I live with a Type Nine, well at least for now - until he goes off to his next chapter. The youngest of five, our Type Nine is a peacemaker. He absolutely avoids conflict, is able to see most everyone’s perspective and is receptive and accepting, a bridge builder, patient, and unpretentious. We jokingly call him Buddha Brock. At his best, he recognizes true peace and harmony, he is self-remembering and self-determining, and can recognize highest potential in others. The Nine’s average behaviors include going along with others’ agendas, being self-effacing and accommodating, habitual, stubborn, and apathetic.

The Nine’s Shadow is Sloth. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are lazy, rather they are asleep to their wants. Nines tend to (going to use a strong word here) narcotize - they numb out when they don’t want to deal with making a decision, whether it is with Netflix, video games, or scrolling social media when more pressing matters need to be tended to - like deciding on a college path. They tend to lose themselves in comforting routines and habits. This Shadow has them believing their wants aren’t important and in turn, they feel they are not important. By continuing to not be in touch with their wants, they can easily slip into the feeling that they don’t matter. Keeping the peace by not dealing or acting can lead to an identity crisis.

The Saboteur (PQ Intelligence) of the Nine is the Avoider. The Avoider focuses on the positive and pleasant in an extreme way, avoiding difficult and unpleasant tasks and conflicts.  Our Nine is always making light of uncomfortable situations and wants to avoid conflict at all costs. The lie of the Avoider is that you are a good person to spare others’ feelings and no good comes out of conflict.  I know he believes this as most Nines do. This exacerbates those Shadow qualities of not dealing, not knowing what you want, and identity struggles.

But there is a way out of the neural fixation and addiction of avoidance. It is the Wholey Idea of the Nine - Love. Understanding that we are all Love, from the Universe, means we all have a seat at the table, we all matter and belong. There is a place for the Nine and it isn’t only the Nine’s responsibility to keep the peace. The Universe naturally works this out and in the meantime, the Nines in our world can show up with their gifts of peacemaking as well as their wants (when they are in touch with them) and contribute to the world, just like all the other types. Thank goodness, because we need our Nines to show up in this world. We really do.