Defense Systems The Enneagram Defense System by Peter O’Hanrahan People are wonderful; people are difficult. The enneagram helps us make sense of both these statements. Learning about the nine personality types opens up our ability to tolerate, appreciate and love people who are different from us. There's a lot to like about each type; human diversity really is wonderful. On the other hand the people in our lives can seem so difficult, frustrating and stuck in their patterns. Surely we become difficult and stuck ourselves. What makes the difference? The answer, or a big part of the answer, is in the defense systems of the nine types. It's the defenses which lock us into our fixations and habits. They separate us from others, they separate us from our true selves, and they separate us from unity or Spirit. Yet we need some defenses in this world, at least short of being enlightened. How can we manage our defenses to become more flexible, more connected to others and more...
