About John — John Luckovich

John Luckovich is a visual artist who lives in Brooklyn, NY. He has studied the Enneagram for over a decade. He has a deep involvement in the Fourth Way, an interest in the Egyptian roots of Western spirituality, and six years of training in Integrative Breathwork. Since 2018, John has been working directly with clients to deepen their understanding and work with the Enneagram and offering guidance on inner work. He is the author of the book ***The Instinctual Drives and the Enneagra*m, the co-host of** The Big Hormone Enneagram Podcast, and the co-founder of both The Enneagram School and New York Enneagram. John offers Enneagram coaching, leads workshops, retreats, and Inner Work-based pilgrimages to Egypt.

I was introduced to the Enneagram as a teenager. When I learned my type, I was horrified to see how completely my type characterized everything about me. If “all I was” could be so succinctly summarized in a description, what about me was genuinely “my own” and not a product of a psychological pattern?

Seeking to uncover and experience an independent inner life that isn’t defined by the automatic patterns of my personality has been my primary aim. In my view, the Enneagram is the best tool for seeing the all-encompassing domination of the personality, and in seeing just how totally under its command we are, we may be able to “draw ourselves backward” into the unlit dimensions of our being.

My background and qualifications:

I’m the author of The Instinctual Drives and the Enneagram and I co-host a podcast, the Big Hormone Enneagram.

I first learned the Enneagram in high school. I’ve been involved with the J.G. Bennett lineage of the Fourth Way Work of G.I. Gurdjieff for many years, and have had six years of Integrative Breathwork Training with Inspiration Consciousness School in Baltimore, MD. As the personal assistant to Russ Hudson, co-founder of the Enneagram Institute and co-author of Wisdom of the Enneagram, for four years, I have been fortunate to attend numerous Enneagram Institute events and even co-teach one of their Inner Work Retreats. In 2018, individuals began reaching out to me for ongoing one-on-one sessions to help them better understand the Enneagram, to identify and/or to help them work with their type-structure, and personal coaching for inner work.
I have lead many workshops, retreats, and series across the United States on my own and with other incredible teachers. I co-founded New York Enneagram with Julie Harris, where we offer retreats, classes, and workshops both online and in person, and Josh Lavine and I have founded The Enneagram School, a hub that provides high quality and original Enneagram education. I have been a presenter at the annual conference of the International Enneagram Association three times and the Enneagram Global Summit hosted by the Shift Network four times.

After having traveled to Egypt with the late John Anthony West in 2015, and in 2018 and 2022 I began co-facilitating group pilgrimages through Egypt with Russ Hudson in order to connect the living tradition of inner work with its roots and origins.

I’ve also been involved in Jungian-based Men’s Work and meditation practices for many years, and lastly, I’ve been a self-taught visual artist my entire life.

Testimonials:

“I came across John's name by auspicious coincidence when I was looking for an enneagram coach. That was good fortune. John has a tremendous natural insight into human psychology in general and the enneagram in particular. He established a quick rapport with me and had a deep, gentle insight into my dynamics. We had easy conversations where I felt seen and understood, leading me to a deeper understanding of myself and my life. I would strongly recommend John as a coach or counselor; he can be a valuable companion in your journey.”

-Michael Spayd, Agile Transformational Coach and Author

”I was referred to John Luckovich for breathwork therapy by my physician. I had been experiencing terrible chest pain for which multiple workups could find no medical cause, so my physician began to suspect the chest pain was stress related. I had also been studying the Enneagram for a little over a year at that point and had made a New Year’s resolution that I would find an Enneagram coach to help me with my personal growth quest. It was fantastic coincidence that John just happened to be an expert in both arenas.

