Expanded Instincts

Expanded Instincts is an original idea created by Rob Zeke Collopy that expands, reorganizes, and adds in brand new categorizations to the three classic enneagram instincts. The structure of the system is modeled after the ego enneagram and represents the subconscious layer between the egoic unconscious mind and the communicative conscious mind. Expanded instincts consists of 9 realms, 6 center stackings and 27 tri-instinctual stackings. To learn more, join TTV to watch an hour long intro video on the subject. Enjoy!

🎥 Expanded Instincts Intro (1hr 9min)

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The Three Centers

Self-Survival Center (SUR)

The self-survival center is the realm of basic survival through the physical body, comfort, actions, skills, time-management, and ownership over spaces. This center can be split into three distinct realms: Fortitude (FD), Security (SY), and Self-management (SM).

Interpersonal Center (INT)

The interpersonal center is the realm of communicative survival through people, relationships, dynamics, bonds, standards, and chemistry. This center can be split into three distinct realms: Alchemy (AY), Community (CY), and Bonding (BG).

Purpose Center (PUR)

The purpose center is the realm of conceptual survival through ideas, goals, existential thoughts, discovery, wonder, significance, reason, and introspection. This center can be split into three distinct realms: Self-significance (SS), Existentialism (EX), and Unknown (UN).

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The Nine Instinctual Realms

Fortitude (FD) – Self-Survival Center

The fortitude instinct is how one feels alive by tracking ownership of the physical space surrounding them through both offensive and defensive measures. Fortitude dominants see the world as a collection of containers that can be occupied and consumed from. Being truly alive means immersing themselves in taking what the world has to offer and indulging in its meaning. Immediate desires take the driver’s seat, and all conscious energy is poured into fully experiencing ownership over the object of hunger in real time. For this reason, fortitude dominants may ignore everyday tasks and routines as pointless roadblocks or fail to notice them entirely. High value is given to belongings that inspire the biggest chaotic reaction, which stimulates the instinct to excessively take possession over new things. The obsession can venture into the realms of the bizarre, grim, gross, and crude. The more extreme the reaction to physical stimuli, the better the hit for these individuals. The instinctual hit often becomes addictive and causes fortitude dominants to assign spiritual meaning to the physical realm. For this reason, ceremonies and rituals fall in the domain of fortitude. What others may view as everyday objects and items become tokens of maximum importance. Fortitude dominants feel a sense of aliveness from directing their experiences to take ownership over what they wish to possess. The blood, sweat, and tears that are required to get what you want are seen as trophies of strength and grit. The source of happiness is believed to reside outside of the self; therefore, this instinct wants to do everything within its power to keep accumulating this happiness and fully feel it within the body. They believe the outside world can be accessed through gaining ownership over it and immersing themselves in what it has to offer.

Fortitude is the tension between the unknown and security instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track what is changing, moving, and popping up in their environment like the unknown instinct. On the other hand, they are driven to track comforts, resources, and what they need to take control of in their environment like the security instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on the ownership, consumption, and territoriality of the fortitude instinct.

Fortitude is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the alchemy and self-significance instincts. When one is driven to track their own territories, desires, and objects of worship, they inherently focus on the dynamics of individuals involved in the exchange like the alchemy instinct – as well as the reason or significance of why the object of hunger is so desirable to the self like the self-significance instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the fortitude instinct.

Security (SY) – Self-Survival Center

The security instinct is how one feels alive by tracking the disparity between inner comfort and desires versus outside noise, clutter, and disturbances. Security dominants view the world through their own physical and psychological needs. Happiness is hidden away in their own version of reality which looks different depending on the individual. Some security dominants may see this ideal vision as their own homes, routines and comfortable spaces while others may see it as hard work to get the exact physical reality that they desire. Regardless of where they physically are, aliveness is perceived as something they must chase after because it is only present in the absence of all other noise and ruckus. Security dominants believe they must escape uncomfortable moments to feel a sense of aliveness that waits for them in their psychological castle of comforts. Experiences speak for themselves and tracking both the ups and downs is necessary for this instinct to truly appreciate the sense of aliveness that comes from being free from worry and chaos. For this reason, security dominants rarely ever get caught up in idealization or overzealousness. It is inherently understood that complications will arise, and one must deal with them to regain a sense of stability. The feeling of being encapsulated in a womb, nurtured, and protected from all outside threats is the core source of being truly alive for this instinct – however, this environment is created by the self, not reliant on others for sustenance. Happiness is internal and security represents the urge to continue surviving despite the looming threat of entropy. The preservation of the self can reverse the consequences of complication – an attempt to metaphorically reverse the big bang.

