ENHEARTENED with Xavier Dagba

From intelligence analyst to surrendering to life — in this episode of Enheartened, Xavier Dagba sits down with Erin Gunzelman to explore what happens when the mind’s need to control meets the body’s breaking point. Erin shares her journey from working as an intelligence analyst—tracking patterns, anticipating outcomes, and learning how systems behave—to facing a season where there were no other options but to trust God. Together, they explore the cost of forcing life, the initiation that comes through pain, and how surrender becomes real when it is no longer a concept. You’ll hear about relating to life as a living mirror, the mechanics of conscious perception, intuition as infrastructure, and why true love changes the structure of reality. This is a conversation for anyone who has been trying to think their way into freedom—and is ready to let life reshape them instead. Explore Xavier’s world Book: Scars of Gold: https://www.scarsofgold.com/ Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/ Website: https://www.xavierdagba.com/ Listen to ENHEARTENED Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 Connect with Erin Gunzelman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erin.gunzelman Offerings: https://stan.store/eringunzelman Chapters 00:00 Intro — forcing life, control, and trust 01:34 Devotion to truth and opening the conversation 03:50 Pattern-of-life analysis + “spiritual operative” work 14:51 Growing up questioning, fear, and religion 26:32 When pain wins — exhaustion and the end of running 34:34 Relating to life as a mirror 39:49 “Blow my mind, God” — surrender and admitting truth 45:09 Inside the intelligence world + the DOD chapter 54:43 Power, freedom, and the shock of choosing bondage 1:04:42 Light, transparency, and consciousness 1:14:43 Holding paradox + “divine invitations” 1:24:43 Attention, focus, and collapsing the field 1:34:53 Humility, naming, and the myths we live through 1:42:19 Travel, play, and where to find Erin #Enheartened #XavierDagba #ErinGunzelman #Surrender #HealingJourney #NervousSystem #Intuition #ShadowWork #SpiritualAwakening #Consciousness

What happens in the body when we avoid the truth we’re not ready to face? In this episode of Enheartened, Xavier Dagba sits down with Lara J. Day — Qigong practitioner, intuitive guide, and creator of the 13 Sacred Nights Oracle — to explore how the body reveals the truth we’re avoiding, and why darkness is not something to fix, bypass, or transcend, but something to stay with. Together, they explore how unacknowledged truth lives in the body, how avoidance of darkness creates stagnation and symptoms, and how somatic practices like Qigong teach us to listen rather than force healing. This conversation invites a slower, more embodied relationship with truth, healing, and inner seasons. One that honors timing, sensation, and the wisdom found in the dark. In this episode, you’ll discover: How the body reveals truths the mind avoids Why avoiding darkness comes at a somatic cost How to navigate seasons of darkness and winter How Qigong supports embodied listening and integration The difference between spiritual insight and nervous system truth Why healing requires staying present with what we usually turn away from Explore Xavier’s Work 📖 Scars of Gold — Book & free resources: https://www.scarsofgold.com ✉️ Join the newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/ 🌐 Website: https://www.xavierdagba.com 🎧 Listen to Enheartened on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 Connect with Lara J. Day Website: https://www.larajday.com 13 Sacred Nights Oracle: https://www.beyondword.com Instagram, Facebook & TikTok: @larajday ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – When the body signals unspoken truth 02:45 – Speaking truth and somatic symptoms 06:10 – Discovering Qigong through lived experience 10:30 – The body as the primary site of truth 15:20 – Why we avoid stillness and darkness 20:05 – The cost of bypassing the dark 25:40 – Learning to stay instead of fix 31:10 – Cycles, seasons, and inner timing 37:30 – Darkness as initiation, not pathology 44:00 – Qigong as a practice of listening 50:15 – Slowness, patience, and nervous system maturity 57:40 – Creating the 13 Sacred Nights Oracle 1:05:10 – Embodiment versus insight 1:12:30 – Trusting the body’s intelligence 1:20:00 – Integration and closing reflections #embodiment #somatichealing #qigong #shadowwork #darkness #truth #healingjourney #spiritualintegration #bodywisdom #nervoussystem #innerwork #enheartened #scarsofgold #xavierdagba #larajday

Join SEEN — a live group experience for those ready to be fully seen, unleash their gifts and no longer betray their truth: 👉 https://www.xavierdagba.com/seen2 Healing the Masculine Wound: Choosing Love Over Control In this episode of Enheartened, Xavier Dagba is joined by Jeremie Lotemo for a grounded conversation on masculine healing, emotional maturity, and heart-led leadership. Together, they explore how control, emotional shutdown, and performance often function as survival strategies within masculinity—and how mature leadership requires presence, accountability, and the capacity to remain open rather than armored. This conversation addresses emotional repression, relational responsibility, integrity, and the inner work required for men to move beyond dominance or passivity and lead from love without collapsing their strength. EXPLORE XAVIER’S WORK Book — Scars of Gold https://www.scarsofgold.com Newsletter — Embodied Light https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com 🎧 Listen to the Enheartened Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 ABOUT JEREMIE LOTEMO Instagram: https://instagram.com/jeremielotemo Jeremie’s work: • The Woman He Wants (private group) https://www.skool.com/the-woman-he-wants/about Life Lessons from 50 Dates That Went Nowhere https://connect.byermeas.com/life-lessons-ebook Dear Men Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2v1sdERAJjZg25dewXZrki ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 — Men drifting away from themselves and relationships 02:15 — Avoidance, discomfort, and emotional numbing 05:10 — Growth through exposure and relational risk 08:40 — Jeremie's path into relational and inner work 12:00 — Emotional repression and masculine survival strategies 16:30 — Mental health tools and relational healing 21:10 — Truth-telling, fear, and emotional wounding 27:45 — Safety, expression, and being seen in relationship 33:40 — Masculinity, vulnerability, and emotional responsibility 39:30 — Leading without certainty or control 45:10 — Frustration, guidance, and inner orientation 50:45 — Devotion, integrity, and staying present 56:30 — Partnership, appreciation, and emotional intimacy 1:02:40 — Accountability without self-betrayal 1:09:20 — Control versus grounded leadership 1:15:40 — Witnessing oneself through relationship 1:21:50 — Longing, purpose, and masculine direction 1:28:30 — Inner authority and emotional maturity 1:34:50 — Letting go of performance and expectation 1:41:00 — Integration and closing reflections #Masculinity #MasculineHealing #EmotionalMaturity #ConsciousMen #RelationalIntegrity #EmbodiedLeadership #ShadowIntegration #LoveOverControl #EnheartenedPodcast