I’ve now been working with John for a year and a half. Not only is my chest pain gone, but John’s system of breathwork combined with Enneagram coaching has been truly transformational. Too many ways I’ve changed for the better through John’s guidance to mention here, but I will share some. As an Enneagram type 3 in the midst of a midlife crisis learning how disconnected I was from my feelings, John has given me the gift of getting in touch with my heart. As someone with high anxiety, John has given me the gift of using breathwork to successfully manage stress. As someone with trauma related to compounded grief, John has given me the gift of personal insight, peace, and much needed catharsis. And as someone trying to integrate her sexual blindspot, John has given me the gift of enjoying spending time with myself for the first time ever, thus allowing me to get in touch with what in this world I really value and what really gives me “juice.”

John’s profound understanding of the human condition never ceases to amaze me. I admire that he lives the work and practices what he preaches; he is the real deal. Regarding his coaching style, John is thoughtful in his approach, unimaginably perceptive with an ability to find threads and make connections, full of patience and compassion but able to dole out tough love when needed, and immensely knowledgeable but also highly intuitive. He does not just give me the answers, which I appreciate. He gently pushes me in the right direction so I can figure it out myself, making the experience all the richer. And he creates such a safe space which allows me to be brave enough to confront the difficult stuff I’m processing. I always feel seen and heard. I am forever changed because of this work and forever grateful. “

-Kathy M.

”With a nod to the masters of the past, John excavates with precision and deep curiosity truths of the enneagram long covered over by narcotizing interpretations of esoteric teachings. What he brings to us today are increasingly accurate, eloquent descriptions of our inner experience with more detail and understanding than we could possibly hope to bear alone. His contribution to those truly committed and called to inner work opens up the potential to observe ourselves, impartially and skillfully—the first step in opening to any real transformation.

John addresses some of the biggest problems humans grapple with just under the surface of our awareness in relation to love, sex, relationships, wealth, status, self-image and survival—the real drivers of our daily life when we sit down and get honest with ourselves. With grace and humor, he takes us deep into the recesses of the instinctual drives that so silently steer our lives. Working with his material has offered me relief and compassion, pleasure and aliveness unfettered by identification. Leave it to John to dredge up our darkest fantasies and misgivings, place them on full display under the light of compassion, and lead us to an empowered way to heal our inner splits.”

- Shari L Fox, Soul Nourish Co-Director + Senior retreat leader, Enneagram Teacher, YTT Faculty.

“I've been working one-on-one with John for the last year, and I feel incredibly grateful to have had the benefit of his counsel during what has been a complicated and turbulent time for me. Although our primary framework is the Enneagram, he deftly integrates other modalities and theories to enrich our discussions, offer insights and identify potential pathways forward. The fact that our antipodal sessions are held over zoom has not hindered the interpersonal connection, particularly during breathwork sessions which have been just as profound as any I've done in person. He challenges and provokes me while always being respectful, non-judgemental and empathetic. He intuitively guides me through the dance of accessing and integrating mind, body, heart and spirit.

I approached John for coaching after reading his book and listening to the podcast, because I respected his intellectual rigour and synthesis of Enneagram foundational theories with a comprehensive range of other systems, theories and resources from sociology, psychology, philosophy and spirituality. He wields a Young Turk energy interrogating the emergent populist narratives in Enneagram theory and practice, offering new perspectives and interpretations to make the Enneagram more relevant for younger generations. His focus on the instincts aligns with where I am on my own journey, and I couldn't ask for anyone better as my guide other than Gurdjieff himself.”
-Alex Horwood

“In the past few years, I have taken several enneagram classes with John (live and pre-recorded), and received one-on-one enneagram coaching. He is incredibly knowledgeable and is effective at communicating the basic concepts of the enneagram with accuracy and subtlety. His coaching is direct and compassionate, and he creates space for an embodied, experiential understanding of the enneagram.

More specifically, I choose to study with John because he has a very down-to-earth approach that centers integrating the enneagram into daily life. He teaches about acceptance of the personality in a way that allows me to connect with my spirituality and my humanity. I also appreciate what he has done to challenge stereotypes regarding gender and sexuality that have showed up in enneagram work, and I think that his perspectives are more accurate and create more possibility for self-awareness and freedom for women and queer folks.“
-Sarah Gettys

“Of the emergent teachers of the Enneagram of Personality, John has been engaged with the inner work teaching of the Enneagram for longer and more deeply than anyone else I’m aware of.

