In this episode, Mario and TJ discuss the films of David Fincher to explore Enneagram Type Five, “Striving to Feel Detached.” They discuss the darker side of Fives that are evident in the films, “Seven” and “The Fight Club.” Although it should be noted that not all Fives are as dark and disturbed. They also discuss what makes Fincher a Five himself with the interesting dichotomy in his approach. “And this is one of the reasons why the Five seeks to emotionally detach from things, because there’s...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 33
Mario, TJ and special guest, Russ Hudson, continue their discussion of the films of Martin Scorsese through the lens of Enneagram Type 6, “Striving to Feel Secure.” They talk about the common theme of looking for solid ground, but never trusting that the ground is solid, through the films, “Goodfellas” and “Cape Fear.” “It gets into the more of the kind of deeper psychoanalytic stuff in Point Six. Many Sixes, when things are not working out well for them, find direction through being against or ...
Mar 07, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 32
Mario and TJ are joined by special guest, Russ Hudson, to discuss the films of Martin Scorsese through the lens of Enneagram Type 6, “Striving to Feel Secure.” A common theme in Martin’s films is looking for solid ground, but never trusting that the ground is solid. The hosts start the discussion with the films, “Mean Streets” and “After Hours” and also explore how Martin might be a Type Six himself. “As Russ and Don Riso said in ‘The Wisdom of the Enneagram,’ Sixes are a bundle of contradiction...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 31
Mario and TJ and special guest Tom Condon, author of The Enneagram Movie & Video Guide, continue their discussion on Enneagram Type Seven, “Striving to Feel Excited,” through the films of Steven Spielberg. They discuss the films, “Jurassic Park” and “Catch Me If You Can,” and the characters and themes that reflect Type Seven. “That’s another Seven thing is this desire for accessibility. That ‘I just don’t want fun and freedom for myself or for a special crew. I want it for everyone,’ which a...
Feb 21, 2022•54 min•Ep. 30
Mario and TJ are joined by special guest Tom Condon, author of The Enneagram Movie & Video Guide, to discuss Enneagram Type Seven, “Striving to Feel Excited,” through the films of Steven Spielberg. They discuss why Spielberg is a Type Seven and explore the two of his films, “Jaws” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” “You can type somebody from afar, even if you don’t know them. What you need is enough information. And you have to sort of keep going at it, and you have to know what the difference ...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 29
Mario, TJ and special guest Milton Stewart, Enneagram facilitator, teacher, and coach, continue their exploration of Enneagram Type One, “Striving to Feel Perfect,” through Spike Lee’s films. They discuss the director’s approach in exploring race relations, urban crime, and other political issues through the films, “Malcolm X,” “Get on the Bus,” and “Inside Man.” “I just felt that he represented it, once again, the variance and the totality of black people, the message, everything.” - Milton Ste...
Feb 07, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 28
Mario, TJ are joined by special guest Milton Stewart, an Enneagram facilitator, teacher, and coach, as they explore Enneagram Type One, “Striving to Feel Perfect,” through Spike Lee’s films and the director himself. Starting with “Do the Right Thing,” they discuss the prolific director’s approach in exploring race relations, urban crime, and other political issues. “Anger is an emotion of the One, and it’s a different kind of anger than we see in the Eight.” - Mario Sikora [16:40] “It’s not some...
Jan 31, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 27
Mario and TJ continue their conversation exploring Enneagram Type Four, “Striving to Feel Unique,” through the films of Wes Anderson. Wes’ individualistic body of work in the last 25 years has his distinct fingerprints in his writing, his directing style and the unique aesthetic filled with vivid primary colors. Join us as Mario and TJ discuss “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Moonlight Kingdom,” and “Isle of Dogs.” “I think Suzy is one of the great Fours in, not only in Wes Anderson’s body of work, but ...
Jan 24, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 26
Mario and TJ explore Enneagram Type Four, “Striving to Feel Unique,” through the films of Wes Anderson, starting with “Rushmore.” Wes' body of work in the last 25 years has his distinct fingerprints in his writing, his directing style and the unique aesthetic filled with vivid primary colors. All you have to do is look at a single frame and say “That’s Wes Anderson.”Join us as Mario and TJ discuss these comedies that are also woven with melancholy, tragedy and romance. “I think the key lesson fo...
Jan 17, 2022•55 min•Ep. 25
Join us as we continue our conversation with special guests, Tom Condon and Russ Hudson. We explore the work of director Michael Mann and Enneagram Type Eight, “Striving to Feel Powerful,” through the film, “Heat.” Michael is known for his sweeping, visually arresting movies that explore conflict and the contrast between the need for autonomy vs the demands of society. “There’s a lot of Eight films that deal with this decision point of self-preservation versus connection, of staying with what I ...
