Identifying your Enneagram wing number can be as important as discovering your core number.
Once you know your core number, your wing is immediately narrowed down to just two choices: the number to the left or the number to the right of your core number.
See the list of subtype names below to better identify your wing number.
Names for Subtypes
Enneagram expert Helen Palmer says,
“No two people who belong to the same type are identical, although they share the same preoccupations and concerns.”
Your wing is one factor that adds a uniqueness to your personality. While you shouldn’t be in a hurry to settle on your wing number, do spend time reading through descriptions again. (Sometimes it takes as long to distinguish your wing as it does to determine your number.)
Return to the descriptions again here and other places to see which wing type resonates most with you as this stage of your life. Unlike type numbers, your wing numbers may vary between two numbers in different seasons.
Here are extra names for each subtype. Look at each to help you narrow down your own possibilities. This list is from the Riso-Hudson Wing Subtype Names as listed in The Wisdom of the Enneagram.
Type 1—The Perfectionist
1w9: The Idealist
1w2: The Advocate
Type 2—The Helper
2w1: The Servant
2w3: The Host/Hostess
Type 3—The Performer
3w2: The Charmer
3w4: The Professional
Type 4—The Individualist
4w3: The Aristocrat
4w5: The Bohemian
Type 5—The Investigator
5w4: The Iconoclast
5w6: The Problem-Solver
Type 6—The Loyalist
6w5: The Defender
6w7: The Buddy
Type 7—The Enthusiast
7w6: The Entertainer
7w8: The Realist
Type 8—The Challenger
8w7: The Independent
8w9: The Bear
Type 9—The Peacemaker
9w8: The Referee
9w1: The Dreamer
Where Are You on the Wheel?
Again, remember you are more than just a set pinpoint on a wheel. We are each living, breathing, changing creatures imaged after the Divine.
The best analogy I’ve heard is to imagine a color wheel (again, from The Wisdom of the Enneagram).
Each number on a color may represent a family of related shades, say the “yellow” family for Sevens. But each person in that family is a slight different shade of yellow: canary, gold, lemon, mustard, dijon, fire, honey, butter, etc.
No two looks exactly like the other. Yet you can easily tell a yellow from a red.
“There is a continuum of human expression, just as there is a continuum on the color spectrum. . . . Individual differences are as unique as different shades, hues, and intensities of color.”
Spiritual Practice #7—Healthy Practices to Develop
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”
– Carl Rogers
Seeing ourselves for who we really are can be painful. But it also can be transformative. When we become honest about ourselves to God, we are most ready to be transformed by his Spirit into the image of Jesus.
Find practices below according to your core number and wing number. Pick one or two you can work on this week. Let them stretch you to change. (Loosely revised from The Wisdom of the Enneagram.)
Practice healthy disciplines and thought patterns as ways to receive God’s love for you.
1—Perfectionist. Be aware of your inner judge. Watch that it doesn’t disconnect you from yourself and others. Give yourself room to play. Be open to and gentle with your weak spots. Ask God and others for help instead of insisting on doing it all yourself.
2—Helper. Recognize when others love you in ways different than you show love to them. Become conscious of trying to please others to win their affection. Develop healthy boundaries to avoid entanglement in others’ problems. Allow God to love you through other people and through gifts you can give yourself.
3—Performer. Recognize when you are in performance mode to impress others. Take a break periodically and relax. Talk to someone you can trust about your vulnerabilities. Allow times for creative pursuits just for the fun of it. Take time to just be with God through meditation instead of always doing for him and others.
4—Individualist. Remind yourself that you are more than your feelings. Accept your unique talents as valuable, without envying those of others. Seek out true friends who will speak honestly to you about your blind spots. Remember you aren’t the only one with struggles. Set up daily rituals as space for God to minister to you instead of waiting for inspiration to spontaneously strike each day.
5—Investigator. Practice silence. Give yourself frequent breaks to meditate, quieting your nonstop thoughts. Use your body more to keep your mind sharp. Seek community with others instead of valuing only independence. Explore areas in your life that you have avoided. Allow yourself to feel emotions. Remember that God values you for yourself, regardless of the knowledge or skills you do or don’t possess.
6—Loyalist. Clear out the noise in your head through times of quietness with no words. Consciously celebrate one victory before you dive into solving the next problem. Notice who you trust and why. Take occasional risks, facing head-on your fear of change. Pursue variety even in small things to expand your comfort in the world. Take walks in nature with God simply to be together, not to strategize over problems.
7—Enthusiast. When you feel bored, ask yourself what’s really going on. Instead of moving onto the next thing, identify what you’re feeling in this thing. Take time to work on improving a skill. Appreciate ordinary things around you. Spend time lingering quietness. Be aware of God’s gift to you of happiness; share this joy with others.
8—Challenger. Allow yourself to be vulnerable with someone you trust. When sad, spend time in grief. Listen closely to those you love and share your thoughts with them. Spend time enjoying simple pleasures. Keep work and play in balance. Allow yourself to experience God’s full acceptance; he will not reject you.
9—Peacemaker. Remember your calm presence is a gift in itself to the world. Ask for extra time to evaluate what you really want to do. Share your honest opinions with others instead of acquiescing. Practice saying no. Invest time in your own areas of interests. Allow yourself to be authentically present with God, even when you’re angry, to experience his lovingkindness and unconditional love.
What subtype are you? Does the name resonate with you? Or not? Please share in the comments.
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