Good to Talk

On this week's episode Jeremiah and E, discuss connecting with the self and finding intimacy with others.   Most of us have preferences in the ways we give and receive intimacy.  Knowing self and knowing others in your world gives you greater perspicacity in giving and receiving.  It is important to remember that there are no formal areas of intimacy, and all ideas of intimacy overlap and sync up. You are a complex being capable of experiencing many levels of desire, connection, and emotion all at once. Intimacy can be experienced in many ways including, intellectually, experientially, existentially, and physically.

Safe and secure (I am safe)
Loved and Valuable (I am lovable)
Strong and Capable (I am enough)

The tricky part for our self worth or the ways we value ourselves, is this is often taught to us first by our parents and caregivers and ultimately becomes our core beliefs, which are usually formed before the age of seven. These beliefs impact all kinds of our behaviors, both conscious and unconscious, and can often be the hidden road map to where we direct our lives. “Who am I” then tends to be a question that already has an answer in our minds and hearts before we get to the age to even truly answer it for ourselves. 

So, maybe you are currently internalizing a “truth” about yourself that isn’t necessarily true but only staying apart of how you see yourself based on your core beliefs? Maybe it’s not who you are but what you were taught? 

We’re always defining ourselves and once you realize you are radically capable of hacking into that system and adding fresh and new data about who you are, what you are worth, it changes where you are going and how you’ll be treated.

Jeremiah and E discuss finding meaning through art.  One definition of art is the human activity of creating items and experiences that engage the thoughts, emotions, and senses and that communicates and connects with the beholder.  Our hope is to offer some handholds for engaging art, and through art, a chance to better access meaning within ourselves and others. 

Tolstoy defined art as the following: "Art is a human activity consisting in this, that one man consciously, by means of certain external signs, hands on to others feelings he has lived through, and that other people are infected by these feelings and also experience them." 

Consume: Take it in
Create: Do it
Collaborate: Share it

Jeremiah and E talk about how to stay motivated and not feel defeated before ever beginning.  Jeremiah breaks down the steps leading up to taking action and posits that we often see the process of learning new things and accomplishing our goals backwards.  Putting things back in order helps us to give ourselves grace throughout the learning process and better commit to following through.

Jeremiah and E discuss what it means to love well.  Healthy love risks vulnerability and is connected to purpose (why), committed to service (who),  and considerate of self (how).  Though it manifests in many different ways, Jeremiah and E share a few personal examples of how they have experienced love.

See also amor fati and sympatheia.

In this episode, Jeremiah and E finish discussing the Enneagram focusing on the Instinctive Center.  Keys to remember when it comes to the Enneagram: Awareness is what leads to transformation. Remember, that as you learn more about yourself, your type, and your center, the key is to let that self awareness lead to letting go, not further striving. Let the learning lead to freedom from self, releasing yourself from the ego’s fixation that first protected and served you, but which now can be released.

The Instinctive Triad can be broken down into types 8 or the Challenger, 9 or the Peacemaker, and 1 or the Reformer.  The Instinct Triad is concerned with how their bodies feel and work, basic functioning of life and survival. If you think about any place of health we have, it all starts with our bodies. Our bodies can be mysterious, as we all have certain instincts and feelings in our bodies that are hard to ignore. A certain, Spidey-sense, if you will, that we all notice at times. Much current research is being devoted from a mental health perspective on how “Somatization” occurs.  Somatization is when psychological concerns are converted into physical symptoms. Many issues we often face, such as trauma, anxiety and depression are more and more linked to not just feelings and emotions but also physical symptoms shown in the body. When we are fully present in our bodies, in our breath, and in our selves, we feel fully awake, aware, and alive. 

In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the Thinking Triad or Enneagram types 5, 6, and 7.  Enneagram type 5 is the Thinker, type 6 the Loyalist, and type 7 the Enthusiast.  The main themes of this triad are anxiety and security, always looking for inner guidance and support.  The Head Center is future focused, subconsciously wondering, "What is going to happen to me?,  How can I prepare?, Will I be okay?"

Remember awareness leads to transformation.  As you learn more about yourself, your type, and your center, the key is to let that self awareness lead to letting go, not further striving.

This week Jeremiah and E focus on Enneagram types 2, 3,  and 4, also known as the feelings or heart center.
Awareness leads to transformation: Remember that as you learn more about yourself, your type, and your center, the key is to let that self awareness lead to letting go, not further striving. Let the learning lead to freedom from self, releasing yourself from the ego’s fixation that first protected and served you, but which now can be released. 

Look for helpful supplementary content related to this episode at https://goodtotalks.com

As an introduction to the enneagram, Jeremiah and E discuss its history and general philosophy.  They briefly cover each of the nine personality types and categorize them into triads, while encouraging the listener to visit https://goodtotalks.com for a visual aid to help clarify some of the more detailed aspects of the enneagram's structure.  This is part one of four.  In later episodes, each of the three triads will be explored in more detail.

Past: Depression vs Thankful | Present: Disconnected vs Grateful  | Future: Anxious vs Hopeful  ------ There are two mindsets that matter: active and passive. With a passive mind, things happen to you and you're not responsible for them. An active mind, on the other hand, means ownership. The difference between a passive and active mind is easy to spot. For example, if someone arrives late because of traffic, do they blame the traffic or take ownership and say they failed to account for traffic.