Tear off the mask. Your face is glorious. ~ Rumi

Each of our Enneagram types are a persona, a mask we wear that covers so many things: our fears, the parts of us we don’t want to see within ourselves or don’t want others to know, our beauty, our essence. Here are just a few of the elements of the masks for each type and a few of the items that lie beneath:

ONES
The mask | capability, knowing right from wrong, certitude, rigidity
What’s behind the mask | self-criticism, depression, emotionality, desire for pleasure, warmth

TWOS
The mask | appeal, warmth, smiles, positivity, sincere interest in others
What’s behind the mask | deeper feelings, needs and neediness, uncertainty about how important they are, intelligence, anger

THREES
The mask | roles, accomplishments, confidence, competence
What’s behind the mask | Doubt about who they really are; concerns about being good enough; feelings, including sorrow, deep anxiety and anger; sensitivity, desires and wants

FOURS
The mask | being different, emotionality, expressiveness, reactivity, creativity
What’s behind the mask | superiority, anger, connectedness, deep feelings

FIVES
The mask | stoicism, autonomy, intellectualism, remoteness
What’s behind the mask | isolation, pure feelings, disconnection, desire for real engagment

SIXES
The mask | uncertainty, boldness, anxiety, trustworthiness, projective imaginings
What’s behind the mask | rebelliousness, panic, true courage, pure insights

SEVENS
The mask | fun, joy, pleasure, enthusiasm, idea creation
What’s behind the mask | deep sadness, fear, feeling incomplete or not whole

EIGHTS
The mask | bigness, vast energy, control, fearlessness
What’s behind the mask | vulnerability, need, keen intelligence, perceptiveness

NINES
The mask | calmness, tolerance, non-judgment, indirectness, even-toned and even-tempered, non-assertion, self-deprecation
What’s behind the mask | anxiety, judgment, self-criticism, anger, ambition, aggression

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, the author of seven best-selling Enneagram-business books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs for professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications and is past-president of the International Enneagram Association. Visit her website: TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com