Whether he’s with a group in Egypt, or co-leading a workshop at an Enneagram conference, John’s teaching is grounded in the core principles of inner work. He holds the original purpose of the Enneagram with integrity, compassion, and intelligence.

John is an acute observer of human behavior, including his own. The Enneagram is not just interesting theory, he tests it out on himself, developing and refining his unique contributions, which he shares in many different formats.

I look forward to the publication of John’s ground-breaking work on the Instinctual Drives and personality, a much-needed next step in advancing the study of the instincts and the Enneagram

And, to all serious Enneagram students, in John’s words, “let’s get on it. We all have Work to do.”

--Adele Ver Steeg,
IEA Accredited Professional
Riso Hudson Certified Teacher of the Enneagram

”I was referred to John Luckovich for breathwork therapy by my physician. I had been experiencing terrible chest pain for which multiple workups could find no medical cause, so my physician began to suspect the chest pain was stress related. I had also been studying the Enneagram for a little over a year at that point and had made a New Year’s resolution that I would find an Enneagram coach to help me with my personal growth quest. It was fantastic coincidence that John just happened to be an expert in both arenas.

John’s profound understanding of the human condition never ceases to amaze me. I admire that he lives the work and practices what he preaches; he is the real deal. Regarding his coaching style, John is thoughtful in his approach, unimaginably perceptive with an ability to find threads and make connections, full of patience and compassion but able to dole out tough love when needed, and immensely knowledgeable but also highly intuitive. He does not just give me the answers, which I appreciate. He gently pushes me in the right direction so I can figure it out myself, making the experience all the richer. And he creates such a safe space which allows me to be brave enough to confront the difficult stuff I’m processing. I always feel seen and heard. I am forever changed because of this work and forever grateful. “

-Alice Nuccio

“The Enneagram is a holistic, dynamic map for transformation. There is dimension and depth contained within that cannot be discovered if we are only focused on the “types.” John Luckovich understands the breadth of the Enneagram and is one of the most knowledgeable and eloquent teachers I have had. He is versed both in the practicalities and the mysteries and knows how to bridge them for lasting shifts. It’s a journey well worth taking, and a teacher well worth following. “
-Stephanie Foster

“If you’re looking for a life coach who will effectively encourage new patterns of thought and guide you to self-awareness then I would highly the services of John Luckovich.

His extensive knowledge of the enneagram and his creative ways of applying it where especially helpful for stimulating self-growth. The time we spent together was a huge part of reaching a healthier and more effective mindset for me.

John’s ability to talk you down from deep rooted thought loops with an honest, positive, and objective tone is truly amazing. He can and will make the largest of your problems seem manageable. There wasn’t a single session I had with him where I didn’t feel better after talking to him. Not only that, he will also create an effective plan of action with you to deal with these problems. Whether its breath work, getting in touch with your body, or reframing unhealthy patterns of thought, you will always find yourself with the tools you need.

Overall John makes a great life coach; I truly believe he has a gift for this type of work. Please don’t miss out on the opportunity to work with him.

Sincerely, Isaac Honeyman”

”At a time in my life where I needed to access a greater sense of self, John helped me get in touch with an internal power and ability to stand up in difficult situations where before I would have collapsed and abdicated. In our sessions, I would bring my own inner life narrative, either through thoughts, dreams, or internal narratives and John would help by focusing the breath on those areas which were closed down, stuck or unavailable.
Over time, and with practice, breathing into these spaces brought them to life and by questions, deep listening and feeding back, John was able to help gently guide me through the very vulnerable process of activating and using my inner power, which was already there, just not activated because of trauma I had experienced. Thank you, John, I feel like a new man these days, walking through life with new tools and a stouter heart!”

-Tom, Kansas City