Security is the tension between the fortitude and self-management instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track ownership, endurance, and bodily gratification to understand the effect the environment has on them like the fortitude instinct. On the other hand, they are driven to track how vitality, beauty, and aesthetics add or detract from their comforts like the self-management instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on the comfort, stability, and freedom from worry of the security instinct.

Security is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the community and existentialism instincts. When one is driven to track their own comforts, security, inner peace, and calm, they inherently focus on the people they are connected to and what standards they bring into their lives like the community instinct – as well as the purpose, higher meaning, and fulfillment gained from their own security like the existentialism instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the security instinct.

Self-Management (SM) – Self-Survival Center

The self-management instinct is how one feels alive by tracking the culmination of necessary elements that enable bodily vitality. Individuals of this instinct view the body as a symbol of strength, sensuality, and aliveness. Happiness is extracted from the potential growth that aligns with past sensual memories and desires to thrive in the future. Self-management dominants believe that the body reflects past experiences and holds the secrets to aliveness within it – it just needs to be extracted through aligning to the best version of the physical self. The environment is seen as an arena of constant change and renewal that can be “hooked” into by any participant who is willing to exchange out habits and routines for what works best for them. Being fully alive is felt in the ability to create and celebrate sensual memories – even if it is a future ideal. Self-management dominants are highly sensitive to the space between youth and decay. Tracking minute changes in the body and how they handle life circumstances is seen as a reflection of their own mindfulness. Beauty and sensuality are highly valued and tracked to a very specific degree. Slight shifts in typical sensations are given the utmost weight and importance as these provide the information necessary to track vitality for self-management. The passage of time is often a sensitive topic because it brings up the questions of how to manage one’s own mortality. Aligning to a desired sensual experience and engulfing the self in beauty is seen as the optimal way to live life.

Self-management is the tension between the security and alchemy instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track their comforts and resources to enhance their strengths like the security instinct. On the other hand, they are driven to track attraction, chemistry and who finds them desirable to know that they are flourishing like the alchemy instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on the vitality, strength, productivity, and energy sensitivity of the self-management instinct.

Self-management is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the unknown and bonding instincts. When one is driven to track their own strength, vitality, and bodily energy, they inherently focus on the exploration and wonder that is held within the body like the unknown instinct – as well as the desire to be accepted for who they are despite faults like the bonding instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the self-management instinct.

Alchemy (AY) – Interpersonal Center

The alchemy instinct is how one feels alive by tracking the intensity of attraction and chemistry present in their interpersonal dynamics. Impressions are the first indicators of potential interest for this instinct and ignite further investigation if a promise for an energetic crescendo is evident. For this reason, alchemy dominants keep their psychological antennae scanning for clues into what lies behind the façade of the exterior. These individuals are searching for interpersonal immersion. Full encapsulation of one’s psychological energy within another entity is seen as the ultimate high and both parties escaping the present moment to be transformed into a metaphorical new time and place is seen as ideal. The alchemy instinct believes that they must erupt the present moment into something interesting between people to immerse themselves in the novel energy. The psychological exchange of ideas and attitudes is used to propel an unfolding sexual dynamic to feel raw aliveness in its most explosive form. Body language and subtle cues are mysteries to be decoded by this instinct which are inroads to constant sexual novelty. Alchemy dominants are attuned to the multiple energetic combinations possible in any moment with the people around them. Unlike the bonding instinct, there is no desired feelings of belonging because the individual is no longer the person they were before the dynamic transformed them. Violent changes and upward shifts in relational dynamics are seen as the prime way to live life.

Alchemy is the tension between the self-management and community instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track their own vitality and bodily desirability to enhance their attraction like the self-management instinct. On the other hand, they are driven to track their connections and place in the world to evaluate available potentials like the community instinct. The tensions between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on the attraction, chemistry, self-expression, and sexual dynamics of the alchemy instinct.

Alchemy is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the bonding and fortitude instincts. When one is driven to track the attraction and chemistry of their relationships, they inherently focus on the bonds and reputation they have with others like the bonding instinct – as well as the endurance, need for excess and desired bodily gratification that enables the energetic explosion like the fortitude instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the alchemy instinct.

