The Real Enneagram, a Podcast by the Institute for Conscious Being

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we delve into the tender and complex topic of grief, how the mind often struggles to comprehend the depth of grief, and the overwhelming emotions that accompany it. We begin by examining the first stage of grief, denial, as outlined by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, and how different ego types may experience grief in varied ways. Dr. Joe shares his personal experiences wi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , I, we explore the fascinating topic of the head center of intelligence and look into how our thoughts shape our identity and experience. We discuss the profound question of who we are beyond our thoughts, emphasizing that our true essence lies in our soul, which transcends the ego-driven narratives we often find ourselves caught in. Dr. Joe...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we delve into the heart center of intelligence within the Enneagram framework. We explore the significance of emotional intelligence, particularly how it relates to our experiences and interactions in the world. Scott, a type five, shares his journey of reconnecting with his emotions, emphasizing the importance of feeling and accepting our f...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram, we kick off the new year by discussing aims, how telling the truth can be an essential spiritual practice, and the importance of honoring the humanity of others even when we disagree with them.  We hope you find some useful insights in today's episode, and Happy New Year! To learn more about the Institute for Conscious Being, visit: thei...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we continue our heart series, diving deeper into the theme of healing the heart. We explore the complexities of the heart's emotional landscape, including its capacity for both tenderness and turmoil. We also discuss the concept of emotional self-regulation and how the heart can be affected by negative passions such as envy, pride, and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we delve into the profound topic of the heart's intelligence and its role in awakening compassion within us. We explore how our heartstrings serve as a moral compass, guiding us toward empathy and understanding, especially in today's challenging world. Joe shares a poignant personal story from his childhood that illustrates the mom...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we continue our two-part series on overcoming obstacles and challenges in life, focusing specifically on the obstacles posed by our own ego.  We delve into the teachings of George Gurdjieff and the concept of the "fourth way," which emphasizes the importance of the soul in navigating our three centers of intelligence: the head, hea...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we delve into the theme of obstacles and how they can serve as profound teachers for our souls. We explore the idea that obstacles, while challenging, can lead to personal growth and deeper understanding. Dr. Joe shares a personal story from his journey through a PhD program in clinical psychology, highlighting a particularly daunting course...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we delve into the profound topic of peace, its connection to our soul child and how our early experiences shape our understanding of peace and how our ego can often lead us away from it. Joe shares insights from his daily reflections, emphasizing that while life can be fraught with anxiety and conflict, our essence is inherently tied to peac...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we delve into the profound topic of peace, a universal desire that transcends all Enneagram types and explore how peace is not merely a reaction to our circumstances but a deeper quality of the soul that can be accessed regardless of external chaos. We begin by discussing Viktor Frankl's insights from his book Man's Search for Mean...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we continue our exploration of the three levels of soul development, focusing on the concept of the palpable soul. We delve into the significance of the I-Thou relationship, as introduced by theologian Martin Buber, which emphasizes honoring the soul of another person rather than merely engaging with their ego. We reflect on our previous dis...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we continue our exploration of the three major levels of soul development as outlined in Dr. Joseph Howell's book, Know Your Soul, and we dive deeper into the concepts of the obscured soul and the emerging soul. We begin by summarizing the obscured soul, which represents the starting point of many individuals on their spiritual journey....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we delve into the concept of soul development, a central theme from the book Know Your Soul . We explore the three major levels of soul development, starting with the first level, which we refer to as the "obscured soul." Dr. Howell shares insights on how this level represents an unawakened state, where distractions, ego, and vario...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we had the pleasure of welcoming our friend and local sound healer, Danielle Hall, the founder of Sound Embrace. Danielle shared her inspiring journey from a career in commercial photography to discovering the transformative power of sound healing after facing significant health challenges. She opened up about her skepticism towards alternat...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Jennifer Joss, a psychologist and leadership coach who has been using the Enneagram in her work for many years. Dr. Joss shared her journey with the Enneagram, which began in 1993, and her recent deep dive into understanding the Enneagram symbol itself. She discussed how her exploration was sparked by a t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram, we continue to delve into the theme of "Know Your Soul," exploring the profound benefits of understanding our deeper selves, beyond the confines of our surface personalities. Joined by my co-hosts Scott Smith and Dr. Joseph Howell, we discuss the pervasive divisiveness in today's world, particularly in the realms of politics an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we had the pleasure of speaking with Kate Finlayson, actor, and creator of Dancing the Enneagram and UnDance. Kate shared her transformative journey, which began in Hollywood as an actor and evolved through her experiences with the Enneagram, Nia, dance, and various healing practices. Kate recounted her introduction to the Enneagram in 1996...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we welcomed back our own Reverend Dr. Drexel Rayford, a senior faculty member at the Institute for Conscious Being. Our conversation centered around the discipline of silence and its profound role in contemplation, as well as the tenacity of the ego and its resistance to what it perceives as its diminishment. Drexel shared a poignant story f...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we delve into the theme of meditation, specifically focusing on a "know-your-soul" meditation. Joe shares his insights on the importance of understanding our essence and soul, emphasizing that our true identity goes beyond the mind. We discuss Joe's personal journey with meditation, recalling his first experience at a study gr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we delve into the profound ways the Enneagram can help us understand our souls during moments of daily struggle. Co-hosts Dr. Joe Howell, Nanette Mudiam, and Scott Smith discuss how, while many people are drawn to the Enneagram through a critical mass of suffering, the Enneagram is also brilliant at helping us navigate the smaller, day to da...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. David Gruder, a self described "recovering psychologist and professional troublemaker." Dr. Gruder shared his unique perspective on the Enneagram and how he integrates it into his work with leaders across various industries, including government and business. We explored his five-step Enneag...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we had the pleasure of welcoming special guests Theresa Hubbard and Walker Bird, who shared their unique journey into the realm of self-discovery and inner knowing. We engaged in a deep conversation about the transformative power of firewalking, a practice that Theresa initially explored as a means to connect with her body and emotions. Ther...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we continue our exploration of Dr. Joe Howell's new book, Know Your Soul: Journeying with the Enneagram and delve into the practical applications of the Enneagram, emphasizing that the ultimate goal is to deepen our understanding of our souls rather than merely improving our egos. Joe shares his insights on how each person is a, "l...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , co-hosts Nanette Mudiam, Dr. Joe Howell, and Scott Smith dive deep into the theme of the year for the Institute for Conscious Being: "Know Your Soul." We explore Dr. Joe's new book, Know Your Soul: Journeying with the Enneagram , which emphasizes the Enneagram as a journey toward understanding our true essence beyond mere pers...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Real Enneagram , we wrap up our series on the Holy Ideas and Virtues, reflecting on the profound insights shared by our guests over the past nine episodes. Joined by Dr. Joe Howell and Scott Smith, we delve into the concept of amnesia surrounding our holy ideas and explore why we often forget these integral aspects of our true selves. Dr. Joe explains that t...