Self-Preservation, Sexual, or Social: Which Instinct Drives You? Unlocking a Key Piece of the Personality Puzzle Through the Enneagram

Our New Podcast: The Upbuild Enneagram Library

We are excited to share that we launched a new podcast called "The Upbuild Enneagram Library." It offers a deep and practical exploration of the Enneagram and how it supports the journey from ego to the true self. If you have enjoyed Upbuilding the Self, you will love what you hear on this new podcast. You will hear from the same Upbuild team, Rasanath, Hari, Vipin, and Michael, and it will carry the same heart as the conversations on this feed. We are pausing new episodes here for now so we can focus our creative energy on the new show. You can listen to The Upbuild Enneagram Library wherever you get your podcasts. We hope you subscribe and join us there. Podcast link: https://www.upbuild.com/enneagram-podcast [https://www.upbuild.com/enneagram-podcast] Links Enneagram Library Live [https://www.upbuild.com/enneagram-training]:  Join our bi-weekly conversations and teachings on the Enneagram to help you see yourself, others, and the human condition more clearly. Thursdays at 6pm ET on Zoom. Upbuild Coaching Certification Training [https://www.upbuild.com/coaching-training]. Starts in October. Upbuild Website [https://www.upbuild.com/] Instagram: @upbuildnyc [https://www.instagram.com/upbuildnyc/] Facebook: Upbuild [https://www.facebook.com/UpbuildNewYorkCity/] LinkedIn: Upbuild [https://www.linkedin.com/company/upbuild]

The Ego Trap of Parenting

Carl Jung famously stated, "The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of its parents." In this episode, Michael, Rasanath, and Vipin explore the connection between ego and parenting, and how unresolved ambitions, unmet needs, and unconscious identities quietly influence the way we raise our children. These inner dynamics lead us to place invisible expectations on our kids, hoping they will achieve or become what we have not yet faced in ourselves. They discuss how the desire to be seen in a certain way can subtly shape, and even strain, our relationships with our children. Through stories of homeschooling struggles, moments of public embarrassment, and the ever-present feeling of envy, they reflect on how personal growth can create the space for our children to live their own lives more freely. They also dive into how parenting, at its best, becomes a spiritual practice. It reveals what we need to work on within ourselves and invites us to grow in ways we might otherwise avoid. Links Enneagram Library Live [https://www.upbuild.com/enneagram-training]:  Join our bi-weekly conversations and teachings on the Enneagram to help you see yourself, others, and the human condition more clearly. Thursdays at 6pm ET on Zoom. Upbuild Coaching Certification Training [https://www.upbuild.com/coaching-training]. Starts in October. Upbuild Website [https://www.upbuild.com/] Instagram: @upbuildnyc [https://www.instagram.com/upbuildnyc/] Facebook: Upbuild [https://www.facebook.com/UpbuildNewYorkCity/] LinkedIn: Upbuild [https://www.linkedin.com/company/upbuild]

[Part 2] Book Distribution: Timeless Lessons Learned By Two Monks on the Streets and Subways of New York City

In Part 2, Hari Prasada and Rasanath vividly share what it was like in the heat of the moment distributing books in the streets and subways of New York City. They open up more about pivotal struggles they faced, including feeling humiliation and imposter syndrome, and how letting go in the spirit of service made room for the transformation we all crave deep down. Beyond being a most vital practice of compassion by outreach, book distribution also became a mirror that reflected their concocted identities, resistance to change, and something of the true self that lies beneath all these coverings. Links Enneagram Library Live [https://www.upbuild.com/enneagram-training]:  Join our bi-weekly conversations and teachings on the Enneagram to help you see yourself, others, and the human condition more clearly. Thursdays at 6pm ET on Zoom. Upbuild Coaching Certification Training [https://www.upbuild.com/coaching-training]. Starts in October. Upbuild Website [https://www.upbuild.com/] Instagram: @upbuildnyc [https://www.instagram.com/upbuildnyc/] Facebook: Upbuild [https://www.facebook.com/UpbuildNewYorkCity/] LinkedIn: Upbuild [https://www.linkedin.com/company/upbuild]

[Part 1] Book Distribution: Timeless Lessons Learned By Two Monks on the Streets and Subways of New York City

If you’ve spent time in New York City, or many other cities around the world, you’ve likely seen monks on street corners or in subways, holding out books and trying to spark conversations. This sacred practice is known as Book Distribution. In this episode, Hari Prasada and Rasanath share what it was like to engage in this practice during their early days in a New York City monastery. They tell stories, some funny, some more serious, and speak about the deeper purpose behind Book Distribution. With honesty and reflection, they reveal how the experience challenged their egos, tested their intentions, and opened them to unexpected moments of grace. Without having to walk the streets of New York book in hand (though we hope one day you will!), they give you a taste of the experience and accompanying lessons. Links Enneagram Library Live [https://www.upbuild.com/enneagram-training]:  Join our bi-weekly conversations and teachings on the Enneagram to help you see yourself, others, and the human condition more clearly. Thursdays at 6pm ET on Zoom. Upbuild Coaching Certification Training [https://www.upbuild.com/coaching-training]. Starts in October. Upbuild Website [https://www.upbuild.com/] Instagram: @upbuildnyc [https://www.instagram.com/upbuildnyc/] Facebook: Upbuild [https://www.facebook.com/UpbuildNewYorkCity/] LinkedIn: Upbuild [https://www.linkedin.com/company/upbuild]

Self-Preservation, Sexual, or Social: Which Instinct Drives You? Unlocking a Key Piece of the Personality Puzzle Through the Enneagram

Each of us is wired with a specific hierarchy of three core instinctual drives, shaping how we move through the world. The Instincts (sometimes referred to as Instinctual Variants) is part of the Enneagram framework and plays a powerful role in how our personalities form. One Instinct tends to dominate and demands most of our attention, a second supports it, while a third gets neglected and becomes a Blind Spot. In this episode, Michael, Hari, and Rasanath unpack the three Instincts—Self-Preservation, Sexual, and Social—and how they show up in our daily lives. They explore the energy behind each, how these Instincts function at their healthiest, and how they can create suffering. By understanding your “Instinctual Stack,” you can begin to shift from automatic patterns to conscious integration, creating space for real growth and movement toward the best version of yourself. Links Enneagram Library Live [https://www.upbuild.com/enneagram-training]:  Join our bi-weekly conversations and teachings on the Enneagram to help you see yourself, others, and the human condition more clearly. Thursdays at 6pm ET on Zoom. Upbuild Coaching Certification Training [https://www.upbuild.com/coaching-training]. Starts in October. Upbuild Website [https://www.upbuild.com/] Instagram: @upbuildnyc [https://www.instagram.com/upbuildnyc/] Facebook: Upbuild [https://www.facebook.com/UpbuildNewYorkCity/] LinkedIn: Upbuild [https://www.linkedin.com/company/upbuild]