Debunking the Myth of Integration and Disintegration

Understanding the Real Significance of the Lines of Connection

In the early development of the Enneagram’s psychological mapping, Claudio Naranjo (whom we affectionally refer to as Papa Naranjo), a formative influence on modern Enneagram theory, proposed, based on his observations of clients, that each type has “lines of connection” leading to two other types. These connections, he suggested, mark paths of “integration” and “disintegration” — growth towards health and decline into neurosis. However, he quickly revisited his postulation after theorizing during a SAT (Seekers After Truth) training. He thus concluded that while the lines may work this way for some, this idea was likely too linear and didn’t reflect the dynamic nature of the system. Naranjo concluded that rather than polar routes to improvement or downfall, these lines represent a fluid exchange of traits that flow in and out of a type’s core characteristics, operating almost invisibly to the casual observer.

In reality, the lines of connection offer subtle yet powerful influences, folding the qualities and defenses of connected types into a type’s primary behaviors and strategies. This means that a Type 5, for instance, doesn’t just lean into the characteristics of Type 8 when "healthy" or Type 7 when "unhealthy." Instead, they regularly, often unconsciously, draw from the strengths and weaknesses of these two types as part of their ongoing personality matrix. It’s an intricate dance of energetic shifts rather than a clear-cut path.