Enneagram+Yoga

In this episode, Kat and Christy interview Dr. Beth Capecchi about the Enneagram and the Five Love Languages. Dr. Capecchi has a private practice called Grounded Counseling and is the host of the Never Perfect Podcast. Beth completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees at Vanderbilt University and her doctoral degree at the University of Tennessee. She worked with the college population at University Counseling Centers for 5 years and then returned to Chattanooga, where she was born and raised. Since returning to Chattanooga 17 years ago, she and her husband, Remo, have had 3 children and she has been working in private practice. Beth enjoys working with adolescents and adults on a variety of issues, including relationship issues, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, family issues, grief, addiction issues, family of origin issues, trauma work, identity work, and other issues. Beth’s greatest interests, apart from spending time with people, of course, include art, yoga, sports, food, holistic medicine, religious and philosophical discussions (NOT politics), watching her kids sports activities, farmers markets, decorating, antiquing and thrift store shopping.

During this episode we talk about each Enneagram number and explore if there is a particular love language each type is more likely to have. Every episode ends with a short meditation.

On this episode of Enneagram+ Yoga Kat and Christy Interview, Anthony Prince. Anthony is a musician, a yogi, wellness coach and mindfulness teacher. An athlete most of his life, he first fell in love with yoga in 2014, but after taking a powerful yin yoga class on a bright New Year’s Day in 2016, he realized there was more to it than the physical aspects. From then on, Anthony knew he needed to become a teacher and in 2020, as the world transformed, he received his CYT-200hr Yoga certification from Tough Love Yoga in Atlanta, GA. Through several years of self-development as an artist on the road, Anthony learned the importance of self-growth through self-love and compassion and incorporates these ideals in every aspect of his teaching. Since starting his journey through yoga, Anthony has made it his soul’s purpose to commit himself to the service of others by providing wellness coaching through the lens of yoga as a foundation to uplift the spirit, encourage radical self-expression, address unaddressed trauma, and to create a new sense of balance in personal well-being. If you are interested is doing some private yoga classes with Anthony contact him at Anthonyaprince11@gmail.com or on Instagram Ig @ mindfulrhythmwellness

In this episode Kat and Christy interview, Brittany Young. Brittany is an educator, certified yoga instructor and practitioner, blogger, and lover of all things enneagram. Recently she and her sister started a lifestyle and faith-based blog together centered around habits of mindful living. In fact, Brittany first learned about the enneagram from her sister! It took her about 2 years to settle on her number, but now she is quite sure she is (and always has been) an enneagram 9. Check out: www.annieandaudrey.com

These are some of the questions we asked Brittany you may want to reflect on:

1) Enneagram 9’s tend to avoid conflict. Is this true for you and if so how are you working on being more assertive, even if it is uncomfortable?

2) Like Enneagram 2’s, 9’s can struggle with boundaries and saying no and speaking up more for their own needs and wishes. What are some ways the Enneagram has helped you work on boundaries?

3) The deadly passion of the Enneagram 9 is sloth. Sloth is not only complacency, but also the tendency of 9’s to not fully engage with life, their desires or even their vocational pursuits. How does sloth show up in your life?

4) The arrow of health for an Enneagram 9 is the Enneagram 3. What is a yoga pose that helps you feel more energized and confident, like a healthy 3?

5) What parts of you is the Enneagram helping to heal or even awaken?

6) Enneagram 9’s are in the Anger triad of the Enneagram, but they tend to disown and repress their anger and it can come out in more passive ways. Is this true for you and if so, how are you working on owning and feeling your anger and communicating it in healthier ways?

7) Comfort and harmony can be very important to a 9. Are they for you? If so, how do you create them in your own life?

8) As an enneagram 9, do you often feel misunderstood? If yes, in what way(s)?

9) Just like 2’s, 9’s have strong desire to have relationships. Is that true for you? What relationships have been the most challenging and/or rewarding?

10) What are some mindfulness tools that are your go to for recharging and decompressing? In short, what is your self care protocol?

11) What myths about enneagram 9 would you like to shatter?

