Type 1 Instinctual Variants

Copyrighted work from Ocean Moonshine. Used with permission. 

Self-pres/Social 1 

Enneatype One’s basic fear is of not being perfect, therefore, not being good enough. This manifests in the self-pres variant as the need to "fix" the environment. 

This type is the most steady, organized, and practical. They prioritize time well, pride themselves on, for instance, finding the bargain, buying  quality, putting forth their best effort. Perfection comes from dotting all the i’s. They tend to watch their health and to not overindulge. When healthy, their example of efficiency is inspiring. The pride they take in their work is commendable. 

On the down side, they can become obsessive-compulsive. They can lose the forest for the trees in attempting to make their homes and  environments perfect. They can also be very hard on themselves. The energy of this type is the most consistent. When their ideal falls short, frustration usually turns inward. Anger is repressed, especially with the Nine wing. 

Self-pres/Sexual 1 

This type is more fiery than the self-pres/social. They still have many of the same concerns of the first type, but there is this secondary energy that  wants to throw all their repression out the window. This energy is mainly contained, but it’s there just under the surface. The focus of their  perfectionism is on their loved ones. On the down side, they can be very critical of the people close to them. Although normally controlled, this type  is likely to erupt from time to time with those close to them. It’s an explosion of built up repression that has to be released. 

On the high side, this type can relax a little more than the self-pres/social, but on the down side, they are more volatile. They do share the inner  conflict between their sexual and self-pres instincts with the sexual/self-pres, but the self-pres energy usually wins out. The instinctual energy of  the sexual instinct is more apparent than with the self-pres/social. Despite being critical of their mates, they are usually very committed to their  relationships. In the mind of the self-pres/sexual One, the judgmental criticality is a sign of commitment and love. 

Social/Self-pres 1 

When the social instinct is dominant in enneatype One, the fear of not being perfect manifests with regards to their connection to others. The  social instinct is satisfied when others follow their rules or hold up their standards of justice. 

This type is very community minded. They are likely to be the person on the block who offers a hand, tells you, for instance, how to maintain your  lawn just right. When healthy, they do this in a truly helpful way. These individuals can be counted on to do the right thing. They convey to others  that they can be trusted and have everyone’s best interest in mind. This type is likely to have an interest in politics and social concerns. 

They are similar to the self-pres/social in the respect that both types will be community minded, but the self-pres/social will focus more on self and  this type will extend its focus to the group. On the down side, they can be judgmental and intrusive when their input is not called for. Frustration for  the social/self-pres One comes when others aren’t maintaining the same ideals and standards the One holds. This frustration in the social arena  combines with the self-pres concerns, and can generate the impetus for action we so often see with this type. 

Social/Sexual 1 

The social/sexual One will have the same concerns as the social/self-pres types, however those concerns center more on individuals. Rules aren’t  quite as important. They will zero in on what they want to make better and the intensity of their conviction is more obvious. Along with this, they are  more personable, somewhat “lighter” and don’t generally take themselves as seriously. They can have a great sense of humor. 

On the down side, their sensitivity can cause them to hold grudges. Because the self-pres instinct is last, this subtype could easily be mistaken for  other enneatypes. Along with the sexual/social subtype, they can even be somewhat sloppy. Usually, there is still a sense of organization and a  desire to do the job right, but there is much less emphasis on perfectionism in the material, physical environment. Most of their focus is on people  and society. With this as their focus, they can be quite persuasive when it comes to their chosen causes. On the down side, when this extra  outward energy is taken too far, they can approach the world with the attitude that they need to be right at all costs. 

Sexual/Self-pres 1 

When the sexual instinct is dominant, the One’s fear of not being perfect manifests directly in the realm of close personal relationships. Close  bonds are the focus of their perfectionism. They focus on having a perfect mate or perfect friends and family. Competition and intensity can enter  the picture. 

This subtype is a mass of contradictions. They want to let themselves go, but judge themselves for doing so. The difference between this type and  the self-pres/sexual is that the sexual first intensity wins out. They can be highly critical of their spouses, expecting perfection from them. They can  be very jealous and protective of their relationships. Their sense of humor can be sarcastic and biting. On the down side, they can be brutal to  others while being very sensitive themselves to the slightest criticism. When their standards or ideals aren’t met, you’ll likely know about it. The  anger and frustration is more visible in this subtype, and they also tend to be more emotionally demonstrative than the other non-sexual subtypes. 

On the high side, the contradictions and struggle usually make for a very interesting person, combining high ideals with passion. Their blind spot  can be their inability to see the impact of their intensity in the social realm. 

Sexual/Social 1 

The instinctual energy of this subtype is the most at odds with their dominant Oneness. This subtype is the most intense. They are looking for  perfection in everyone they are close to, not just their spouses. They can be very charismatic and engaging. They can also be very persuasive,  like the social/sexual. If they have an opinion you are going to hear about it. It’s very important for them to be understood. They are outwardly  competitive. Like the social/sexual, they too may be mistyped as other enneatypes. The anger that is under the surface with the other instinctual  variants of type One is much more likely to be apparent with this subtype. You always know where you stand with them. They can mimic type  Eight’s energy in this regard. On the high side, this type is warm and engaging, but on the down side this same energy can bring with it the full brunt of the One’s anger and the need to be right.