Jan 10, 2022•45 min•Ep. 24
Director Michael Mann is known for his sweeping, visually arresting movies that explore conflict and the contrast between the need for autonomy vs the demands of society. Two of his films in particular, “Thief” and “Heat,” are like a deep-dive into the psyche of Enneagram Type Eight. Join us and our special guests, Tom Condon and Russ Hudson, as we explore Mann’s work and Enneagram Type Eight, “Striving to Feel Powerful,” in depth. “When an Eight’s been doing their work, they have a sense of hon...
Jan 03, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 23
Mario, TJ, and their special guest TJ Ingrassia go to the North Pole and discuss four of their favorite Christmas movies through the lens of the Enneagram. They share the Enneagram energy they see at play over the Christmas season as it’s celebrated in America and Canada. Listen as the three explore why “It’s a Wonderful Life” came to be such a Christmas tradition and how material desire plays in “A Christmas Story.” They also tackle the questions if anyone has ever been better suited for a role...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 22
Mario and TJ continue their conversation about Clint Eastwood. While known for his tough-guy roles as cops, cowboys, and soldiers, Eastwood as a director actually illustrates the fundamental elements of Enneagram Type Nine. Join Mario and TJ as they discuss Type Nine through Eastwood and three of his movies, “Unforgiven,” “Million Dollar Baby,” and “American Sniper.” “Again, there’s this idea that Nines are these easy going people and never cause trouble. Nines often like to needle people, right...
Dec 13, 2021•59 min•Ep. 21
For Season Two, hosts Mario Sikora and TJ Dawe will explore the Enneagram through the lens of movie directors whose work demonstrates themes related to the nine Enneagram types and three instinctual biases. In this season premiere, Mario and TJ discuss Type Nine through Clint Eastwood and the first of four movies, “The Outlaw Josey Wales.” While known for his tough-guy roles as cops, cowboys, and soldiers, Clint Eastwood as a director actually illustrates the fundamental elements of Enneagram Ty...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 20
S1E19: “Movies, the Creative Process, and the Enneagram: A Conversation with TJ Dawe” We are joined by writer, director, performer, Enneagram teacher and movie lover TJ Dawe for a wide-ranging conversation on movies and the Enneagram. TJ shares how the Enneagram has helped in his maturation as an artist and a human being, and how he uses it in his own work and as an advisor to creative artists. We also discuss a bunch of movies that TJ feels effectively demonstrate the dynamics of the Enneagram.
May 27, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 19
S1E18: “Rocky, Rocky Balboa, Creed, and the Inner Triangle of the Enneagram” (Part 3) Our epic podcast on the saga of fictional boxer Rocky Balboa draws to a close as we explore the distinct relationship between Enneagram points Nine and Three. Mario, Maria Jose, and Tamer discuss the concept of generativity, that practice of giving selflessly to the next generation that is so critical to the development of Nines. We also turn our attention to Ennea-type Three as we discuss the character of Adon...
May 20, 2021•54 min•Ep. 18
S1E17: “Rocky, Rocky Balboa, Creed, and the Inner Triangle of the Enneagram” (Part 2) This episode takes a deep dive into the Core Qualities and continues with the saga of the underdog boxer from Philadelphia, Rocky Balboa. We skip over all the Rocky movies with a number in the title and meet up with middle-aged Rocky wrestling with personal loss and deep sadness but ultimately finding meaning in service to others being true to himself. We discuss how Rocky’s journey represents the process we al...
May 13, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 17
S1E16: “Rocky, Rocky Balboa, Creed, and the Inner Triangle of the Enneagram” (Part 1) The Enneagram is both a model of “kinds” of people and a model of each of us. That is, we can point to different “Ennea-types” and understand why people are different, but we can also use the Enneagram to understand different aspects of ourselves. In this podcast, we use three of the films from the venerable “Rocky” series” to describe the dynamics of the inner triangle of the Enneagram, deeper insights into En...
May 06, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 16
S1E15: “The Subtypes at the Movies” Now that the podcast has covered the three instinctual biases and the nine strategies, Mario, Maria Jose, and Tamer explore what happens when the two intersect and create “subtypes.” They discuss the relationship between the strategies and instinctual biases, as well as common misunderstandings about the subtypes—especially what happens when the IB and strategies reinforce each other and when they contradict each other. They then discuss examples of characters...