What if some of the ways spirituality is practiced today are actually reinforcing the very suffering they claim to heal? In this powerful and confronting conversation, Xavier Dagba sits down with Scott Kiloby, founder of the Kiloby Inquiry and a pioneer in trauma-informed nondual work, to explore a hidden pattern affecting countless seekers, teachers, and healers: Spirituality used as a way to avoid feeling. Together, they unpack what happens when spiritual concepts are used to bypass pain, suppress emotions, or dissociate from the body, and how this “spiritual illness” quietly keeps people stuck, fragmented, and disconnected from real integration. This episode is for you if: You’ve done years of inner work but still feel blocked, numb, or disconnected You sense that “letting go,” “transcending the ego,” or “staying high-vibe” has cost you access to your humanity You’re ready for a grounded, embodied, trauma-aware approach to awakening You want spirituality that includes the nervous system, the body, and emotional truth This is not a rejection of spirituality. It’s an invitation to make it honest, embodied, and liberating. ABOUT SCOTT KILOBY Scott Kiloby is the founder of Kiloby Inquiry, a trauma-informed approach to nonduality that directly addresses emotional repression, compulsions, and nervous system dysregulation. Website: https://kiloby.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/scottkiloby EXPLORE XAVIER’S WORK Book — Scars of Gold A framework for shadow integration, self-liberation, and embodied truth https://www.scarsofgold.com Newsletter — Embodied Light Weekly reflections, teachings, and invitations https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com 🎧 Listen to the Enheartened Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 — Introduction: the hidden cost of spiritual avoidance 02:30 — Scott Kiloby’s background and path into inquiry 06:10 — When spirituality becomes another addiction 10:45 — Spiritual bypassing vs. true liberation 15:05 — Trauma, dissociation, and the nervous system 20:20 — Why “letting go” often doesn’t work 26:30 — Avoiding feelings in the name of awakening 32:10 — The problem with transcendence without embodiment 38:25 — How suppression masquerades as peace 45:40 — Spiritual suppression and emotional numbness 52:15 — Nonduality, inquiry, and meeting what’s here 58:00 — What real integration actually requires 1:05:10 — Bringing awareness into the body 1:12:40 — A more honest path to freedom 1:21:00 — Closing reflections and invitations #SpiritualBypassing #EmbodiedSpirituality #ShadowIntegration #TraumaInformed #SomaticHealing #NonDuality #EmotionalHealing #SpiritualAwakening #InnerWork #EnheartenedPodcast

JOIN THE RETREAT (this Saturday): UPROOTING THE RELATIONAL SHADOWS THAT HIJACK YOUR MISSION: THE RETREAT ➡️ Live Saturday, December 13th — Replay Included https://www.xavierdagba.com/retreat ABOUT THIS EPISODE — How Your Mother & Father Wounds Hijack Your Purpose In this episode, I explore one of the deepest truths I’ve seen in my own journey and in the lives of every lightworker, creative, and soul-led entrepreneur I’ve worked with: Your mission is not being blocked by strategy. Your purpose is being hijacked by your relational blueprint. We look at how your mother and father wounds, inner child dynamics, attachment patterns, and the internalized voices of your caregivers shape: your ability to be visible, your emotional resilience, your capacity to lead from the heart, your relationship with responsibility, your ability to receive support and abundance, your confidence in shining your light, and your willingness to take up space. We also explore the toxic mix of the inner child + inner critic that quietly sabotages creativity, leadership, and self-expression, especially for lightworkers and mission-led leaders. And because holiday season relational patterns are activating right now, this episode is also a guide to stay sovereign rather than spiraling into old dynamics. If you’ve ever wondered why you can KNOW your purpose but still feel unable to live it, this episode will give you the map. ORDER MY BOOK — Scars of Gold Until Saturday, December 13th, the eBook is only $2.99 on most online retailers: Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and more. Claim your bonuses here when you register your order: https://www.scarsofgold.com LISTEN TO THE ENHEARTENED PODCAST Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 If this resonates, subscribe, leave a review & share the episode with someone who needs this. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Why you’re not stuck: the hidden relational imprint  01:20 – Strategy isn’t the issue — inner fragmentation is  03:00 – The holiday activation window & why this work matters now  04:10 – You learned to abandon your light in relationships  06:00 – The core fears behind self-expression  07:15 – Childhood fragmentation & staying attached  09:05 – Mapping the inner archetypes (Mother, Father, Child, Critic)  11:30 – When the inner critic becomes spiritualized  13:05 – Inner mother distortions: overgiving, collapsing boundaries  15:00 – Inner father distortions: visibility, authority & decisiveness  17:00 – When the inner child runs your mission  19:00 – Becoming the leader your light deserves  20:30 – Personal story: relational patterns surfacing during your book launch  22:00 – Recognizing ancestral patterns & internalized narratives  25:00 – Purpose as a trauma bond: the anxious attachment to your mission  27:15 – Why the holidays amplify relational wounds  29:00 – Personal story: leaving your PhD & early father imprints  33:00 – Breaking the inherited template in 2018  36:00 – 2026: The year of sovereign leadership  38:10 – What the retreat will help you reclaim  39:05 – Closing invitation & gratitude #shadowwork #innerchildhealing #motherwound #fatherwound #relationalhealing #purposework #selfliberation #nervoussystemregulation #lightworkers #spiritualentrepreneur #somatichealing #archetypes #attachmenthealing #innerauthority #healingjourney #EnheartenedPodcast #XavierDagba #ScarsOfGold #relationalalchemy #leadershiphealing

Join the workshop - The Alchemy of Self-Abandonment Transcend the protective patterns that keep your voice, truth, and brilliance in the shadows. Live on Wednesday Nov 5th — Replay includedhttps://www.xavierdagba.com/returntosoul About this episode. These times are putting us through a sacred friction. We are living in a collective pressure-cooker. An era where authenticity can feel risky and self-abandonment can feel like safety. In this episode, we explore how the world is inviting you to either collapse into old patterns of shrinking, silence, and self-betrayal… Or ignite a profound return to your Self. To your truth. To your light. To the part of you that refuses to betray your soul again. We’ll talk about the subtle ways self-abandonment still sneaks in—especially for conscious people—and why this moment in history is calling something powerful forward in you. 📖 Order my book, Scars of Gold A guide for shadow integration, self-liberation, and reclaiming your light. https://www.scarsofgold.com 🎧 Listen to EnHeartened Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC If this resonates, subscribe, leave a review & share the episode with someone who needs this. ⏱️ Chapters 0:00 Welcome & Introduction 0:24 Why I've been offline — choosing presence 2:42 The vulnerability of publishing a book 4:30 Getting married & pausing promotion 6:20 Presence over performance 8:02 When your mission becomes self-abandonment 9:20 Divine timing: Book launch & family reunion 13:30 Full-circle moment with my parents 15:10 Collective turmoil & self-abandonment 16:30 Hyper-polarization & identity pressure 18:50 Information overload & losing discernment 20:35 Fear-based narratives & shrinking 22:15 Performative empathy & silencing truth 24:36 Outsourcing authority & losing inner power 26:30 Soul abandonment — the most painful kind 28:18 Cynicism as a trauma response 31:10 Reclaiming your power in friction 33:02 New definition of safety: Light is safe 34:45 The Archetypal Fears (Humiliation / Alienation / Loss / Persecution / Death) 37:38 Quiet rebellion — living your truth without performing 39:30 The collective is training us for sovereignty 41:50 A world asking you to armor up — and choosing to stay open-hearted 45:00 Your soul is not meant to remain in the shadows 47:10 Workshop Invitation & Closing #selfabandonment #shadowintegration #selfliberation #sovereignty #innerwork #healingjourney #consciousleadership #spiritualawakening #soulwork #embodiment #innerauthority #authenticity #lightwork #traumainformedhealing #personaldevelopment #enheartened #scarsofgold #xavierdagba  

