An Overview of the Instincts

> An Overview of the Instincts

In the Enneagram, I’m sure you’ve heard there are 3 distinct and unique “instincts” that each person is composed of: the self-preservation instinct (also referred to as conservation), the social (relational) instinct, and the sexual instinct. Specifically, however, these instincts manifest in the forms of the dominant instinct, the secondary (playground) instinct, and the blindspot (referred to as the blind instinct). 

Each of these instincts refers to a primal, automated, and therefore instinctual need that people have for different areas of life. These instincts collectively form the basis for our most essential desires, irrespective of the method used to attain them. That method simply being the “core” enneagram type, the neurotic way we attempt to satisfy our base instincts.

The instincts are described as such because it is something we don’t need to think about to desire. We simply want it because we have a deep need for it, and we instinctively “know” it like flocks of birds in migration. It’s not our second nature, but rather our first, and our entire life therefore revolves around the neurotic attainment of our most natural instinct.

> The Three Instinctual Drives

Self-preservation - The neurotic obsession with the maintenance of personal time, energy, space, resources, stability, wealth, survival, boundaries, comfort, and health.

Social - The neurotic obsession with the connection of the self to kinship, relationships, social causes, philosophy, culture, prestige, ideology, social utility, tribalism, and senses of belonging.

Sexual - The neurotic obsession with sexual competition, boundary dissolution, sexual display, attraction/repulsion, erotic hunting, spiritual devouring, and energetic injection / reception.

> Synflow / Contraflow

Within the instincts themselves, come natural orders of priority. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a good parallel with these instincts, where in order to connect to others and tribalize, we must first stay alive and hunt for sustenance. Then in order to ensure our continued survival, we must then connect with others that can specialize and make our survival and enjoyment easier. Then once we are safe from the outside world, then we can begin to be vulnerable and enter the mating dance to seek offspring.

The order of the instincts then according to priority go Self-Preservation -> Social -> Sexual and then back around to Self-Preservation. The flow of the instincts according to the natural order is called synflow where priorities are sought aptly. Sp/So, So/Sx, and Sx/Sp are all synflow stackings.

If, however, instincts are sought out of natural priority, and instead in reverse, it is then called contraflow, where the individual is at inherent odds with its own attainment of both instincts. The contraflow stackings are So/Sp, Sx/So and Sp/Sx.

Synflow is fluid and drawn towards sources of its dominant instinct with the second instinct being “of service” to it. In synflow stackings, there isn’t a level of conflict between the first and second instincts, rather they harmoniously intertwine, and sources of the primary instinct can be reliably be attained via the means of the second instinct. To synflow stackings, the sole reason the second instinct exists is to be used as a tool and means to an end to satisfy the dominant instinct. As a result, synflow is affiliative with sources of the second instinct and views them holistically as a positive quality.

Contraflow by contrast is torn between the sources of the primary instinct and fulfillment of the secondary instinct. Lopsided instinctual priorities result in a near loathing of the primary instinct as it seeks to fulfill the natural order of the second. As a result, contraflow stackings have a black and white view of both instincts. They are inherently drawn to the second instinct which always comes at the cost of sacrificing their most neurotic need. Contraflow stackings are therefore always in a state of inherent flux, swinging between both extremes. Due to such extremes, contraflow stackings are ambivalent about both instincts, being uncontrollably allured by the second , yet persistently terrified of losing the first.

> Levels of Instinctual Neurotic Focus

At their core, each instinct is distinct from one another, yet every person possesses all three natural instinctual drives. The only difference in one’s stacking are the levels of neurosis surrounding their attainment.

Do you center your entire existence around the attainment of something? Are you hyper-aware of how your life is affected by this? How well could you do if it was entirely ripped away from your life? Is it a terrifying and all-consuming neurotic need for you?  If so, it’s likely your dominant instinct.

Do you enjoy the usage of an instinct but simply use it in service of your primary goal? Is this something you desperately seek in others? Is it more-so a means to an end? Are you aware but don’t feel entirely confident in your ability to manage this instinct? If so, it’s likely your playground instinct.

Do others sometimes remind you that you should pay attention more to this instinct? Do you find others getting annoyed at you because this slips your mind? Do you feel that you get lost in the other priorities so much, you forget to pay attention to this? Do you sometimes complain that other people are better than you in this realm? If so, it’s likely your blindspot instinct.

Each level of neurotic focus simply denotes the levels of importance a person has towards the priorities of their life. A Sp blind for example wouldn’t focus their entire life around the attainment of Sp, but might be so caught up pursuing So and Sx that they forget to maintain it. In pursuit of these other instincts, they might forget that they overextend themselves and forget about their own boundaries. 

Others may comment that they sometimes make mistakes and it slips their mind. They might bemoan and complain that others are acutely aware of it and that they sometimes have slip ups. That’s ultimately all the instinct stackings are, are the levels of neurosis and priority.

> Until next time, dear reader. Thank you.