The Abyss

At the bottom of the enneagram, we have an abyss. While this is often said to be at 4w5/5w4, I think that is a mistake. 3w4 is not darker than 6w7. And so, I have the abyss around 5, covering 4 and 6.

5 exists at the bottom of the abyss, making it highly negative, but without the emotionality of 4 or 6. The abyss is just where you live, no point reacting like 4 or 6, who see the outside, but are still in the abyss.

4w5 and 6w5 get a bit of this. As w5s, they see the depths of the abyss, rather than the walls of it, and so share some of the relative neutrality and pure darkness of 5 (compare them to their dramatic, reactive other wings).

4w3 and 6w7, on the other hand, are on the edges of the abyss. 4w3 has just fallen in and 6w7 is moments from escape. This is where 4w3's extreme emotionality comes from (it used to be up with the 3s, but has fallen down into the abyss). For 6w7, it's slightly different. 6w7 has been through the abyss and is starting to climb out. I think this is where the revolutionary qualities of this type come from.

3w4 and 7w6, while not in the abyss, are still defined by it. More precisely, they are defined by avoiding it. 3w4 is hanging above the abyss, clinging to success for dear life as failure would knock them in. 7w6 is running from the abyss, unable to stop or it will get them.

3w2 and 7w8 are less extreme. 3w2 doesn't like failure and 7w8 doesn't like being trapped, but the fears are somewhat less extreme than in 3w4 and 7w6, because the abyss is less of a threat. They've got more room.

Finally, if 5 is at the bottom of the abyss, who's at the top? 9w1 and 1w9. The two types that are the most idealistic and focused on goodness. You can really imagine them completely unaware of the abyss, or at least solidly away from it, living in an idealised heaven.

8, 9w8, 2 and 1w2 are somewhat less oriented towards the abyss.