My new book Scars of Gold (Hay House, Sept 23, 2025) is available for preorder. Claim exclusive bonuses when you preorder and register your copy here: www.scarsofgold.com About this episode of ENHEARTENED What if every symptom your body creates is not a mistake, but an intelligent adaptation? In this powerful episode of ENHEARTENED, Xavier Dagba sits down with Dr. Melissa Sell to explore the revolutionary framework of German New Medicine (GNM) and the 5 Biological Laws. You’ll discover: * How the body’s symptoms reveal unresolved conflicts * Why healing begins with awareness, not fear * The most common biological conflicts affecting modern health * Practical tools to reclaim freedom, peace, and trust in your body * How to decode your body’s wisdom and step into vibrant health This is not medical advice but an invitation to expand your perspective and reclaim agency in your healing journey. Connect with Dr. Melissa Sell Website: drmelissasell.com Instagram: @drmelissasell Connect with Xavier Dagba Website: www.xavierdagba.com Substack: newsletter.xavierdagba.com Podcast — ENHEARTENED with Xavier Dagba Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 The Embodied Light Project (Membership) - ENROLLMENT OPEN https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed 📖 Scars of Gold (Book) Amazon (Canada): https://www.amazon.ca/Scars-Gold-Framework-Self-Liberation-Integration/dp/1401995675/ Amazon (US) https://www.amazon.com/Scars-Gold-Framework-Self-Liberation-Integration/dp/1401995675 Audible: https://www.audible.ca/pd/B0DMTRSC88 ⏳ Chapters 00:00 – Opening: Cancer as adaptation? 04:34 – The story of Dr. Hamer and German New Medicine 08:45 – Rethinking cancer: mistake or logic? 13:00 – What triggers biological adaptation 17:08 – Conflict shocks and resourcefulness 21:11 – Symptoms as mirrors of freedom 25:28 – Why the body never makes mistakes 29:52 – Every symptom tells a story 34:00 – Early separation conflicts & childhood links 38:10 – Trusting the body’s intelligence 42:26 – Responsibility vs. victimhood 47:06 – Learning to trust your body again 52:11 – Resolution: practical and perceptual shifts 56:08 – Emotional maturity and healing capacity 1:00:21 – Facing mirrors in relationships 1:05:07 – Curiosity: decoding symptoms 1:09:26 – The 5 Biological Laws explained 1:13:57 – Microbes as the body’s repair crew 1:18:52 – Nature’s logic and benevolence 1:23:38 – Common biological conflicts 1:27:30 – Becoming your own detective 1:31:40 – An integrated model of health 1:36:09 – Escaping the fragility paradigm 1:40:47 – Scars of Gold and truth in healing 1:45:07 – Closing reflections & final wisdom #GermanNewMedicine #DrMelissaSell #XavierDagba #EnheartenedPodcast #BodyWisdom #SelfHealing #ScarsOfGold #HolisticHealth #ShadowIntegration #EmotionalHealing #MindBodyConnection

My new book Scars of Gold (Hay House, Sept 23, 2025) is available for preorder. Claim exclusive bonuses when you preorder and register your copy here: www.scarsofgold.com This solo episode is one I’ve been waiting all year to share with you. It’s not just about my new book Scars of Gold — it’s about the deeper invitation behind it: reconciling with your shadow. So often we treat the shadow as the enemy — the reason for sabotage, resistance, or disconnection. But what if the shadow is not here to destroy you… but to guide you back to your wholeness? In this episode, I explore: * The journey of writing Scars of Gold and how the book “rewrote” me before I could write it. * Why I see the shadow as benevolent — a storehouse of repressed light, not just pain. * The difference between self-abandonment, fragmentation, and true integration. * Why reconciliation with your shadow is the foundation for living with an unleashed heart. 👉 Pre-order Scars of Gold and unlock your bonuses: When you pre-order at www.scarsofgold.com , you’ll receive the Scars of Gold Immersion, including: ** A 3-part live workshop series (“Reconciling with the Shadow”) diving into core fears, parental/origin shadows, and relational shadows. ** The Golden Shadow Journal to help you reclaim the light your shadow has been guarding. ** Radiant Return, a guided Golden Shadow integration journey. ** A 7-day Golden Shadow Challenge in September. This is more than a book launch. It’s a full immersion into the work of integration and self-liberation. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Welcome & why this episode matters 01:00 – What is a “scar of gold”? 01:55 – The influence of Kintsugi & the refusal of brokenness 03:00 – Early book title ideas: I Wish I Failed Them Sooner 04:10 – The Dark Night of the Ego vs. the Dark Night of the Soul 05:10 – The years of “divine frustration” (2020–2023) 06:30 – When the book rewrites you before you can write it 07:05 – Devotional practice: writing the book out loud on social media 09:00 – The world feels it when you reclaim your repressed gifts 09:30 – Invitation to pre-order Scars of Gold + bonuses explained 14:30 – Sacred wounds vs. ordinary wounds 15:00 – The poem on wounds that initiate power 17:00 – Why we scapegoat the shadow and try to amputate it 19:20 – Reconciling instead of resisting the shadow 20:40 – The trap of moral/spiritual superiority 23:00 – Parenting and the humbling power of shadow work 25:20 – The hidden benefits of shadow attachments 26:20 – Chapter 1 of Scars of Gold: The Call of the Shadow 28:20 – Chapter 2: Self-abandonment as the beginning of the divide 30:00 – Love in action vs. conditional self-acceptance 33:15 – Self-abandonment as the “original sin” 34:30 – Chapter 3: Fragmentation and the fracture of the psyche 36:20 – Building a healthy relationship with your shadow 37:20 – The benevolence of the shadow 40:00 – Seeing the shadow as an ally, not an enemy 41:00 – Gratitude and invitation to join the Scars of Gold Immersion 42:30 – Vulnerability of releasing art into the world 46:00 – Final invitation: preorder + 3-part workshop #ShadowWork #ScarsOfGold #XavierDagba #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #SelfLiberation #TraumaHealing #InnerWork #SpiritualAwakening #IntegrationWork #ShadowIntegration #BenevolenceOfTheShadow #SelfAbandonment #Fragmentation #HealingTrauma #EnheartenedPodcast #goldenshadow ✨ Connect with Xavier Dagba 🌐 Website: https://www.xavierdagba.com 📰 Join the Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 Join the Embodied Light Project: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed

