three types in the head center are Types 5, 6, and 7. (They are also referred to in abbreviated form as the head types.) The types in the gut center are Types 8, 9, and 1 — the gut types, in other words. The types in the heart center are types 2, 3, and 4 — the heart types.
FIGURE 3-1: The three centers of knowledge.
HEAD TYPES
The head types (5, 6, 7) are all directed toward understanding and explaining, analyzing, and developing practical ideas and concepts. Keep in mind that everyone sees the world primarily through some kind of mental filter. For the three head types, that filter lies in the value they place on independence, each in their own way. They also share an inclination to differentiate themselves (moving away). When something unsettling happens, for example, they tend to move away. The goal of this unconscious strategy is to minimize worries, gain control of potentially painful situations, and thus gain a sense of safety. This is carried out via the mental processes of deliberation, projection, conception, and planning.
GUT TYPES
The gut types (8, 9, 1) are either all focused on physical aspects, on activities, or on action or are focused on the exact opposite. They react to impulses and are either quite physically active and present or (again) not active or present at all. They see the world through a filter of physical perceptions and unreflective instincts.
Gut types have an innate talent when it comes to listening to their bodies. Thoughts are experienced in the head, feelings in the heart, and perceptions in the body. These can be pleasant perceptions, such as the sun on the skin or the warmth of a touch, but also less enjoyable ones, like tension. The gut types value their autonomy, each in their own way. They share an inclination toward confrontation (moving against). When something happens, they have a tendency to fight it. Gut types use their personal position and strength to shape life the way it must be. They develop strategies to secure their place in the world and minimize unpleasantness. The idea of borders is a significant (unconscious) thematic for them, in the sense that they either don’t actually experience boundaries or are unaware of their own boundaries.
Internally, gut types often experience a subliminal sense of resistance, especially when their (unconscious) boundaries are crossed. This resistance can be expressed in ways that seem either steadfast, passive-aggressive, or controlling. Just as the head types share a subliminal feeling of a lack or of personal failure, the three gut types often feel worthless or guilty because of some failure on their part. This is why their goal is often to be of value to others.
HEART TYPES
The heart types (2, 3, 4) are all focused on themes of the heart: love, relationships, affection, the social environment, the people around them. They perceive the world through the filter of emotional intelligence. The three heart types value recognition, each in their own way. They want to pay attention or gain attention and be seen doing so. They like moving toward people. The strategy of heart types consists of adapting to the moods and feelings of others to gain a sense of connection with the other person. More than the other types, they trust and lean on appreciation and respect from others to maintain their sense of self-esteem and to feel loved. To preserve this appreciation and respect, they create an image of themselves that is meant to persuade others to accept them and see them as special. They are focused on a connection with others, on relationships.
This doesn’t mean that heart types are always successful when it comes to making this connection. With their focus on relationships, they clearly perceive any lack of unity. They are oriented toward others and view themselves through the eyes of others; they imagine how others see them, what they think about them. For that reason, every heart type is interested in their image in a certain way and in making sure others don't end up having a bad image of them.
The Rule of Threes
The rule of threes refers to the forces