Apr 29, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 15
S1E14: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and the Ennea-type Seven, Striving to Feel Excited. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” These words set the stage for Ferris’s adventure in the big city with best friend Cameron and girlfriend Sloane, on a late-spring day when they should all be in school. Ennea-type Sevens are sometimes thought of simply seeking pleasure and fun, and never being able to finish things they start. "Ferris Bueller’s Day O...
Apr 22, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 14
S1E13: Part Two of our conversation with Special Guest Russ Hudson about “Contact,” and Ennea-Type Five, Striving to Feel Detached. We continue our conversation with Russ about the movie and then discuss the importance of critical thinking to the development of discernment on one’s path for personal and spiritual growth.
Apr 15, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 13
S1E12: Special Guest Russ Hudson, “Contact,” and Ennea-Type Five, Striving to Feel Detached. (The first of two parts.) How do we maintain the clarity-providing space between ourselves and the emotional messiness of life without losing contact? This is the question Fives wrestle with, and it is the question at the heart of “Contact,” the 1997 movie starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey. Foster’s “Ellie Arroway” is a scientist desperate to make contact with beings from space while struggli...
Apr 08, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 12
S1E11: “Defending Your Life” and Ennea-Type Six, Striving to Feel Secure. We all face fear and uncertainty and seek ways to create a sense of security; for Sixes, this can become a central focus of their approach to life. “Defending Your Life,” a romantic comedy starring Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep, centers on Daniel Miller (Brooks) finding himself in the afterlife and coming face to face with how he managed his fears during his life on earth, and his efforts to overcome them while in Judgmen...
Apr 01, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 11
S1E10: “Lost in Translation” and the Ennea-Type Four, Striving to Feel Unique. “Who am I? Where am I? How did I get into this strange place surrounded by these strange people? Why don’t I fit in?” These questions haunt the Four, and they are at the heart of the 2003 Bill Murray/Scarlett Johansson movie about two kindred spirits at different stages in life trying to understand themselves and the world in ethereal Tokyo. This is Murray’s finest performance and it’s the role that made Johansson a s...
Mar 25, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 10
S1E9: Mario and Maria Jose continue their conversation with Tom Condon, author of “Enneagram Movie and Video Guide” and an internationally known Enneagram teacher with 35 years of experience with the system. They talk about Tom’s work, changes in the Enneagram world over the decades, the Enneagram in film, and the relative merits of fast and slow zombies. Find out more about Tom at http://www.TheChangeworks.com.
Mar 18, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 9
S1E8: “Jerry Maguire” and the Ennea-Type Three, Striving to Feel Outstanding. We hunger for a feeling of value—inherent worth independent of accomplishment—but often seek it through achievement. As a result we never feel satisfied—no effort is great enough, not success fills the void. This is the dilemma of Enna-type Three, and Tom Cruise as Jerry Maguire is a pitch depiction of an Ennea-type Three facing his dark night of the soul and finding love as the culmination of his quest. Join Mario, Ma...
Mar 11, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 8
S1E7: “Almost Famous” and the Ennea-Type Two, Striving to Feel Connected. Who are we without others? What happens when we lose ourselves into someone or something else? What brings us together and what drives us apart? How do we describe the ineffable feeling of what it is to love in all its forms? These are the themes of the Ennea-Type Two and the 2000 movie written and directed by Cameron Crowe.
Mar 04, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 7
S1E6: “A Few Good Men” and the Ennea-Type One, Striving to Feel Perfect. Can YOU handle the truth? If so, join us for a discussion of the Tom Cruise/Jack Nicholson classic “A Few Good Men,” a movie that captures the spirit of Enneagram Type One. We discuss the intersection of—and clash between—idealism and expediency; the tension between doing the right thing and doing the best thing that is at the heart of this film and the psyche of Ones.
Feb 25, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 6
S1E5: "The Big Lebowski" and the Ennea-Type Nine, Striving to Feel Peaceful. “Sometimes there’s a man, I won’t say a hero, because what’s a hero, but sometimes there’s a man, and I’m talking about the Dude here… Sometimes there’s a man—well, he’s a man for his time and place…” That man is Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski and the time and place is this episode of the Enneagram in a Movie podcast, which looks at “striving to be peaceful” through the lens of the Coen brothers masterpiece, “The Big Lebowski...
Feb 16, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 5
S1E4: "The Godfather" and the Ennea-Type Eight, Striving to Feel Powerful. An offer you can’t refuse. The desire to shape your own destiny rather than be a puppet on someone else’s string. Protecting the family against all threats. Doing favors and expecting loyalty in return. Walking right up to someone and—Bada-bing! In other words—POWER. Perhaps the greatest movie ever made, “The Godfather” is about all these things and more, and there is no better depiction of the “striving to be powerful” a...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 4