In this soul-stirring conversation, Xavier Dagba sits down with Lorie Ladd to explore what it truly means to surrender to divine timing, trust the mystery of your path, and stay grounded while owning your light — even when fear, doubt, and shadow safety arise. --- Join my 4-month immersion INTEGRATE and dissolve the inner conflicts that prevent you from shining brighter: https://www.xavierdagba.com/integrate-apply --- 🎧 In this episode, you’ll receive: A deep exploration of faith, free will, and divine will Tools for working with the inner critic and sabotage patterns Reflections on surrendering in the body vs. mental submission Insights into spiritual burnout, Christ energy, and guidance Permission to live your truth even if you’re afraid to be seen This is a transmission for lightworkers, truth-tellers, and those walking with God in the unknown. --- 📌 CHAPTERS 00:00 – Life doesn’t make mistakes 01:47 – Lorie’s “F*** it” moment of surrender 04:00 – Getting on “God’s payroll” 08:00 – Is faith earned or remembered? 10:20 – Childhood wounds and divine wiring 14:55 – Lorie’s direct relationship with Jesus 17:00 – Surrender vs. submission in the body 22:00 – Ego tantrums and divine will 28:00 – Hiding your relationship with God 32:00 – The spiritualized inner critic 37:00 – Why we sabotage our own success 44:00 – “Then what?” and the descent of light 50:00 – The unhealthy pressure to be seen 54:30 – Detaching identity from your role 57:00 – Spiritual burnout and heavy timelines 1:06:00 – Collective disappointment and the pain of hope 1:12:00 – A Christ consciousness revival 1:17:00 – Public ownership of your spiritual path 1:27:00 – How to anchor when surrender feels unsafe 1:34:00 – Microdosing undesirable truths 1:42:00 – A message for the hidden lightworker --- ✨ Connect with Lorie Ladd 🌐 Website: https://www.lorieladd.com 📘 The Divine Design book: https://www.lorieladd.com/book School of Remembrance: https://www.lorieladd.com/school-of-remembrance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorie_ladd YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lorieladd --- ✨ Connect with Xavier Dagba 🌐 Website: https://www.xavierdagba.com 📰 Join the Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 Join the Embodied Light Project: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed --- #Surrender #Faith #FreeWill #DivineTiming #LorieLadd #XavierDagba #ShadowWork #SpiritualAwakening #ChristConsciousness #JesusRevival #SpiritualBurnout #InnerCritic #SelfSabotage #MicrodosingTruth #GoldenShadow #Lightworkers #TrustTheDivine #EmbodiedFaith #OwningYourLight #EnheartenedPodcast

Are you caught in cycles of self-abandonment, people-pleasing, or relationships that mirror your pain? In this powerful conversation with Mark Groves, we explore what it truly means to live from your truth, even when it costs you comfort, connection, or the familiar. We talk about the physiological toll of betraying yourself, how to stop sabotaging healthy love, and the rituals that allow love to evolve. Mark shares his story of breaking off an engagement, walking away from Instagram at the peak of his influence, and how he and his now-wife rekindled their relationship through radical truth and sacred pause. We dive deep into the nervous system, anxious/avoidant patterns, cancel culture, AI, and how to cultivate self-trust in relationships that challenge us to grow. This is a transmission for anyone ready to stop sabotaging healthy love and start creating connection rooted in truth. 👇 JOIN INTEGRATE (next cohort begins June 29): https://www.xavierdagba.com/integrate-apply CONNECT WITH MARK GROVES Website: https://www.createTheLove.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createthelove Substack: https://humaning.substack.com Podcast: The Mark Groves Podcast EXPLORE XAVIER'S WORLD: → Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com → Website: https://www.xavierdagba.com → Membership: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed → Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC → Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro: The Cost of Self-Betrayal 0:43 - Welcome and why truth matters in love 3:01 - Speaking truth in family & systems 5:03 - Being the truth-teller in your family 7:05 - Spine and heart: the archetypes of safety 10:08 - Mark’s personal story of breaking patterns 14:35 - Leaving social media and reclaiming power 18:00 - How notifications stress the nervous system 21:00 - Social media, self-abandonment & sickness 24:00 - The trait of truth-telling no matter the cost 27:00 - The spiritual price of betraying your knowing 31:00 - Rekindling love after rupture with Kylie 35:56 - The power of a conscious closing ceremony 39:00 - Rituals that transform endings into beginnings 46:01 - Relationship 2.0: starting fresh, together 49:00 - Trust, uncertainty & anxious attachment 53:00 - Mutuality and the power of saying no more 59:00 - Possession by the wound & interrupting patterns 1:04:10 - Why rupture can build deeper intimacy 1:10:13 - Upgrading our collective conflict IQ 1:12:00 - The Four Horsemen of Relationship Breakdown 1:19:09 - The rise of artificial connection 1:27:00 - Are we burned out from too much connection? 1:29:20 - Mark’s sacred scar of gold: premature birth 1:36:12 - What part of you are you still learning to love? #MarkGroves #XavierDagba #INTEGRATE #SelfLiberation #RelationalHealing #AnxiousAttachment #AvoidantAttachment #EnheartenedPodcast #EmotionalHealing #RelationshipRepair #PersonalGrowth #ShadowWork

What if the light you crave to embody, the power, visibility, and magnetism you long to live, are all hiding in the very place you’ve been taught to fear: your own shadow? In this potent solo podcast episode, Xavier Dagba unpacks the concept of the golden shadow: the radiant parts of ourselves that we unconsciously repress due to fear, trauma, and emotional conditioning. You’ll learn how to recognize your golden shadow through the mirrors of envy and admiration, how self-sabotage is often a love letter from a fearful self, and why integration (not just inspiration) is the true path to sustainable brightness. This is an invitation to stop romanticizing light and start embodying it. But first… you must claim what you’ve buried. 🧭 Chapters 0:00 – The Light You Repress Still Waits 0:33 – Welcome: Integration, Brightness & the Golden Shadow 1:30 – Why We Fear the Consequences of Our Light 3:00 – When Brightness Festers: Existential Grief 5:00 – Integration: The Bridge Between Inspiration and Embodiment 7:15 – Gold Mixed With Dirt: A Miner’s Metaphor 8:36 – Unsustainable Fire: What Unintegrated Light Does 9:52 – Brightness Requires a Descent Into Shadow 10:55 – When Your Inner Critic Turns Light Into a Tyrant 12:22 – Divine Rebellion: Stop Using Your Light Against Yourself 13:17 – What the Golden Shadow Really Is 14:43 – Repression as the First Self-Abandonment 16:00 – Family Systems, Religious Messaging, and Fear of Pride 17:00 – Somatic Prompts to Uncover Repression 18:01 – You're Not Afraid of Your Light—You're Afraid of the Cost 20:00 – The Saboteur as an Archetypal Love Letter 22:00 – What Your Self-Sabotage Is Really Pointing To 24:30 – What Would I Lose If I Succeeded? 26:40 – Discovering Your Golden Shadow Through Projections 28:00 – Admiration, Envy & Archetypal Mirrors of Your Light 32:40 – Archetypes, Movies & Externalized Longing 34:14 – Collapsing the Distance Between You and Your Power 36:00 – Why Brightness Feels Unsafe: The 6 Core Fears 38:20 – Spiritual Stamina & Building Inner Safety 41:00 – Your Light Is an Initiation 43:00 – You Don’t Need to Force Your Light—You Need to Integrate 44:30 – A Somatic Check-In: What Part of You Still Feels Unsafe? 🌱 Ready to Integrate Your Light? If this episode speaks to you, you're invited to join the next cohort of INTEGRATE—Xavier’s 4-month transformational journey to help you reclaim repressed gifts, dissolve inner fragmentation, and live, love, and serve from an unleashed heart. ** Next cohort begins: June 29, 2025 ** Apply or learn more here: https://www.xavierdagba.com/integrate-apply INTEGRATE is for those ready to stop hiding, start healing, and embody the fullness of their soul's power. 🔔 Stay Connected 📝 Subscribe to the Enheartened Newsletter for weekly transmissions: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com 🎙 Listen to more episodes of ENHEARTENED: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 🧠 Instagram: https://instagram.com/xavier.dagba 💌 Inquiries & collaborations: info@xavierdagba.com #GoldenShadow #ShadowWork #IntegrationWork #SelfLiberation #ReclaimYourLight #InnerHealing #EmbodyYourLight #SpiritualIntegration #OwnYourBrightness #SoulExpression