Community (CY) – Interpersonal Center

The community instinct is how one feels alive by tracking interpersonal standards and how they affect their place in the world. These individuals place high value on what it means to be a part of something bigger than themselves. The collective is seen as a source of energy to connect into, so they consistently monitor themselves and others to see how they align to the many complex systems of expectations that exist. The community instinct has its ear in every conversation to better understand each distinct belief and value of all individuals involved. Commonality is sought after as a source of energy for this instinct – being able to find the raw human connection buried deep beneath the noise that infiltrates and complicates our interpersonal relationships. Individuals of this instinct want to look past the idealism and one-sided fantasies that plague humanity to peer into the real value of equal connections. Community sees aliveness reflected in the eyes of every being, so honoring the distinct personality of each individual and giving them a place in the world is seen as fuel for secure relations on both small and grand scales. Recognizing the chain of truth that binds us all together makes life worth living. The source of happiness is seen as outside of the self in the interpersonal center – it is contained within the connected hearts and minds of the collective. For this reason, community dominant individuals are always reaching out to external communities and people to find their place in the world.

Community is the tension between the alchemy and bonding instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track how others perceive and value them like the bonding instinct. On the other hand, they are driven to track personal dynamics and who is attracted to whom like the alchemy instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on standards, connections, relationships, values, and one’s place in the world of the community instinct.

Community is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the security and existentialism instincts. When one is driven to track their place in the world, they inherently focus on the resources and stability needed to upkeep their location like the security instinct – as well as the higher meaning, future ideals, and ambition necessary to stay connected like the existentialism instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the community instinct.

Bonding (BG) – Interpersonal Center

The bonding instinct is how one feels alive by tracking the intensity of bonds between themselves and their chosen interpersonal relationships. These individuals place high value on what it means to be deeply understood and the standard of measuring that understanding can vary wildly based on the unique perspective of the ego type in charge. Belonging is an often sought after feeling for this instinct which is romanticized as the ultimate internal state of being. This belonging can be achieved in a few ways and does not arise from “sameness” or “mirroring”. Instead, the differences between the self and the other that can be pulled together despite their duality is valued as a sign of an unbreaking bond. The bonding instinct often tracks their reputation with others as a way of sampling where the alluring hit of aliveness is located. However, this instinct believes that the true energy of aliveness is located deep within themselves, so the bond becomes a precursor to feelings of internal ecstasy. These individuals view their experiences through strings of memories about people and how they were specifically bonded to them. Each person has an array of impressions associated with them that the bonding instinct cannot detach from unless the bond is updated through new connecting and conversing. This instinct wishes to form a token or idol to memorialize the bonds that they have created in their lives. Feeling alive is best experienced through memory and a promise of future memories.

Bonding is the tension between the self-significance and community instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track their own purpose in the world and why their character matters like the self-significance instinct. While on the other hand, they are driven to track their connections and how they define their place in the world like the community instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on bonding, being understood, empathy, reputation, and belonging of the bonding instinct.

Bonding is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the self-management and alchemy instincts. When one is driven to track the bonds in their interpersonal lives, they inherently focus on the energy and time-management it takes to upkeep these bonds like the self-management instinct – as well as the level of satisfaction, impressions, and chemistry that flows into the bond to keep it alive like the alchemy instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the bonding instinct.

Self-Significance (SS) – Purpose Center

The self-significance instinct is how one feels alive by tracking their own unique reasons or purpose for existing. Introspection and self-discovery are natural processes for individuals dominant in this instinct, so from the outside it may appear highly personalized and self-centered since the source of their aliveness is perceived as residing internally. There may be an interest in how others view them solely to continue chasing their own purpose as far down the rabbit hole as it leads. Self-significance is seen as an immersive experience that can only be felt through raw moment-to-moment occurrences. The lack of ego attached to the process of exploring one’s own self-significance is the defining feature of this instinct. No amount of shame, guilt, or emotional overwhelm will stop them from asking themselves, “Who am I and how did I get here?”. This instinct naturally realizes that an identity exists outside of one’s own consciousness which begs the question of how it got there and why it is separate. Individuals dominant in this instinct unconsciously notice the effects they have on everything around them. The tendency is to think less about others to save energy for constant wonder and introspection as they believe they must align to a desired experience rather than control or run away from it. This often becomes meta and leads to introspecting about introspection. All things are glacial passages to traverse through which reflect back the magic of being alive for the simple sake of being alive. These individuals think less about the philosophy of how everything is connected like their neighboring existentialism instinct and instead are driven to solve the immense puzzle of the self and what lies within. “What are my own specialized stats? And furthermore, who decided? Can they change? Should they?”

Self-significance is the tension between the bonding and existentialism instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track how others perceive them like the bonding instinct. While on the other hand, they are also driven to track their own awareness of the self and how it interrelates and matters to the bigger picture or higher truth like the existentialism instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on character, identity, introspection, and self-discovery of the self-significance instinct.

Self-significance is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the unknown and fortitude instincts. When one is driven to track their own significance in the world, they inherently imagine their own place within the physical dimensions of reality like the fortitude instinct – as well as imagining all possible manifestations of the self that could emerge from self-work and discovery like the unknown instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the self-significance instinct.