12) 9’s tend to be homebodies. Is it true for you? Is it the same with your yoga practice? Do you prefer a home practice over one in the studio?

In this interview we spend time exploring the Enneagram & Yoga with Michelle Dunn-Loveless. She is a recovering rebel with an outlaw spirit, your typical Enneagram 8 who lived life in the fast lane and has been cultivating growth towards her inner two since the birth of her darling daughters. This passion to leave an imprint on the world led Michelle into teaching where she taught in the public schools for over ten years. A life-long learner and educator, Michelle earned her masters in education, a 200-hour yoga certification, and most recently a 500-hour certification specializing in Kundalini Yoga. She teaches paddle board yoga with Outshine Adventures, Yin + Meditation and Kundalini Yoga at Yoga landing. Not only does Michelle teach, she and her wife own Outshine Adventures: Eco Tours + Travel to inspire others to adventure differently.  Full-time, Michelle works as an educator at a local nonprofit that removes barriers to birth control by providing education, outreach, and access to free birth control – proving to the world she can do it all!

Here are some of the questions we asked Michelle if you want to spend time meditating on them.

1) What does being bold mean to you?

2) How challenging is it to let your walls down?

3) Do you resist being vulnerable because vulnerability equals weakness?

4) Oftentimes, passion and intensity of 8’s is wrongly perceived as aggressive and controlling. How do you deal with this misconception, especially as a woman?

5) Advocacy, fairness, honesty, authenticity are just few things that are very important to an 8. What area of life would you like to leave the most impact in?

6) Oftentimes, 8’s struggle with asking for help. When was the last time you asked for help? What was it for? How did it make you feel?

7) Sometimes 8’s struggle with showing emotion out of fear of being weak. When was the last time you got really emotional? What was it about?

8) Enneagram 8s struggle with vulnerability. What are some emotions that you wish you had expressed to others in the past, but have been too afraid to?

9)Enneagram 8’s are known for loving the intensity of a good argument and like a 1 they can be prone to black and white thinking when they argue. Is this true for you and if so how do you tone down the intensity in an argument and also the need to be right?

10) The arrow of growth for the Enneagram 8 is the two and so 8’s benefit from softening their hearts. What yoga pose opens up your heart and moves you from being a bear to a teddy bear?

11) The deadly passion of the Enneagram 8 is lust. This lust is necessarily sexual and can most often be defined as a lust for power and control. How has the Enneagram helped you to let go of power and control and be more collaborative?

12) The needed childhood message of the 8 is you will be protected or you will not be betrayed. Were either if those messages ones you could have heard more of as a child or even as an adult?

Kevin is a proud husband to Kat Smith and an adoring father to his two kids. He is a Chief Revenue Officer for Simply Bank. He is also an active mountain biker, yoga practitioner, lover of adventure, community volunteer and advocate for all things outdoors! Check out the questions we asked Kevin and grab and cup of tea and take some time for introspection by answering these questions in a journal or with a friend!

1) What are some mindful practices that keep you grounded in the present moment?

2) The deadly passion of the seven is gluttony. Are there ways you have overindulged in the past or presently?

3) 7’s love the power of positive thinking. What helps you to embrace not just the joy of life, but also your painful and negative feelings?

4) 7’s love to think about what’s next. Do you ever get caught in fantasizing about the future?

5) Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a real thing for most 7’s. What helps you let go of FOMO and live in the present moment?

6) 7’s are often sometimes as Energizer bunnies. What is one way you could slow down today?

7) What is your first memory of being really excited? Do you try to connect with that feeling often?

8) How do you use the Enneagram/Yoga when you interact with others at work or on a personal level?