In this raw and revelatory conversation, Xavier Dagba welcomes Dan McLintock, co-founder of the Kiloby Inquiries, for a powerful deep dive into the hidden force controlling your emotions: emotional repression. Dan opens up about his personal journey as a lifelong anger repressor — from childhood trauma and chronic self-doubt to addiction and disconnection — and how reclaiming his full emotional range transformed his life. Together, Xavier and Dan unpack the difference between anger and aggression, how repression drives suffering, and why most nervous system regulation techniques only soothe symptoms without addressing the buried emotional roots. Whether you tend to repress anger or vulnerability, this episode will help you uncover the unconscious stories running your life and show you how to work with your repression rather than against it. Here is what you’ll learn in this conversation: Why emotional repression is the true cause of inner chaos How “being good” is often a trauma response The key difference between clean anger and violent outbursts How to somatically test your dominant repression Tools to dissolve shame, self-doubt, and addiction Why peace is found through permission, not perfection And how to reclaim your power without becoming the very thing you feared ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 – The buried emotions that drive suffering 01:01 – The epidemic of emotional repression 02:06 – Dan’s experience as an anger repressor 03:33 – How beliefs and programming trap us in confusion 06:00 – Childhood roots: “I have to be good” 08:49 – Becoming the nice guy & disowning anger 10:19 – Addiction and deficiency stories 11:20 – “I think I might be angry” — the beginning of his healing 12:04 – Developing the repression work with Scott Kiloby 13:18 – How repression expresses as sarcasm, ghosting, people-pleasing 15:23 – Anger repression vs vulnerability repression 18:19 – How to tell which one you carry 20:16 – How expressing anger changed Dan’s relationships 22:20 – How Dan’s relationship with his parents evolved 26:00 – The moment Dan told his parents he was furious 28:11 – Baby steps toward healthy expression 29:29 – The embodied power of a true “no” 30:51 – Cleaning anger from the rageful edge 33:20 – The power of counterintuitive permission statements 35:37 – Spiritual bypassing as a form of repression 37:00 – The messiness of healing repression 39:25 – Reclaiming the part of you that agreed not to be like “them” 44:36 – Tools for somatic testing and reverse inquiry 48:45 – When regulation becomes sedation 51:02 – The fear of emotional overwhelm 54:26 – Why affirming repression often works better than resisting it 58:35 – “I have to suffer” – how unconscious beliefs feed anxiety 1:00:04 – How repression mechanisms behave like an illusionist 1:01:00 – Addiction as emotional regulation 1:04:11 – Shame, sobriety, and letting go of self-punishment 1:07:58 – How shame perpetuates the cycle 1:08:57 – When drinking becomes as neutral as eating broccoli 1:09:48 – Spiritual fallacies and weaponized virtue 1:11:00 – Dan on what he’s still learning to love 1:15:08 – Scars of Gold: transforming self-doubt into trust 1:20:00 – Where to find Dan 1:21:18 – Final wisdom: your back is never against the wall Connect with Dan McLintock Website: www.Kiloby.com/dan Instagram: @dan.mclintock YouTube: @danmclintock1980 TikTok: @dan.mclintock Listen to ENHEARTENED with Xavier Dagba on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 Join Xavier’s newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/ Explore The Embodied Light Project: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed #EmotionalRepression #ShadowWork #KilobyInquiries #SelfHealing #AddictionRecovery #SomaticHealing #TraumaHealing #CleanAnger #SpiritualBypassing #ReverseInquiry #HeartCenteredLiving #InnerPeace #ReclaimYourPower #NervousSystem #EmotionalLiberation #EnheartenedPodcast #XavierDagba #DanMcLintock  

In this episode of ENHEARTENED, I sit down with Christopher August. We explore the breath not just as a physical function, but as a sacred portal into divine intelligence, emotional alchemy, and true inner freedom. Christopher shares the raw details of his near-death experience on the Zambezi River, how it awakened him to the power of the breath, and how healing his father wound opened the door to deeper devotion, truth, and service. This is a deeply soulful conversation about shame, spiritual masculinity, emotional release, and prosperity as a breath-based frequency. Whether you’re a breathwork skeptic or a devoted practitioner, this episode will expand your understanding of what’s possible when you learn to breathe fully, consciously, and courageously. We explore: How breathwork helps heal shame, repression, and masculine wounds The link between breath and abundance What it means to live a breath-centered life How to trust life like you trust your next inhale The spiritual intelligence encoded in every breath you take   Learn more about Christopher: Website: https://www.christopheraugust.co Beats & Breath App: https://www.beatsandbreath.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_august If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe, and leave a review to help the show. 🎧 Listen to more episodes: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome: The breath as a sacred teacher 01:37 – Who is Christopher August? Devotion, leadership, and embodiment 06:15 – Seeking external validation vs. inner worth 09:50 – The father wound and the drive to “make it” 13:00 – Estrangement, step-parent dynamics & ancestral trauma 15:57 – Ayahuasca vision: Seeing his father’s hidden pain 18:45 – The impact of fatherlessness on the young psyche 20:50 – A spiritual spark: Receiving Many Lives, Many Masters 22:41 – Africa as a rite of passage: Living close to the earth 26:15 – Drowning on the Zambezi: Death, rebirth & the breath 30:00 – What dying taught him about trust and divine peace 32:11 – Is your breath a conscious being? 33:48 – For the skeptics: What breathwork actually does 35:00 – Guided breath practice: 10 deep rhythmic breaths 39:15 – Emotional release through the breath 43:15 – Trauma, the nervous system & how the breath heals 47:00 – Masculinity & constriction: Why men need breathwork 52:00 – Breath as abundance: Receiving starts with breathing 55:00 – A practice for prosperity through breath 58:10 – The breath-money ritual: Breathing in wealth 1:03:00 – The unconscious trust between exhale and inhale 1:08:30 – The void: Breathing into nothing, creating everything 1:10:00 – Living a breath-centered life 1:14:00 – Shame as a scar of gold 1:22:00 – Breath and truth: Returning to divine presence #Breathwork #DivineIntelligence #ChristopherAugust #ENHEARTENED #SpiritualHealing #ShadowWork #Masculinity #SomaticHealing #TraumaRelease #SpiritualPodcast  

