Enneagram Type 6 Loyalists/Doubters/Skeptics are typically responsible, reliable, trustworthy and value security and loyalty. Here we explore the compatibility of an Enneagram Type 6 with a Type 6 and what the relationship looks like when it is in balance and when it starts to spiral downward.
Enneagram Type 6:6 When In Balance
Two Loyalist (6)s share a unique bond as they both take a very defensive position about the world and may feel like they have finally found someone who understands them. Because they feel understood, they drop some of their defenses faster than usual allowing them to share more of themselves with each other.
Both value trust, loyalty, commitment and dependability. When relaxed and expansive, both can be humorous, playful and affectionate. Both want to eliminate risks and uncertainty to create a stable foundation. They may strive to deeply understand each other, uncovering more and more layers of nuance and detail about each other’s lives, motivations, psyche and so forth. Both naturally scan for danger and threats to their security, and much of this couple’s focus can be in building together a safe fortress against an unpredictable outside world.
When trust is established and this couple is committed, there can be an intense loyalty that is almost unshakeable.
Enneagram Type 6:6 The Downward Spiral
While this relationship can be characterized by loyalty and trust, with tightening defenses it can also feature reactivity, projection, paranoia and suspicion. When fixated, the Loyalist(6) mind naturally gravitates to projected worst-case scenarios. One or both partners may have difficulty distinguishing reality from projection, and this triggers the downward spiral.
As thinking gets clouded, accusations and paranoia enter the picture. Both partners become more anxious and more reactive. Emotional confusion is added to the mix and this partnership’s once loving container becomes a cauldron of anxiety, volatility, accusation, apology, suspicion and blame. As the downward spiral gains momentum, one or both partners lose their emotional stability. It can be hard to break the momentum of the downward spiral as so much of the core fear is based on imagined future events. Unless there is a mechanism to firmly root this relationship in the present moment, the downward spiral gains momentum. Once trust is lost, it is hard to keep this relationship together.
Learn more about the Enneagram Compatibility of Type 6s in relationships with Type 6s
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