Existentialism (EX) – Purpose Center

The existentialism instinct is how one feels alive by tracking the threads of purpose that intertwine all ideas, meaning, and people together. Existentialism dominants see the vast amount of information that exists and desire to make sense of it through questioning its meaning or relevance, then directing it to the present moment. All experiences are perceived as distinct happenings that have their own unique “code” and purpose. The invisible lines of meaning that connect all experiences together is what this instinct is desperately chasing after. The more sense our existence makes and the more meaning it inspires – the better. Happiness is believed to be in the exchange of information between people, so those who value existentialism can easily become lonely and melancholic when there is a lack of sources to communicate with. Existentialism dominants desire to diminish meaninglessness as much as possible through exchanging information with others. Being fully alive means finding direction in the chaotic mess of information out there and being comfortable discussing the question, “Why do we exist?”. Sharing the code of reality that reads us to ourselves is the pinnacle of happiness. However, simply being with others is not enough for this instinct as it must know that others benefit from recognizing the purpose of every moment as much as they do. Existentialism dominants want to feel alive by tracking the truth of everything with no limitations. “Why is purpose purposeful? What is the meaning behind all meaning?”

Existentialism is the tension between the unknown and self-significance instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track their own purpose for existing and how their own story can connect to the stories of others like the self-significance instinct. On the other hand, they are driven to track possibilities, new information, and how the present can devolve into infinite routes like the unknown instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on the higher truths, shared purpose, and need for answers of the existentialism instinct.

Existentialism is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the security and community instincts. When one is driven to track the purpose of existence, they inherently focus on how their physical existence is affected by all sensations like the security instinct – as well as how every human is interconnected through ideas and purpose like the community instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the existentialism instinct.

Unknown (UN) – Purpose Center

The unknown instinct is how one feels alive by tracking the missing experiences that can be manifested into reality. Unknown dominants see the world as a collection of physical components that can be altered or tinkered with to create new meaning and purpose. The present reality can appear dull and incomplete which inspires this instinct to imagine what else is hiding in plain sight right in front of their eyes. They tend to pull from memories of purpose-filled exhilaration and project it onto future desires. The belief is that any feeling of significance felt in the past can be recreated through new permeations that resemble the previous ideas. Ultimately, the unknown instinct is searching for the codes that explain physical existence. They believe these codes can only be obtained through escaping the banality of presently accepted ideas because happiness awaits on the other side – “The only way to live is outside of yourself.” Unknown dominants subconsciously yearn for the story that is created through journeying into the mysterious depths and moving towards discovering new ideas. The story becomes the fantasy, and the fantasy is memorialized in the mind of these individuals for life. This idealization can trigger the dark side of the instinct in which all experiences are measured against the ultimate story that inspired the biggest feeling of significance and purpose – and the current journey pales in comparison which can result in disappointment and depression. Constant movement and frenzied panic to find new experiences can overtake their minds and send unknown dominants into overdrive; never settling down or appreciating the purpose of the present moment beyond how it can be memorialized.

Unknown is the tension between the existentialism and fortitude instincts. On one hand, these individuals are driven to track the truth of existence to understand how it can be celebrated like the existentialism instinct. On the other hand, they are driven to track ownership, movement, and the physical constraints of the physical world like the fortitude instinct. The tension between these two inner drives creates the specialized focus on the discovery, movement, and wonder of the unknown instinct.

Unknown is connected to, and in turn, comprised of the self-management and self-significance instincts. When one is driven to track their own potential to discover, find wonder, and activate novel experiences, they inherently focus on the strength and vitality it will take to uphold the journey to get there like the self-management instinct – as well as the significance of the journey and why it matters to one’s self concept like the self-significance instinct. The sum of these two connecting instincts, multiplied by the tension between the neighboring instincts are what all culminate together to form the unknown instinct.

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The Instinctual Triads

Experiential Triads

These triads mark the different ways in which we prefer to perceive reality through the instinctual realms. The experiential triad is significant as it shows how we “hook in to” the preferred instinctual realm, which results in three vastly different groups of behaviors. This triad is responsible for how we must see things to feel fully alive.

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Movement Triads

These triads mark the differences in the direction we move to enable our desired experiences. The movement triad shows each route that one must take to enable the hit of being fully alive within that instinctual realm. This triad is responsible for how we deal with the current circumstances in our lives through movement.

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Source Triads

These triads mark the location that we believe our happiness or long term instinctual fulfillment lies. The source triad shows us three places between ourselves and the outside world where we believe our instinctual hit is located.

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