In this episode of ENHEARTENED, I’m joined by Aaron Abke, a former pastor and theological truth-seeker who has spent years unlearning, relearning, and reclaiming the mystical essence of Jesus’ teachings. Together, we traverse some of the most sensitive and illuminating terrain: What was the original message of Jesus? What parts were co-opted by empire, doctrine, or fear? Why are so many spiritual seekers estranged from their own sense of worthiness before the Divine? We talk repentance, ego death, Paul’s legacy, the Gospel of Thomas, New Age projections, persecution in the digital age, and what it actually means to walk the Jesus Way, with an open heart, a clear mind, and a soul rooted in love. This is a sacred reclamation. For anyone who’s ever felt betrayed by religion but still yearns for communion with God. This one is for you. Aaron’s insights are deep, disarming, and revelatory. Tune in. Find Aaron’s Work Here: Website: https://www.aaronabke.com The Jesus Way Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@aaronabke 4D University: https://www.4duniversity.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronabke YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/aaronabke Chapters: 0:00 – Aaron on the devotion to truth 2:00 – Why ego cannot survive radical honesty 6:15 – Before and after living as a devotee of truth 8:00 – On persecution, projection, and spiritual maturity 15:00 – The real story behind Aaron’s debate with Wes 25:00 – Was Jesus misunderstood by modern Christianity? 30:00 – The lost Gospel of Thomas and Jesus as mystic 38:00 – Pagan influence on Christian dogma 45:00 – The role of Paul: genius or hijacked messenger? 57:00 – Near-death experiences and the truth about divine judgment 1:11:00 – Reframing sin, forgiveness, and the cross 1:27:00 – How trauma shaped Paul’s legacy 1:39:00 – Would Jesus be labeled New Age today? 1:51:00 – How to de-dogmatize and live The Jesus Way 2:03:00 – Aaron’s scars of gold and the cost of awakening 2:15:00 – What it means to live an Enheartened life 2:26:00 – Closing blessings If this conversation moved you, please leave a review, share with a friend, and subscribe. Explore more: ➤ Join The Embodied Light Project: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed ➤ Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com ➤ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC ➤ Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 #JesusWay #AaronAbke #SpiritualAwakening #ReligiousDeconstruction #ChristConsciousness #HeartCenteredLiving #MysticalJesus #LawOfOne #SpiritualHealing #ChristianMysticism #ForgivenessWork #ShadowIntegration #DeconstructionJourney #NewAgeChristianity #TheEnheartenedPodcast

In this episode of ENHEARTENED, I’m joined by Bryan Reeves—relationship coach, author of Choose Her Every Day (Or Leave Her), and a powerful voice in the conversation around conscious masculinity. Together, we explore the often-invisible journey of modern men navigating relationships, emotional connection, and the reclamation of the inner Lover archetype. This conversation is for any man who has ever felt emotionally shut down in love, and for the women who want to understand what’s really going on behind the wall. We dive into: What keeps men emotionally disconnected—and how to break the pattern The shifts that help men move from performance to presence Why safety (not strategy) is the missing ingredient in love How shutdown masculinity shows up in relationships Why many men mistake intimacy for a loss of freedom The difference between a warrior and a conqueror How to offer AND receive emotional safety in partnership What it looks like to repair after ruptures—and why most men never learned how The power of trustable brotherhood and how to find it And why relationships are a mirror for masculine expansion—not a threat to it This is not about fixing men. It’s about freeing them. And helping them remember that they are worthy of connection without abandoning themselves. FIND OUT ABOUT BRYAN’S WORK 📚 Grab Bryan’s book: Choose Her Every Day (Or Leave Her) 💻 Explore Bryan’s programs & men’s work: https://www.bryanreeves.com/ 📲 Follow Bryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryanreevesinsight/ 🎧 LISTEN TO ENHEARTENED ON: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 JOIN MY WORLD (Xavier Dagba): The Embodied Light Project Membership: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed Sign up for my Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xavier.dagba More Offerings & Events: https://www.xavierdagba.com 👉 If this episode resonates with you, leave a review and share it with a brother, partner, or loved one. Your support helps this message reach those who need it most. Chapters 00:00 Intro – From warrior to lover: the new masculine path 02:45 Bryan’s military past & emotional shutdown 08:00 The moment he knew something had to change 10:30 How to listen when your life feels “off” 13:45 Why most men never learned how to connect 16:40 The root of male disconnection & resignation 20:20 Your daily energy IS your legacy 23:00 Feedback: how men can start being truly seen 26:45 Archetypes: warrior, lover, and the lost king 30:15 Shadow brotherhood vs. trustable brotherhood 33:50 What makes a good men’s group? 36:00 Warrior vs. conqueror energy in men 40:00 The adolescent vs. integrated man 43:20 Repair work: the 4 steps every man must learn 47:15 The cost of pride & emotional defensiveness 50:45 Feeling unseen in love? Start here 54:00 Why “radical honesty” can destroy relationships 59:30 Creating emotional safety—for yourself and her 1:03:30 The danger of performative healing in men 1:06:15 Why mature love takes years to build 1:10:00 The responsibility of real intimacy 1:14:25 Bryan’s “scar of gold” in love & heartbreak 1:17:40 What men & women must understand about each other 1:20:20 Final reflections + how to work with Bryan #BryanReeves #MasculineHealing #MenAndLove #ModernRelationships #IntegratedMan #EmotionalConnection #WarriorToLover #ShadowWork #MasculineArchetypes #RelationshipRepair #EmotionalSafety #MenDoingTheWork #BryanReevesPodcast #ENHEARTENED #XavierDagba #MenInLove #MenAndIntimacy #HealthyMasculinity #VulnerabilityIsPower #TrustableBrotherhood #HealingThroughConnection

 In this solo episode of ENHEARTENED with Xavier Dagba, we dive deep into the misunderstood territory of spiritual depression—a soul-initiated pause that invites deep realignment, not pathology. You’ll learn: What spiritual depression actually is—and how it differs from emotional burnout or clinical depression The hidden wisdom of the soul when everything goes quiet How to stop resisting the void and begin listening to what’s gestating The role of masculine and feminine energetics in navigating the unknown Why unfinished business must be cleared before new vision can emerge How to recognize when you’re ready to re-engage with life from deeper truth This episode is for anyone walking through a fog they can’t quite explain, feeling disconnected from old identities but not yet anchored in the new. You’re not broken. You’re in transition. And there is medicine in the undoing. 💎 Join the free workshop: The Alchemy of Resistance Learn how to meet your inner resistance with depth, clarity, and transformation.  https://www.xavierdagba.com/resistance-workshop Subscribe to my newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/ Join the Embodied Light Project: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Or on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 More about my work: https://www.xavierdagba.com Chapters / Timestamps: 00:00 – The way through spiritual depression isn’t force—it’s surrender 00:58 – What spiritual depression is (and what it’s not) 02:00 – A soul-initiated pause, not clinical pathology 03:00 – The U-turn metaphor: when your soul redirects you 04:45 – Why it’s not laziness—it’s energetic realignment 06:15 – Midlife crisis as a mainstream version of spiritual depression 07:45 – What it feels like when your soul goes quiet 09:10 – The drought of meaning, creativity, and belonging 10:50 – My personal story: the breakdown of 2018 13:20 – Clearing unfinished business to prepare for emergence 15:00 – When your life no longer fits your soul 16:20 – Misunderstandings in both clinical and spiritual spaces 17:50 – The feminine energetics of gestation, mystery, and death 19:10 – The masculine role: courage to walk into the unknown 21:00 – What part of me is rushing this discomfort? 22:00 – 5 powerful prompts for working with spiritual depression 24:40 – Signs you are beginning to emerge 26:20 – Creating from soul, not performance 27:40 – The sculptor metaphor: the life template is already inside you 29:00 – Final message: you’re not broken—you’re becoming #SpiritualDepression #SoulAwakening #DarkNightOfTheSoul #ShadowIntegration #PersonalTransformation #CreativeFog #InnerAlchemy #XavierDagba #EnheartenedPodcast