9) Finish this sentence…The best part of waking up is…

Allison is a textbook 5 (all 5s love being compared to textbooks, seriously) who leans heavily into her 4 wing. She describes herself as an introverted, chronic thinker plagued with extroverted tendencies. It’s a tough life. She is the proud mother of two stellar teenagers and has been married to her beloved Type 2 husband for 23 years. Allison graduated summa cum laude with her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2002 and set off to blaze trails but discovered along the way that something was missing. In 2014, what she now understands as her 4 wing begging to be set free, called her live creatively by becoming a fashion stylist. Through this work, she helps women change their negative self-perceptions by helping them feel good in what they wear. She struggled with the paradox of her two careers and felt that she couldn’t possibly do both until she learned more about herself through the Enneagram. She now understands that each job brings satisfaction to different parts of her being and helps her live life fully. If not at one of her kids’ sporting events, you’ll find her splitting her time between being a pharmacist and fashion stylist and loving every minute.  You can follow her on IG @styledandprofiled or feel free to reach out to her at allisonlowry14@gmail.com…She really does love meeting new people 🙂    

Check out these questions we asked Allison and perhaps spend some time journaling or processing these for yourself. 

1. Knowledge, learning, observation, intellect, logic are some of the words that may resonate strongly with a 5. When did you first knew you had a desire to gain knowledge? Do you have a childhood or adolescence memory about that you can share with our listeners?  5’s can sometimes get caught up in a need to know everything inside of just knowing where to find it.
2. Do you ever find yourself experiencing the internal pressure of needing to know everything? If yes, how do you combat it? 
3. As a 5, do you recognize when you sound like a know-it-all? What do you do when it happens? 
4. Sometimes 5’a can feel drained after being around people. How do you avoid energy depletion? How do you recharge yourself?  
5. How do you show love and how do you feel loved? 
6. Since 5’s can seem withdrawn, quiet, reserved, people around may have misconceptions about them. What would you want people to know about being a 5? The good, bad or ugly!
7. The talk style of the 5 is often called dissertations. 5’s have alot of wisdom and knowledge to impart to the world. And yet for many 5’s underneath their love of learning and all the books on their shelves is a fear of incompetence. Is a fear of incompetence something you feel from time to time and if so, could you describe when this surfaces for you and how you are working to let go of this fear? 
8. What mantra are you most drawn to that helps you as a 5?  Avarice is the deadly passion of the 5 and this can show up as withholding time, money, resources, knowledge or affection from others. How do you withholding from others and how are you working in this? 
9. Fives can sometimes be pretty disconnected from their bodies and so practicing yoga can connect them to their body and eventually connecting to the body can be a pathway to the heart for a 5. What is a physical practice in your life that helps you connect to the body? 
10. Fives are often the first to leave a social event and they have a tendency to withdraw from others. How are you working on staying longer in social situations, instead of running away from them?

We invite you to check out the most recent Enneagram+Yoga episode! On this episode we interview, Stacy Ferris. Stacy is a Loyal Enneagram 6, Yogi and School Teacher. She is a mother of two children, Peyton and Maddie Johnson, a 28 year veteran of the Hamilton County School System, and certified yoga instructor. Currently, she serves as a 4th grade elementary math teacher, but has also served as an Elementary Assistant Principal and Elementary Principal for 12 years of her career. Stacy has studied the Enneagram for 6 years. She is committed to many spiritual practices, but particularly enjoys yoga and Centering Prayer. During any free time that you don’t see Stacy on her yoga mat, you can find her in some mountain area, hiking and enjoying nature, on her mountain bike, hanging out with her family and friends, walking her dog, Lana, or motivating and encouraging others in various organizations in the Chattanooga area. These are some of the questions we asked Stacy that you may want to meditate on:

1. Sometimes sixes can be suspicious of others and they can struggle with trust. Is this true for you and if so how does this affect your relationships?
2. The deadly passion for sixes is anxiety. Does anxiety get in your way in life?
3. Sixes have the tendency to catastrophize. What worries do you have about the future?
4. Sixes often are seeking security or safety. When do you feel safe and secure?
5. Sixes are often very loyal, responsible, committed and hardworking in their home, work and community. This can be a strength but it also can get in the way of experiencing the fullness of life. Are you learning to recognize your limits?
6. Sixes have a strong desire to feel safe and secure. Do you have a strong relationship with fear? How does it show up in your life?
7. Sixes are always prepared. Do you have a funny story of being over prepared to the point that it was comical?
8. Do you rely more on the Enneagram or yoga in your everyday life?

