings can inhibit or
questioning their validity and hence our growth and development.
Key Words: Love, Connection, Affection, Bonding, Image, and Approval
• Types Leading with the Body Center: Types 8, 9, and 1 tend to filter the world through an
intelligence of kinesthetic or physical sensations and gut instincts which serves to empower us
in our pursuit of needs of all sorts and assure our well-being in all sorts of ways, e.g., physical
and emotional. Yet we all use personal position and power to make life be the way we believe
it “should be.” We devise strategies to assure our place in the world and minimize discomfort.
All types depend upon the Body Center of intelligence to be in touch with its higher qualities –
the right amount of energy needed for action, how much power to use in pursuing our needs
and psychological-spiritual integrity, and being grounded in ourselves and in the world. We all
experience the basic aversive emotion of anger/rage found in all mammals that we don’t want
to feel when our basic need for self-worth, position in the world, and getting what we want are
threatened. In turn, this then drives our behavior for better and worse. Here also avoidance of
these feelings can restrict confronting them and determining their validity and relevance in our
lives, thus restricting our development.
Key Words: Worth, Congruence, Protection, Comfort, Harmony, and Belonging
The Three Vital Basic Aspects of Life Energy
But there is more to what the Harmony triads provide. Each triad also provides a type that leads with
one of the aspects of the great life energy – the active, receptive, and balancing facets. These three
manifestations of Qi or the flow of life force (energy) too are embedded in the Harmony Triad
structure (see Figure 2 below).
Figure 2: The Three Great Life Forces or Energies Rooted in the Harmony Triads
Each of the triads has a type leading with one of the three basic energy aspects:
• Active or yang energy, the lead aspect of types 3-7-8, flows outward into assertive and decisive
action that is unrestricted and expanding. These are the types that most readily reach out and
make things happen in the world. It even can manifest as alert stillness. This energy is over
valued in modern achievement and success oriented cultures. When contracted this aspect
gets expressed outwardly as unrestrained, not unrestricted, action and aggression. For Threes
this manifests as a goal focused fast pace that excludes feelings, for Sevens as insisting on
their view of options and opportunities, and for Eights as an all or nothing approach to life, an
imposing of their will on others. In the Don Riso and Russ Hudson view of what they name the
Hornevian triads, these are called the Assertive types.
• Receptive or yin energy, the lead aspect of types 4-5-9, flows inward as openness and receptivity
and outwardly as flexibility of action. It too can show up as stillness, a readiness for action.
This aspect of vital energy is under-developed in our busy modern world leading to endless
preoccupation with expansion and acquisition. This is the form of vital energy manifested as
openhearted grounded presence which allows us to witness others and ourselves with
empathy and understanding and to receive and integrate in that for which we are grateful.
Receptive energy also manifests as we move up the levels of development through selfobservation practice (also based on grounded presence and open heartedness) and through
working with our type structure. When fully developed it becomes the great emulsifier which
allows our essential or higher qualities to be integrated into our personality. When contracted,
this aspect leads to inertia and withdrawal. For Fours this manifests as inward preoccupation
with feelings and self-referencing, for Fives as contraction away from feelings and others’
impact, and for Nines as a stubborn digging in and numbing out. These get called the
Withdrawing types in the Hornevian approach of Don Riso and Russ Hudson.
• Balancing or yin/yang energy, the lead aspect of types 1-2-6, represents a reconciling energy
harmonizing both active and receptive aspects. It manifests as a continuous adjustments that
we make to the ever-changing circumstances where in reaction occurs if either receptive or
active energy seems to dominate. This balancing function reminds me of a teeter-totter that we
as children played upon where there was just no fun if we couldn’t create movement, flow, and
balance. This balancing aspect of energy allows us to thrive efficiently and effectively. When
contracted this energy collapses into a narrow and amplified rigidity, a teeter-totter stuck in not
moving. For Ones this manifests as the one right way, for Twos as knowing best what others
need, and for Sixes rigidity about harm and danger. Don Riso and Russ Hudson call these
types Compliant or Dutiful types in their Hornevian approach.
To me, these three vital aspects of life energy, when in flowing balance and applied appropriately for
any given situation, allow us to flourish. The Harmony Triad approach to the Enneagram gives each
triad all three of these manifestations of life energy.
There is one exception here. An alternate and equally valid view is that while Type 3 provides the
active/affirming aspect of energy and Type 6 the balancing aspect — when either receptive or active
energy get too dominate Type 9 because of its other-referencing quality with the ability to see all
points of view and desire to create harmony may also represent balancing energy, not only receptive
energy. Thus, the receptive force type of Type 9 also has a balancing function. In unity, Type 9 even
represents the one energy with two aspects, assertive and receptive, and how they get balanced.
The Three Vital Forms of Emotional Regulation
Yet we get still more from embracing the power in the Harmony Triads. We get a triad of three basic
forms of emotional regulation (the ERTs). This triad is about how we manage and cope in order to
attain the three basic needs as presented above – security (related to the Head Center and fear), love
(related to the Heart Center and distress), and self-worth (related to the Body Center and anger).