In a world that often feels unsafe, uncertain, and chaotic, how do you cultivate true inner safety without abandoning your essence? In this solo episode of ENHEARTENED, I guide you through a deep exploration of shadow safety vs. soul safety two radically different ways we relate to our internal world when faced with external threat or emotional pain. You’ll learn: What shadow safety is and why it feels like safety but costs you wholeness Why abandoning yourself has become your default coping strategy (and how to stop) The truth about nervous system capacity, vulnerability, and self-protection How to start building sovereign safety: the kind that doesn’t shut down your heart How to stay rooted in presence, even when fear, shame, or grief arise This is a conversation for anyone seeking embodied power, emotional resilience, and the courage to live open-hearted in a polarized world. 🎧 Listen until the end for a step-by-step blueprint to begin cultivating soul safety in your daily life. — 🎧 LISTEN TO ENHEARTENED ON:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFCApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 — JOIN MY WORLD (Xavier Dagba): Embodied Light Project Membership: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashedSign up for my Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xavier.dagbaMore Offerings & Events: https://www.xavierdagba.com 👉 If this episode resonates with you, please leave a review and share it with someone who’s been dimming their light. Your support helps this movement grow. — Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Why safety needs to be redefined 01:40 – Shadow safety: The illusion of protection 05:50 – The fragmentation trade-off and dissociation 09:15 – The myth of control and nervous system reactivity 12:40 – Soul safety: Safety rooted in presence, not protection 17:30 – Real life examples: shadow vs. soul safety in action 23:10 – How to build sovereign safety (step-by-step) 30:45 – Staying with emotion without adding meaning 33:20 – Final questions for reflection + integration 34:30 – Outro + how to stay connected  #ShadowWork #SoulSafety #InnerSafety #SelfAbandonment #TraumaHealing #NervousSystem #SovereignSelf #EmotionalResilience #EnheartenedPodcast #XavierDagba

Join my upcoming 6-week immersion: SEEN Dissolve the hidden forces that dim your light & mute your voice. Become unapologetically expressed. https://www.xavierdagba.com/seen2 ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this solo episode of ENHEARTENED, I speak directly to the hearts of those who are craving to be seen, but still find safety in hiding. We explore why shining can feel terrifying, why your nervous system may still trust your shadow more than your light, and how true visibility begins with inner reconciliation. This episode is an offering for visionaries, creatives, coaches, and quiet revolutionaries who long to share their voice, their truth, and their light… but feel blocked by shame, fear, or fragmentation. It is also for those who don't want a stage but just long to bring more of their truth in their lives. You’ll be guided through: The 5 core fears that keep us hidden Why visibility triggers shadow material The difference between expression and performance What visibility hangovers reveal about your inner child Why shame is the root of fragmentation How to rewire safety to include your brightness Practical prompts to reclaim your voice The truth about readiness: it’s not about perfection—it’s about devotion We end this journey with a powerful invitation: the path to full expression is not about being louder or more polished—it’s about becoming congruent with your truth. If you’re ready to stop abandoning yourself and start trusting your light, SEEN is your rite of passage. Join here: www.xavierdagba.com/seen2 — 🎧 LISTEN TO ENHEARTENED ON: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 — JOIN MY WORLD (Xavier Dagba): Embodied Light Project Membership: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed Sign up for my Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xavier.dagba More Offerings & Events: https://www.xavierdagba.com 👉 If this episode resonates with you, please leave a review and share it with someone who’s been dimming their light. Your support helps this movement grow. — Chapters 00:00 Intro – Do you trust your shadow more than your light? 01:15 The paradox of visibility and the shadow 03:45 Why we fear being seen—even when we crave it 05:00 Childhood roots of the visibility wound 06:15 Vulnerability hangovers & somatic memory 08:00 Expression beyond social media: living "I am here" 10:00 The 5 fears that keep you hidden (humiliation, alienation, loss, persecution, death) 13:00 The hidden cost of staying hidden: self-abandonment 15:00 A personal story of shame & silencing creativity 19:00 How repression turns into projection 21:00 Signs you're still dimming your light 23:00 Your body keeps the score: somatic recalibration for visibility 25:00 Expression vs. performance: where are you speaking from? 27:00 Daily prompts to reclaim your voice 28:00 When I chose visibility over fear: my 2018 turning point 30:00 Letting go of the shadow career 32:00 The holy friction of self-revelation 34:00 Readiness is devotion—not perfection 36:00 What if your light could be your safest place? 38:00 The holy defiance that liberates you 40:00 Seen is not a performance—it's becoming 42:00 Undoing inherited hiding & building somatic safety 43:30 What to do if you're scared but called — #VisibilityWounds #ShadowWork #AuthenticExpression #ENHEARTENED #SelfLiberation #SomaticHealing #NervousSystemHealth #HealingShame #PersonalPower #StopHiding #SeenJourney #XavierDagba #EmbodyYourLight #InnerChildHealing #UnleashYourVoice #CreativeExpression #VisibilityHealing #PodcastForCreators #SpiritualPodcast #DevotionNotPerfection #BecomingVisible

