What "Sloth" Looks Like for Enneagram Nines
Updated: Nov 3, 2022

Every Enneagram type has what's called a "deadly sin."
The Nine's deadly sin is sloth.
I used to equate slothfulness with laziness. But there's more to it than that.
Slothfulness for the Nine looks like doing anything other than engaging in discomfort.
The Sloth is an Escape
In The Peacemaker, Growing as in Enneagram 9 by Elizabeth Bennett, she describes sloth as not laziness, but numbness.
She points out that you can be very active physically, and still be using the activity to numb yourself to a conflict, conviction, or even just a task that really needs to be done.
It can also look like sleeping too much, eating too much, and engaging in mind-numbing behaviors like TV, reading, medication, or food.

Anything to not have to engage in the present.
She says that, instead of a whisper, sloth looks more like the open arms of a hug:
"Come to me, you don't need to be here."
"Escape in me, I have what will comfort you."
"This is too much, isn't it? Taking this pill/signing up for one more class/watching that whole season of your favorite show will help you."
It reminds me of the beckoning of the evil villains in Disney movies. So sneaky. So tempting.
I notice that even doing the dishes when it's time to put my younger kids to bed and my husband is around, is sloth for me.
So is jumping on my computer when my kids are home after school, or Deleting a Sign-Up Genious email without looking at it first and considering how I can help.
What is it For You?
What do you do to buffer, or numb yourself from engaging in discomfort?
Awareness is