Research involving primates, especially the human, helps substantiate the biological basis of these
forms of regulation. Each of the Harmony Triads has all three of these coping styles within it (See
Figure 3 blow). In Don Riso and Russ Hudson’s approach this triad is named the Harmonic triad
reflecting the coping or conflict resolution strategies. Figure 3 shows these three forms of emotional
regulation:
Figure 3: The Three Forms of Emotional Regulation Rooted in the Harmony Triads
• Sustaining and Expressing represents the primary form of emotional regulation in types 4-6-8
which means they tend to over use this strategy in order to obtain the three basic needs.
These types cope by voicing their concerns, feelings, and positions; by intensifying and
amplifying their positions in order to be understood and get what they believe is important; and
by voicing their views about what is needed to resolve conflict. Difficulty arises from not
hearing other points of view and in amplifying conflict situations. For Don Riso and Russ
Hudson’s Harmonic triad approach, these are the Reactive types meaning they react
emotionally to conflicts and problems.
• Containing and Rational represents the primary form of emotional regulation in types 1-3-5 which
here means they tend to over use this strategy in order to gain the three basic needs. These
types cope by becoming rational and analytic, subduing and suppressing feelings, distancing
from emotion in order to stay “objective”, finding intellectual solutions and reasonable action
steps, and by striving to solve conflict logically and reasonably. The difficulty arises from not
addressing the depth and meaning of feelings and even in discounting these. In their Harmonic
triad approach, Don Riso and Russ Hudson name these types the Competency group meaning
they strive to be objective, effective, and competent as a way to deal with conflicts and by
putting aside personal feelings.
• Reframing and Shifting represents the primary form of emotional regulation in types 2-7-9 which
again means they tend to over use this strategy in pursuit of the three basic needs. These
types cope with conflict by shifting away from it, going to positives, reframing the situation,
seeing the bright side of things, looking for ameliorating and better alternatives, and by
restructuring the situation. The difficulty can be in avoiding necessary confrontation and
exploration of the issues at hand. These are named the Positive Outlook types by Don Riso
and Russ Hudson in their Harmonic triad way, meaning adopting an optimistic attitude toward
conflict and reframing problems into positive alternatives.
The Work of Development and Transformation Based on the Harmony Triads
This remarkable unearthing of all three intelligences, the dynamic flow among the three intelligences,
all three facets of life energy/force, and all three forms of emotional regulation intrinsic to the
Harmony Triads, yet hidden from us until revealed, requires the work of integration in order to bring all
these vital functions into balance and into healthy, joyful usage. Integration means the interlinking and
balancing of differentiated parts. To me balancing all the functions imbedded in the Harmony triads is
fundamental to the process of transformation, of reclaiming our higher essential qualities since
balance gives us much free energy that allows us to release into and integrate in our higher essential
qualities.
To attain integration requires applying the “5As” of the Universal Growth Process. We need to
develop grounded and receptive presence (the 1st A of Awareness) and open-hearted, nonjudgmentalness (the 2nd A of Acceptance). In this way, we can witness, with the inner observer, our
behaviors and imbalances with kindness. We need to be grateful for the value given us in all the
elements contained in the Harmony triads (the 3rd A of Appreciation).
Then we need to do the actual work of integration by pausing, noticing, inquiring, and reflecting on
how these elements inherent in the Harmony Triads are out of balance or misapplied, resulting in
upset and reactivity, and how we might best bring these elements into balance and assure their
harmonious usage (the 4th A of Action). Here our Enneagram type comes in as it influences the way
we approach and resolve conflict, what energy we most over use and under use, and how our centers
of intelligence are out of balance. As cited above this work even is a path to reclaiming our higher
spiritual or essential qualities as we bring all the Harmony Triad functions into balance which allows
us to integrate these qualities into our daily lives. And, yes, lastly all this requires commitment and
takes daily practice (the 5th A of Adherence).
When we see and deeply appreciate the multiple functions of these, our Harmony Triads, we can
bring them into our relationships which helps us open the door to more compassion for ourselves and
others and helps us to manifest more and wiser options for dealing with the reactivity that naturally
happens in our lives. It is my hope that we all can embrace this work of integrating all the functions
the Harmony Triads give us (see Figure 4 below).
Figure 4: All the Functions in the Harmony Triads
References
Toward the Neurobiology of the Enneagram by Jack Killen. TALK, Journal of the AET, 2008 & The
Enneagram Journal, Volume 2, 2009).
Roaming Free Inside the Cage: A Daoist Approach to the Enneagram and Spiritual Transformation by
Schafer, W. iUniverse, 2009, Bloomington, Indiana.
Hidden in Plain Sight: Observations on the Origins of the Enneagram by Virginia Wiltse and Helen
Palmer. IEA Journal, Volume 4, 2011.
Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation by Daniel Siegel. (Bantam Books, 2010.
Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions by Jaak Panksepp. Oxford
University Press, 1998. New York, NY.
Handbook of Emotion Regulation by James Gross and Ross Thompson, eds. Guilford Press, 2007.
New York, NY.
The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are, by Daniel J.
Siegel. The Guilford Press, 1999. New York, NY.
Acknowledgements
Considerable material on the three forms of Emotional Regulation and the three basic aversive
emotions comes from the work of Dr. Jack Killen; considerable of the three energy referencing comes
from the work of Dr. Bill Schafer and Helen Palmer.