In this episode of ENHEARTENED, I’m joined by the fiercely honest and wildly devoted Amie McNee—author of We Need Your Art: Stop Fcking Around and Make Something*. Together, we explore the sacred intersection of creativity, soul, and liberation in a world that often dismisses or commodifies the artist's heart. This conversation is a balm for artists, creators, and visionaries who have felt unseen, silenced, or stuck in shame around sharing their gifts. Whether you’re sitting on masterpieces the world hasn’t seen or navigating the terror of being truly witnessed—this is for you. We dive deep into: The ancestral repression of artistry and reclaiming your creative inheritance Why art literally heals and what happens when you repress your soul’s voice Building nervous system safety to withstand the exposure of being seen Why creative block is perfectionism in disguise The difference between protecting your art and playing small Why every artist must go through the void of being unseen How to coronate yourself as the artist you already are Amie’s spicy truths about self-censorship, Instagram, and artists refusing to market themselves And a fierce reminder: We need you. And we need your art. Now more than ever. FIND OUT ABOUT AMIE'S WORK Grab Amie’s book: We Need Your Arthttps://www.amiemcnee.com/pre-order-we-need-your-art-book-amie-mcnee Follow Amie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/inspiredtowrite Subscribe to Amie’s Substack: https://amiemcnee.substack.com 🎧 LISTEN TO ENHEARTENED ON: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 JOIN MY WORLD (Xavier Dagba): Joy upcoming 6 week immersion: SEEN - Dissolve the hidden forces that dim your light & mute your voice - Become unapologetically expressed. https://www.xavierdagba.com/seen2 The Embodied Light Project Membership: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed Sign up for my Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xavier.dagba More Offerings & Events: https://www.xavierdagba.com 👉 If this episode resonates with you, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Your support helps this movement grow. Chapters 00:00 Intro – The cost of repressing your creativity 02:45 Art as rebellion: waking up in a world not made for artists 08:00 The ancestral wound of severing artistry 13:00 Facing shame, rejection & fear when choosing the creative path 16:45 The paradox of delusional vision & grounded devotion 22:00 Why art is literal medicine 27:45 Healing through being seen—and how to do it safely 32:00 Nervous system regulation & the path of the artist 34:00 The daily coronation of your inner artist 41:00 Creative companionship, witnessing & community 47:00 Breaking the myth of the lone artist 50:00 Creative block vs. perfectionism 54:00 Fuck around & find out: the true creative process 58:00 AI, algorithms & why human art is needed more than ever 1:04:00 The controversial truth about commodifying your art 1:11:00 Learning to love your ambition 1:13:00 Final message to every artist who’s been hiding #AmieMcNee #WeNeedYourArt #CreativeLiberation #ShadowWork #ArtHeals #AuthenticExpression #ENHEARTENED #VisibilityWounds #SelfCensorship #NervousSystemHealing #XavierDagba #HealingThroughCreativity #UnleashYourLight #ArtistsOnYouTube #CreativeBlock #Perfectionism #SomaticHealing #PodcastForArtists #BookLaunch

Join me Thursday April 10th for a free live workshop: From Hidden to Heard. Resolve the visibility wounds that dim your light and mute your voice. Save your seat here: https://www.xavierdagba.com/hidden2heard ------------ ABOUT THIS EPISODE: What if your body already holds the wisdom to heal you? What if the chronic symptoms, emotional numbness, or patterns of self-sabotage aren’t signs of dysfunction — but invitations to come home to yourself? In this powerful episode, Xavier Dagba sits down with Ryan Rose Evans to explore the deep connection between emotional repression, chronic illness, and somatic awakening. From a near prison sentence to finding healing through men's circles, sacred rage, and soul work — Ryan’s story is a visceral reminder that true healing lives in the body, not just the mind. This episode is for anyone who: Feels disconnected from their body, breath, or truth Lives in the head and struggles to access presence or feeling Is stuck in cycles of burnout, bypassing, or emotional shutdown Longs to release stored grief, shame, or rage Knows there’s more to healing than talking about it You’ll walk away with: A deeper understanding of how trauma is stored in the body How emotional repression can manifest as chronic symptoms Why safety is the prerequisite for true transformation Somatic practices to reconnect with the body’s wisdom Permission to meet the parts of yourself you’ve learned to hide For men especially, this conversation is a gateway. Into dissolving the armor. Into grieving what you were never allowed to feel. Into reclaiming the sacred rage, sensitivity, and vulnerability that have been exiled by cultural conditioning. Into brotherhood that doesn’t demand you shrink, numb, or perform. Whether you’re navigating a healing crisis, awakening your nervous system, or finding your voice after years of silence — this episode will stir something true in you. It’s not just about healing. It’s about remembering how to feel again — and knowing you’re safe to do so. FIND OUT ABOUT RYAN’S WORK https://ryanroseevans.com https://www.youtube.com/@ryanroseevans https://www.instagram.com/ryanroseevans/?hl=en 🎧 LISTEN TO ENHEARTENED ON: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6sxXNMfsN9FnK34glRnkFC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enheartened-with-xavier-dagba/id1798866363 JOIN MY WORLD (Xavier Dagba): The Embodied Light Project Membership: https://www.xavierdagba.com/elp-unleashed Sign up for my Newsletter: https://newsletter.xavierdagba.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xavier.dagba More Offerings & Events: https://www.xavierdagba.com 👉 If this episode resonates with you, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Your support helps this movement grow. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Chronic Symptoms, Gut Healing & the Body’s Emotional Wisdom  01:00 - Welcome to Enheartened: The Inner Revolution Begins  02:00 - Who Was Ryan 15 Years Ago? A Journey Through Shadow  04:00 - Addiction, Numbness & Living Disconnected from the Body  07:00 - The Wake-Up Call: Facing Prison and Choosing a New Path  11:00 - Spiritual Bypassing & When the Body Says “It’s Time”  13:00 - Emotional Repression & Why Men Must Grieve  15:00 - Brotherhood, Men’s Circles & Emotional Initiation  19:00 - Sacred Rage, Belonging & Reclaiming Vulnerability  22:00 - Growing Up Sensitive in a “Tough” Masculine Culture  25:00 - Dancing in Front of Men: Facing the Edge of Shame  28:00 - The Cost of Inner Feminine Repression in Men  31:00 - Rage, Grief & What Men Are Really Carrying  33:00 - The Hidden Roots of Addiction and the Armor Around the Heart  36:00 - Nervous System Healing: One Simple Practice to Start  38:00 - How to Be With What Arises (Without Fixing It)  41:00 - Chronic Illness & The Emotional Roots of Fatigue  44:00 - Learning to Trust Pain Instead of Resisting It  46:00 - The Language of the Body & Why Gut Health Isn’t Enough  50:00 - Denial, Masks & Rebuilding a Relationship with Truth  54:00 - From Gut Protocols to Soul-Led Healing  57:00 - One Somatic Tool to Reconnect with Your Body  1:00:00 - Stop Chasing Shadows: Integrate & Trust the Now  1:03:00 - Why You Don’t Need a Plant Medicine Journey to Heal  1:05:00 - When You’re in the In-Between: Trust the Liminal Space  1:08:00 - Soul Work Isn’t a Protocol: It’s a Relationship  1:11:00 - Sharing Your Message Without Needing to Be Perfect  1:14:00 - Scars of Gold: Healing the Wound of Not Being Enough  1:17:00 - Find Your Edge & Be Seen As You Are  1:18:00 - The Practice of Celebration & Healing Tall Poppy Wounds  1:21:00 - Final Reflections: Truth, Trust & Reclaiming Belonging  #MensWork #ShadowWork #EmotionalHealing #SacredRage #SomaticHealing  #TraumaHealing #GutHealth #Brotherhood #MasculineHealing #RyanRoseEvans  #XavierDagba #EnheartenedPodcast #MenHealing #IntegrateYourShadow  #Embodiment #RepressedEmotions #HealingThroughTheBody #ScarsOfGold