People Who Lead Us to Our Soul’s Home Part 6

September 27, 2026

Our brothers and sisters can offer profound wisdom. By “brothers and sisters,” I mean not only those related to us by blood, but also those related to us by the heart. When they share their wisdom, they often lead us home. They remind us of who we are, what we truly need, and what we may need to release. They make us pause before important decisions and ask whether we will truly be “at home” with the path we are choosing.

Those who love us most deeply sometimes care more about our well-being than about being popular with us. Therefore, they can be honest. They know our struggles and challenges. They are neither blinded by our strengths nor driven away by our weaknesses. Because they value us, they are sometimes willing to risk our displeasure to guide us back to our center of truth.

Such people are priceless. They are not merely companions who walk beside us with love and compassion; they also trust us to help lead them home. Sacred Kinship is reciprocal. Sacred Kinship is one of the nine points of the Enneagram of Soul. It is more than friendship. It is the experience of being related to one another by the heart.

Sacred Kinship is a profound caring rooted in the common good—in shared struggles, shared hopes, and bonds of faith. It carries loyalty, commitment, and mutual understanding. Over time, these qualities create a deep reservoir of trust between us and our brothers and sisters.

Let me tell you how one of my brothers of the heart guided me back to my truth.

Several years ago, I was considering retiring from full-time clinical practice, but I kept dragging my feet. It was difficult to imagine saying goodbye to my patients and referring them to other psychologists. I would miss the work I had been doing since my mid-twenties. Being a therapist had become part of my identity, and I was not ready to release that part of me.

Tommy and I had been friends since we were teens; we had been through many joys and sorrows that life brings. He knew my dilemma. He also knew that many other callings now needed my time and energy, and that the moment had come for me to transition away from private practice. He repeatedly asked when I planned to retire, but I always found a way to deflect his question.

Finally, one day, Tommy said, “Joe, no more talk about keeping just a few patients. You are dragging this out and trying to do too much. You are writing, working in the institute, as well as trying to do a full-time private practice. You need to make a clean break. Prepare your patients and set a date.”

He insisted that I choose a date. His truth rang true with me. And I did as he said.  As soon as I did, I dropped into my heart and knew, beyond all knowing, that the decision had aligned me with the Divine, with my core truth, and with my inner compass—I was now home. 

Although I still miss my life as a therapist, retiring has allowed me to contribute more fully to the world. Honestly, without Tommy’s guidance, I might have remained divided between two callings, unable to give myself fully to either one. Because he cared for me deeply, and knew my true home, Tommy found the courage to tell me the truth. He was even willing to risk my disapproval for the sake of my well-being.

Tommy led me home.

Spiritual Practice and Inquiry

Think of those who have helped lead you home. How have you responded to their love and wisdom? Is someone offering you a difficult truth today that may, in fact, be an invitation to come home?

Prayer

Dear God,

I am deeply grateful for the gift of Sacred Kinship. Give me the humility to receive the wisdom of those who love me, and the courage to share my wisdom as freely and lovingly as others have shared theirs with me.

Thank You for the brothers and sisters of the heart who recognize the sacredness of home—and who help us find our way back to it.

Amen