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 WORKING WITH THE HARMONY TRIADSBy David Daniels, M.D, One of the Founders of ESNT 
"The Enneagram of Harmony Triads, are
I will start with the questions of how can we provide the Epicure Type 7 with a Heart Center and the Giver Type 2 a Head Center connection? The lines of connection in the Process Enneagram view of the Enneagram simply don't do this. Moreover, types 4 and 5 are only connected through being each other's wing. Yet we all know that we have some of all three centers of intelligence. When we draw the line between types 4 and 7 we have a new equilateral triangle of Types 1-4-7 and our Epicure 7s now have a Heart Center. Similarly, when we draw the line between Types 2 and 5, our Giver 2s 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, 1-4-7, and 2-5-8. I call these the Harmony Triads (Figure 1 below). These triangles also result from ancient astronomical observation of the planet cycles of Jupiter and Saturn over time, hence representing one view of the Enneagram figure. Figure 1 - The Three Centers of Intelligence Rooted in the Harmony Triads:
Over the years I have found that every Type 2 has a "secret" connection to Type 5 where they pull back, restore, conserve energy, and reflect mentally. And 5s can be giving with heartfelt generosity, they just want to know for how long, essentially they want to know there is a beginning, middle, and end to the claims being made upon them. Also, I have seen many Type 7s confused because they do have experiences of strong feelings, especially as they awaken and begin to allow a range of feelings that include even the "darker"ones. Likewise Type 4s have times of the incredible lightness of being as they awaken and begin to focus more upon the positives, discovering the positives have always been there. Furthermore, as all of us know in the basic triad of types 3-6-9, there is a lot of movement between the types in the triad, with each of the types becoming a resource. When those in the other two equilateral triangles become aware, they too can experience this flow of resourceful movement. The Three Vital Centers of Intelligence 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 the mental processes of analyzing, figuring out, envisioning, imagining and planning. In addition, all of us depend upon the Head Center of Intelligence to develop the higher qualities of wisdom, inner knowing, and thoughtfulness. Importantly, we all experience the basic, aversive emotion of fear/anxiety. It's an emotion found in all mammals that we don't want necessarily want to feel when, but that shows up when we experience threat and insecurity. This aversive emotion is what motivates us to try and satisfy basic need security and safety. Key Words: Security, Safety, Certainty, Assurance, Predictability and Opportunity Heart Center: Types 2, 3 and 4 tend to perceive the world through the filter of emotional intelligence. 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 create an image of ourselves that gets others to accept us and see us as special. Moreover, every type depends on emotional intelligence to develop the higher qualities of the Heart Center, including empathy, understanding, compassion, and loving-kindness. When we experience a threat or perceived loss of connection, we experience the basic, aversive emotion of distress/sadness found in all mammals, but an especially powerful emotion in humans because of our longer years of childhood dependency. This motivates us to stay connected or do something to reconnect in order to get and sustain love and vital bonds with others. Key Words: Love, Connection, Affection, Bonding, Image and Approval Body Center: Types 8, 9 and 1 tend to filter the world through an intelligence of kinesthetic, physical sensations and gut instincts. We all use personal position and personal 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, including the right amount of energy needed for action, how much power to use in situations, and our capacity to be grounded in ourselves and the world. We all experience the basic, aversive emotion of anger/rage found in all mammals and that we don't want to feel when our basic need for self-worth, position in the world, and how toget what we want is threatened. In turn, this then drives our behavior for better and worse. Key Words: Worth, Congruence, Protection, Comfort, Harmony and Belonging The Three Vital Basic Life Energies or Forces
Figure 2 - The Three Great Life Forces or Energies Rooted in the Harmony Triads:
ACTIVE or yang energy, the lead energy 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. When contracted this energy manifests outwardly as unrestrained, not unrestricted, action and aggression. In the Riso and Hudson view of the Hornevian Triads, these are called the Assertive types. RECEPTIVE or yin energy, the lead energy of types 4-5-9, flows inward as openness and receptivity and outwardly as flexibility of action. This vital energy is under developed in our busy modern world. This is the energy of grounded presence that allows us to witness ourselves with empathy and understanding. When contracted, this energy leads to withdrawal and inertia. These get called the Withdrawing types in the Hornevian Approach of Riso and Hudson. BALANCING or yin/yang energy, the lead energy of types 1-2-6, represents a reconciling energy harmonizing both active and receptive energies. This energy allows us to thrive efficiently and effectively. When contracted this energy collapses into a narrow and amplified rigidity. These get called the Compliant or Dutiful types in Riso and Hudson's Hornevian Approach. To me these three vital energies in balance and appropriate for any situation allows us to flourish, for the Harmony Triad approach to the Enneagram, gives each triad all three of these energies. The Three Vital 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. These types cope with conflict 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 Riso and Hudson these are the Reactive types. CONTAINING and CONCEALING represents the primary form of emotional regulation in types 1-3-5. These types cope with conflict 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. Riso and Hudson name these the Competency group. REFRAMING and SHIFTING represents the primary form of emotional regulation in types 2-7-9. 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 Positive Outlook types by Riso and Hudson. The Work of Development and Transformation Based on the Harmony Triads To attain integration requires applying the "5As" of the Universal Growth Process. We need to develop grounded and receptive presence (Awareness) and open hearted non-judgmentalness (Acceptance). In this way we can witness with the inner observer our behaviors and imbalances with kindness. And we need to be grateful for the value given us in all the elements contained in the Harmony Triads (Appreciation). Then we need to do the actual work of integration by pausing, noticing, and asking 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 (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. This even is a path to reclaiming our higher spiritual or essential qualities as we bring all the Harmony Triad functions into balance and integrate them into our daily lives. And, yes, lastly all this requires commitment and takes daily practice (Adherence, the 5th A). When we see and deeply appreciate the multiple functions of these Harmony Triads, we can bring them into our relationships, which helps us open the door to more compassion for ourselves and for others, and to 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
Acknowledgements Much of the work on the three forms of Emotional Regulation comes from the work of Dr. Jack Killen; much of the three-energy referencing comes from the work of Dr. Bill Schafer.
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David Daniels, M.D. is the co-founder of the Enneagram Professional Training Program (EPTP), along with Helen Palmer. He is clinical professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral sciences for Stanford Medical School and co-author of the newly updated Essential Enneagram. He also co-developed the outstanding videos, The Enneagram: Nine Paths to a Productive and Fulfilling Life and The Enneagram in the Workplace. In private practice for more than three decades, David has taught the Enneagram system at Stanford, in the community and internationally for 15 years. He brings his knowledge of the Enneagram to individuals, couples and groups, and to a wide range of applications in clinical practice and the workplace.. For more information, visior 
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