Why Self Help Is Not Always Helpful with Susan Piver

Oct 26, 2022

Susan Piver, a New York Times bestselling author and meditation teacher, delves into the intersections of the Enneagram and Buddhism. She critiques traditional self-help, highlighting the importance of self-acceptance and understanding our true selves. The conversation emphasizes the significance of embracing the present and letting go of control for emotional healing. Piver also explores how recognizing our Enneagram types can enhance self-awareness, promote compassion, and aid in navigating life's challenges.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Dalai Lama on Self-Esteem

Sharon Salzberg asked the Dalai Lama how to help students with low self-esteem.
He was shocked, asking how one with Buddha nature could dislike themselves.

ADVICE

Receiving vs. Striving

Relaxing opens up space to see what's already present, rather than forcing change.
Valuable things like love, creativity, and wisdom are received, not worked on.

ANECDOTE

Vermont Cabin Retreat

Dr. Hyman spent a month in a Vermont cabin without technology.
He experienced discomfort initially, but later found peace and appreciation for simple things.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

This episode is brought to you by Mitopure, BiOptimizers, and Beekeeper’s Naturals.

If you’ve ever been curious about why you are the way you are, the Enneagram can provide some really interesting insights. Translating this ancient practice into modern life can help us understand our unique gifts and how we can best show up in the world. The Enneagram is a system of mapping nine ways of being, including personality and beyond. The teaching of the Enneagram—an ancient map of how we work—has a fascinating intersection with Buddhism—an ancient map of how the mind works.

I couldn’t be more excited to sit down with my very good friend Susan Piver to explore this connection and learn more about using the Enneagram and Buddhism to create greater self-love. Susan Piver is the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the award-winning How Not to Be Afraid of Your Own Life, The Wisdom of a Broken Heart, Start Here Now: An Open-Hearted Guide to the Path and Practice of Meditation, and The Four Noble Truths of Love: Buddhist Wisdom for Modern Relationships. Her newest book is The Buddhist Enneagram: Nine Paths to Warriorship.

This episode is brought to you by Mitopure, BiOptimizers, and Beekeeper’s Naturals.

Mitopure is the first and only clinically tested pure form of a natural gut metabolite called urolithin A that clears damaged mitochondria away from our cells and supports the growth of new, healthy mitochondria. Get 10% off at timelinenutrition.com/drhyman and use code DRHYMAN10 at checkout.

Magnesium Breakthrough really stands out from the other magnesium supplements out there. BiOptimizers is offering my community 10% off, so just head over to magbreakthrough.com/hyman with code hyman10.

Right now, Beekeeper’s Naturals is giving my community an exclusive offer. Just go to beekeepersnaturals.com/HYMAN and enter code “HYMAN” to get 25% off your first order.

Here are more details from our interview (audio version / Apple Subscriber version):

What is the Enneagram? (5:53 / 2:48)
The problem with the self-help movement (10:59 / 7:56)
When working on yourself is counterproductive (14:09 / 11:00)
Releasing self-aggression (16:03 / 13:32)
Three ways to work with difficult emotions (27:21 / 23:23)
Bringing the Enneagram into Buddhist thinking (33:31 / 28:49)
Finding your Enneagram type (35:04 / 30:23)
How the Enneagram can help free us from our negative self-talk (50:04 / 45:20)
Using tonglen meditation to deal with individual and global pain (54:22 / 50:42)
Directing our minds to gratitude and openness (1:02:02 / 56:08)

Get a copy of Susan’s book, The Buddhist Enneagram: Nine Paths to Warriorship, here, and find her online community, the Open Heart Project, here.