Enneagram

Concept

The Three Centres of Intelligence

The Enneagram organises the nine personality types into three centres of intelligence - Body, Heart, and Head. Each centre represents a distinct way of perceiving, processing, and responding to life's experiences. Understanding your dominant centre reveals your core emotional patterns and decision-making style.

Why Understanding Your Centre Matters

Your dominant centre influences how you perceive reality, what motivates you, and how you react under stress. By recognising your centre's patterns, you gain valuable insights into your strengths and blind spots, enabling more conscious choices and balanced responses to life's challenges.

Body Centre

Types 8, 9, and 1

The Body Centre operates from gut instinct and physical intelligence. These types are action-oriented, concerned with control, justice, and resistance. They experience the world through their body's wisdom and tend to move into action quickly.

Key Characteristics:

  • • Strong physical presence and energy
  • • Instinctive decision-making
  • • Focus on control and autonomy
  • • Direct communication style
Core Emotion: Anger
Seeks: Control & Justice

Heart Centre

Types 2, 3, and 4

The Heart Centre is driven by emotional intelligence and relationships. These types are image-conscious, seeking recognition, love, and authentic identity. They navigate the world through feelings and interpersonal connections.

Key Characteristics:

  • • Highly attuned to emotions
  • • Strong interpersonal skills
  • • Identity through relationships
  • • Expressive communication
Core Emotion: Shame
Seeks: Love & Recognition

Head Centre

Types 5, 6, and 7

The Head Centre relies on mental intelligence and analysis. These types are future-oriented, seeking understanding, security, and certainty. They process experiences through thinking and mental frameworks.

Key Characteristics:

  • • Analytical and strategic thinking
  • • Planning and anticipation
  • • Information gathering
  • • Logical problem-solving
Core Emotion: Fear
Seeks: Security & Certainty

How the Centres Work Together

Whilst each Enneagram type has a dominant centre, we all possess the capacity to access all three centres of intelligence. Understanding your dominant centre helps explain your automatic reactions and decision-making patterns, but true growth comes from recognising when you're over-relying on one centre and learning to engage the others.

Body Centre Imbalance

Over-reliance leads to impulsive actions, controlling behaviour, or passive resistance. Balance by engaging your heart and mind before acting.

Heart Centre Imbalance

Over-reliance creates emotional volatility, people-pleasing, or identity confusion. Balance by grounding in your body and engaging analytical thinking.

Head Centre Imbalance

Over-reliance results in overthinking, anxiety, or analysis paralysis. Balance by trusting your gut instincts and connecting with emotions.

The journey towards integration involves developing all three centres, creating a balanced approach to life where instinct, emotion, and thought work in harmony. This leads to more conscious choices, authentic relationships, and effective action in the world.

Practical Ways to Balance Your Centres

To Strengthen Your Body Centre:

  • ✓ Practice physical activities like yoga or martial arts
  • ✓ Pay attention to gut reactions before deciding
  • ✓ Take decisive action on small daily choices

To Strengthen Your Heart Centre:

  • ✓ Practice emotional awareness through journalling
  • ✓ Engage in meaningful conversations with others
  • ✓ Express appreciation and gratitude regularly

To Strengthen Your Head Centre:

  • ✓ Practice meditation or mindfulness exercises
  • ✓ Learn something new that challenges your mind
  • ✓ Question assumptions and explore different perspectives

Ready to Discover Your Dominant Centre?

Take our comprehensive assessment to uncover your Enneagram type and dominant centre. Gain profound insights into your natural strengths, challenges, and path to growth.

Begin Your Journey

Takes approximately 10-15 minutes • Instant results • AI-powered insights

Ready to discover your true self?

Take the free 54‑question assessment and unlock deeper insights into your personality, motivations, and relationships.