Kat and I were recently guests on the Never Perfect Podcast, which is hosted by Beth Capecchi. Dr. Beth is a psychologist in Chattanooga, TN who reminds her clients and podcast listeners that none of us are ever going to be perfect or have a perfect life. Her podcast’s purpose is to shed light on various mental health issues and host a discussion on how they manifest and function in daily-life. Dr. Beth interviewed Kat and I about the Enneagram. The interview was a lot of fun!

In this episode, Kat and Christy interview Lauren Aune, Enneagram 4. Lauren completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training program at Southern Soul Yoga in Chattanooga, TN in 2018. This life-changing experience led her to teach yoga and dedicate herself as a lifelong student of yoga, Ayurveda and Bhakti. Lauren is proudly sober for nearly three years and has a passion for supporting women in recovery. She empowers women to find purpose and deeper meaning in their life through sobriety. Off my mat she is a mother to an amazing daughter and enjoys spending time in nature, having soulful conversations, building community, gardening, writing, reading, listening to inspiring podcasts and living with intention and purpose. She currently facilitates creative clusters and leads women through “The Artist Way” process. She is also the co-founder of a private community for women in recovery called “The Healing Hive.” If you would like more information about the Artist Way process or Healing with the Hive, she can be found on Instagram @LaurenAune, @joyfulbodyyoga, or @healing.with.the.hive. You can also connect with her on Facebook via Lauren Aune or email her a joyfulbodyyoga1@gmail.com. These are some of the questions we asked Lauren that you might want meditate on:

1)How did finding the Enneagram help you to heal a part of your story that you needed to heal?
2) The deadly passion of the four is envy. Sometime envy shows up as comparison or competitiveness for 4’s. Do you ever struggle with envy and if so, how does it show up in your life?
3) The basic fear of the Type 4 is that they do not matter or are not having a significant impact on the world. In less healthy times, they often feel misunderstood, outcast, or unrelatable to or by others. How do you work on this basic fear that we may even call shame and learn to see yourself and embrace who you are?
4) What is a yoga pose that can help you find equanimity when you find yourself caught in dark feelings? 5) Does the thought of being flawed make you uncomfortable? What is easier for you to accept, flaws in others or in yourself?
6) How do you express yourself creatively?
7) Who is your most favorite creative individual (any medium, dead or alive) of all time?
8) What is your “pick me up” during moody & broody times? Do you use yoga to get out of the funk?
9) Do you have a memory of one of your first emotional experience/expressions? How do you reflect on it now?

Today on Enneagram+Yoga Kat & Christy interview Wesley Nichols, who is a dominant Enneagram 3. Be sure to check out the meditation at the end of the episode! This episode will help 3’s grow in self-understanding and will help the rest of us understand the 3’s in our life! Wesley works as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Chattanooga, TN and is the founder of Enneagram Chattanooga. He teaches and coaches people across the United States, helping them thrive personally and relationally through the Enneagram. When he’s not serving clients or teaching the Enneagram, Wesley can be found playing board games, bird watching from his deck, planning adventures with his wife, or loving on his dogs, Penny and Otto. If you are an Enneagram 3 perhaps spend some time meditating on these questions we ask Wesley:

1. I know success and accomplishments matter a lot to a 3. What success/accomplishment are you most proud of?
2. Do you self compare often? Do you feel it drives you towards success or away from it?
3. How do you slow down? Do you ever spend a day doing nothing? What does that look like?
4. Enneagram 3’s can push down their feelings. How do you make space to feel your feelings by yourself and with others?
5. 3’s are sometimes called the best dressed on the Enneagram, but it might be the home they live in or car they drive instead of their wardrobe. Are there any ways you are image conscious?
6.How does the fear of failure show up in your life?
7. What is vacation time like for you? Do you bring work with you or are you able to slow down?
8. What are some mindful practices in your life that move your from the art of doing to the art of being?
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