“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” e. e. cummings

Overview of Enneagram Type 4: Individualist, Romantic, Artist

As a Type 4, you are authentic, creative, expressive and self-aware. You have the need to express yourself uniquely. Typically, you enjoy expressing your feelings through some creative works such as music, painting, and acting. What you desire are experiences that are rich and meaningful.

You enjoy drawing on your rare or special talent. You thrive on putting your personal spin to things. Your mantra is “I am special”. By being different from others, you tend to stand out. You can be rather passionate about the vision you hope to create in the world. Others are naturally drawn to you because of your passion, uniqueness and authenticity.

“If there’s any message to my work, it is ultimately that it’s OK to be different, that it’s good to be different, that we should question ourselves before we pass judgment on someone who looks different, behaves different, talks different, is a different color.” Johnny Depp

You appreciate rawness, beauty and the humanness of life. You have the gift of noticing what is missing, thus allowing you to highlight areas for improvement or for problem solving. You can also have rather refined taste, making you an excellent critic.

You belong to the feeling triad (Types 2,3 and 4). As a Type 4, you are highly introspective. It is easy for you to develop empathy for others, due to your innate ability to explore your own feelings. You do not fear venturing into emotional areas where others fear to tread. However, while it is easy for you to understand others, you tend to feel that no one understands you.

Being authentic, you are extremely honest about your own feelings. You do not deny what you truly feel. In fact, it can be rather hard for you to hide your true emotions from others. Others are drawn to you because they find you honest and you are able to hold space for them to process their own feelings.

Type 4 famous personalities include Rumi, Edgar Allen Poe, Virginia Woof, Johnny Depp, Michael Jackson, Angelina Jolie, Pyotr I Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Anne Frank and Anais Nin.

The Shadow Side of Enneagram Type 4: Over-Analyzer, Mystic or Melodramatic

“We’re frightened of what makes us different.” — Anne Rice

The basic fear of a Type 4 is about not having an identity or significance. Through your shadow self, you believe that you are fundamentally flawed as if there is something missing or defective. Hence, you undertake behavior that hides your insecurity and vulnerability. Over time, you build an identity that emphasizes on how different you are from others and living life on your own terms.

However, when unconscious, Type 4s can secretly long and desire to be like others. Struck with envy, they become fixated with what others are doing or having. So the irony is that while they may be different, they feel that they do not belong. At their darkest core, they have issues in low self-esteem. Because they believe that no one understands them, they are led to believe as if they are rather alone in life’s journey. Self-indulgent, melancholic and sensitive, they sink into depression.

“The office of drama is to exercise, possibly to exhaust, human emotions. The purpose of comedy is to tickle those emotions into an expression of light relief; of tragedy, to wound them and bring the relief of tears. Disgust and terror are the other points of the compass.” — Laurence Olivier

What traps you is that you may also base your perceptions about the world on your shifting emotions. As we know, human emotions are dynamic and are never constant. Issues arise because perceptions obtained through filtered lens are often distorted. Low functioning Type 4s can end up being overly dramatic!

A Type 4 can appear as being ungrounded and temperamental. Your identity can keep changing based on a mood that differs from day to day. Alternatively, it may be because you carve out an identity based on a romantic or idealized idea from what you deem attractive in others. Additionally, because your identity is wrapped around your creative projects, you are likely to view any negative feedback about your work as a personal attack and criticism. Thus, your ability to experience joy often rests on what other people say.

Even though you are capable of holding space to explore your raw emotions, you may find it more challenging to let go of your hurts. It happens when you entrench yourself in the past. In the process, you become stuck and are not able to appreciate the blessings that you have in your life.

Opportunities for Growth

“The dream was always running ahead of me. To catch up, to live for a moment in unison with it, that was the miracle.” — Anais Nin

Your spiritual path is to reconnect with original source, even whilst you are in the physical. You evolve upon the realisation that your soul essence is more than your physical form. Through form, you appreciate the beauty of being human and existing in the world of duality. By practicing equanimity, you grow. Transcendence arises when you become conscious that your true essence is separate from an identity that is derived from temporary and false emotions: You are not your feelings. You learn that who you really are is an essence that is more permanent and ever-lasting.

Here are some practical steps what you can do. Avoid being stuck in the past. Also, let go of the idea of having all your emotional needs met instantly. Get focused on what needs to be done, instead of letting negativity overwhelm you into paralysis. Learn to experience the joys of being in the present moment. By cultivating courage and focusing on your own unique talents instead of being envious with others, you are happiest.

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” — Judy Garland

When under stress, it is important to recognize that you may slip into becoming clingy and needing other people’s approval (adopting the unhealthy traits of the Type 2 as denoted by the grid lines). You are best served by becoming more objective and principled (like the high functioning Type Ones). Allow yourself plenty of space to de-stress and communicate this need to your loved ones.

“But I’ll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you’ll come to understand that you’re connected with everything.” — Alan Watts

At your best, you are able to harness your creativity for an inspired solution. You draw strength from the divine lessons of life. By transforming your personal experiences, you rise up to highest potential. Many creative Type 4 geniuses produce their best works by harnessing their unique gifts such as Michael Jackson or Joni Mitchell.

“You could write a song about some kind of emotional problem you are having, but it would not be a good song, in my eyes, until it went through a period of sensitivity to a moment of clarity. Without that moment of clarity to contribute to the song, it’s just complaining.” — Joni Mitchell

“The meaning of life is contained in every single expression of life. It is present in the infinity of forms and phenomena that exist in all of creation.” – Michael Jackson

Positive Affirmations for Enneagram Type 4

I draw on my experiences to grow.
I choose to release the past.
I am in the present moment.
I transform pain into power.
I am more than my human experience.
I appreciate the beauty and goodness in life.
I am centered in my true essence.
I am anchored in my being.
I draw on my gifts to inspire the world.
I am happy to be me.
I am joyous in the present.
I have unique capabilities.
I practice equanimity.

Round-The-Enneagram Series

I am on a Round-The-Enneagram tour, covering all 9 Enneagram Types in turn. Over the course of 9 weeks, I will be laying out positive affirmations aimed at serving the path of growth for each Enneagram Type. Here are the links to the previous two articles:

Enneagram Quiz: How would You Cross the River?

Enneagram Type 1: Positive Affirmations for Path of Growth

Enneagram Type 2: Positive Affirmations for Path of Growth

Enneagram Type 3: Positive Affirmations for Path of Growth

The Enneagram is a tool for transcendence. Through the grid of the Enneagram, you learn about integrating your highest values and embracing your shadow side. By releasing ego attachments and affirming the path of growth, you are on the way to gaining spiritual wholeness.

Love and Abundance Always,