We are now in the territory of the Thinking Triad, home of folks who process the world first through the cerebral Head center of Intelligence. Enneagram Type 5, Curious Investigators, are among this group of thinkers, strategists and innovators, along with Types 6 and 7. For Head Types, the world is a puzzle to be solved. They are ever attempting to question, point out absurdities and structure reality through thoughts, rather than through emotions or natural impulses.
Fives are the brainiacs of the Enneagram who enjoy nothing more than collecting, organizing and analyzing data points. They store up knowledge to prevent them from being helpless, inadequate, or needing to rely on others, which is overwhelming to them. The structure of the ego, for Curious Investigators, is designed to defend against catastrophic depletion. It is highly sensitive to measuring out current resources (emotional, physical, financial, interpersonal, energetic and other) to ensure they don’t run out. It is more a conserving of what is already there than it is to gain more.
Curious Investigators believe that one day they will have enough information to allow them to safely enter the outside world with complete autonomy. For now, they are most comfortable in the safety their heads. Fives aim to be self-sufficient, capable and independently competent. They are insatiably curious about how things work and what is really going on in the world. Information fuels them in their quest to figure things out.
They report an extremely active thought life and most of the time, their preference is to stay in their cerebral world than interact with the real one. They are content in their minds. These Investigators would rather sit back and observe than participate, preferably without being noticed. They can almost make themselves invisible in a room of people. They are the most introverted of all types and can't always understand why people get together just to "hang out." Their words are carefully chosen and slowly spoken. Their preferred company is their deep thoughts and analytics one. They don't rush. They pause and take in. They take time to process events and feelings, though feelings don't often appear in their awareness. Curious Investigators open up to very few people and can be difficult to get close to because of their preferred isolation. Fives are especially private and withdrawn, craving solitude more than most.
Fives are excellent creative problem solvers. They are quietly caring and thoughtful. They are skilled listeners and know how to egg talkers on in a conversation so that the Five won't have to speak or reveal much. Curious Investigators don't often express anger, or even register it, and they are undemanding of others. Their faces don't express much emotion. They can be literal and objective. They consider all sides of an issue, without much attachment to an outcome, and are not black and white. They are often gentle and kind. Fives can be patient and will work steadily towards their goals, happily enjoying the process almost as much as the end result.
People feel intrusive to Fives who believe they only have limited energy to dispense each day. They dislike demands placed on them and think they lack the inner resources to meet them. They can get lost in projects for days neglecting self-care and other necessities like an absent minded professor. They value their independence. Fives tend to hoard privacy, space, affection, time, knowledge and anything else. They are stingy. This earns them the passion of avarice.
Fives grow by participating in life rather than just observing. At their best, they are content knowing enough, instead of seeking everything there is to know. They come out of hiding and connect with others. Opening up to a select few will greatly help their relationships. Practicing feeling feelings instead of thinking through them can connect them to their hearts. Physical exercise and activities can get them into their bodies. When they are healthy, Curious Investigators see the world as abundant and not a place of scarcity. This allows them to be generous with their resources, inner and outer. They can share their brilliant ideas with others through science, technology, mathematics, art and other creative disciplines.
Life is abundant,
Jessica Morgan McAtee
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