Type Five Expanded Description 

"Joy in looking and understanding is nature’s most beautiful gift."  Albert Einstein

"You see, but you do not observe, the distinction is clear"  Sherlock Holmes

Type Fives engage with the world through their mind; as such they can seem cerebral, intellectual, focused, emotionally self-contained, self-sufficient and knowledgeable. Some are more passionate and might look to engage through a discussion in an area of interest that you both share. But mostly you meet someone who is slightly "once-removed"; someone who is most comfortable in taking the perspective of the dispassionate observer, who is happy watching life unfold, and whose focus is more internal, noticing the perceptions that arise for them as they engage with it.


Most at home in the realms of the mind, Type Fives enjoy analysing and thinking about things in a way that builds understanding. Some Fives enjoy facts and knowledge while others enjoy a more theoretical structure to their thinking but in both cases the desire to learn about things is the same- they strive for clear perception and an objective, full understanding. The mental realm can provide a place of retreat for the Type Five such that they often choose subjects to learn that are a bit obtuse, or only a few people in their world understand in the same way.


Fives like to stay in control of their personal “space”  and- fearing being drained- they create ways of staying in control of how, and with whom, they choose to relate. Five’s like to sense they have clearly acknowledged personal space that is respected by others. This "space" provides the opportunity to retire, reflect and recoup. It also offers a comfortable space from which to reside and observe external reality.  


This "space" does not have to be physical and type Fives may refer to going to their "happy place" as being one they go to in their minds where an invisible wall of perception is formed. But often there is a physical component to it; "My family knows that when I come in from work I need a few minutes to myself to go upstairs and change before I can come down and say hello properly."


Fives have a tendency to describe how they are feeling rather than express it. The focus on inner perception means that an emotion is quickly followed with, or accompanied by, a thought; and the "thought about" rather than the feeling can quickly become the focus of the Five's awareness.The Five is least comfortable when they are being watched and a particular emotional reaction is expected of them- it is as though the gap between thought and reality is being exposed. It is the fear that this situation creates that leads the Five to look for space and time to reflect in order re-find the congruency that returns from being able to accurately describe how they are feeling. 


 Fives generally get caught up in the “thinking about” experience. For example, in tasting an apple there is the taste, the direct knowing of the experience that we can all share through awareness. But then comes the thinking about the taste. You do not have to be an expert on apples to fully know the taste; but you do need to be an expert on apples to put sophisticated language to that experience. The Type Five finds comfort and satisfaction in the latter part of that process and is keen that their thinking accurately reflects their experience. 

 The irony is that the tendency to want to "know" can be motivated by the Five wanting to experience the subject more clearly or deeply, and yet in putting language or thought to their experience it becomes an experience of “thinking about” which can take their attention away from the profoundity of direct experience itself. They have a direct experience of thinking instead. The Five can easily confuse going "deeper" with the desire to achieve clearer perception. 

Type Fives fear that they could be drained if their inner world of emotions, senses and thought is not in some way "protected " from being impinged by the outside world. They therefore seek to create a boundary and this intention increases the focus of their awareness on perception. In becoming the observer of reality they no longer can get swept away by what arises. An inner boundary is created as the sense ofsolidity and  "who I am" becomes consolidated around thought. "I think therefore I am", is indicative of the perspective of the Type Five. 


The intention behind this "boundary" is replicated in the outside world as Five's try to create limits to their exposure to things. You might hear them say; "you can come around to visit until 6pm"; and some deal with the demands of the social world by playing a part; "I copy the reactions of others, laughing when they laugh." In a work context you may well find them working independently in special knowledge areas.  And socially they might well compartmentalise their lives;  activities and interests each have their place, with time allotted. These protective measures can make them seem secretive or "rejecting" when they are simply maintaining their boundaries. 

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This way of engaging with the world can be energetically sustaining such that externally many Type Fives live a minimalist lifestyle, needing very little materially to get by. It is as though they make an unconscious deal with the external world, "If I don't demand too much of you please don't make demands on me." That is not to say that Five’s do not reach out to meet the world, or open themselves up to allowing people and the world in- they do. The characteristic of the Five is that in doing so there is a underlying sense that their energy is a limited resource- and rather like a battery being drained- a fear that it might get depleted.
 

 Fives' focus on perception means that they build their capacity to "see the world" clearly and objectively- they can love someone very well by seeing them clearly for who they are. The insight that comes from turning any perception into a thought, and being aware of that thought, means that they naturally not only build thought-based knowledge about the world but they know what they think about their experience. Their capacity to analyse and reflect and build mental pictures and complex understanding is a gift of the Type Five. Aware Fives can be sensitive, perceptive, dedicated, objective and creative thinkers, who can combine their sensitivity and analytic skills to be wise rather than knowing.

"It is a difficult journey to learn that life must be lived and not just studied."  Anon

The Scripts that Motivate Type Fives

to perceive things clearly

to fully understand what I engage with

to think in a way that accurately reflects reality 

to build my knowledge, wisdom or insight

to enhance reality by knowing more about what I perceive ​

to keep my inner world free of unwanted intrusions

to not get caught up in things I would prefer to avoid

to control where I want to expend my energy

to find sufficiency in the minimisation of my needs

to have what I need so I don’t have to depend on anyone

to be able to retreat into thought when I want to

to be able to choose how I connect with, or express, my emotions

to be able to reside in the position of the observer

to know that my thinking represents a clear objective mirror