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In this episode of Letters to the Sky, Stephan and Adam speak with Dave Biggs, a UK-based nondual teacher whose path grew out of a highly controlled religious upbringing, childhood trauma, and years of anxiety, panic disorder, addiction, and a bipolar diagnosis. Drawing on his experience supporting others in distress through the NHS and Samaritans, Dave explores why awakening can become a subtle escape when intense suffering makes the idea of “no self” feel like a final hope—and how that denial eventually crashes.

Together, they unpack the overlooked work of post-awakening integration: the way emotions can become more raw and intense when resistance falls away, why kindness and gentleness still matter, and how labeling and story-making can trap sensations instead of letting them move through. Dave describes an “absolute” ground of unconditioned awareness as a stabilizing landing pad—like a starter before the main course—that makes it possible to face trauma without bypassing the human experience. The conversation closes with Dave sharing brief details of his childhood split between Jehovah’s Witness fear and his father’s atheism, his long search to disprove a malicious God, and the eventual recognition of an unconditionally loving presence, along with ways to connect with him at dualitydetox.com.

00:00 Welcome

01:00 How They Met Dave: Voice Memos, Nonduality Groups & Shared Language

02:07 Dave’s Background: Trauma, Mental Health, and Teaching Without Bypassing

05:53 The Trap of ‘No One Here’: Spiritual Bypassing, Denial, and the Crash

11:54 Real Self-Realization: Ordinary, Subtle, and Noticed by the Absence of Suffering

13:46 Integration Mechanics: Momentum After Awakening & the ‘Last 5%’ of Work

16:41 Emotions After Awakening: Anger, Grief, Tears, and Feeling It Fully

19:24 Letting Emotions Move: Disney Tears, Accessibility, and Dropping the Labels

22:58 The ‘Child Catcher’ Metaphor: Stop Netting Feelings and Naming Them

27:02 Mind’s Story-Making vs Witnessing: Grasping, Aversion, and Waves Passing Through

30:18 Groundlessness & Ultimate Truth: Returning to What We Are

32:00 The “Landing Pad”: Unconditioned Awareness as the Base

34:08 Starter vs Main Course: Letting Experience Move Through You

37:02 Macbeth, Despair, and Finding the Ground Beneath the “Sound and Fury”

40:32 Post-Awakening Reality Check: Emotions Don’t Disappear

41:49 Why the Ground Makes Healing Possible (and the Hand Analogy Explained)

44:14 Healing Is Reachable: Safety, Integration, and Trauma Unraveling

46:23 When Pain Becomes Identity: The MS Patient Story

49:30 Dave’s Lived-Experience Work & Dropping the Trauma “Performance”

54:40 Dave’s Childhood & Awakening Turning Point (High-Level Story)

59:27 Wrap-Up: Keep Doing the Work + Where to Find Dave

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Embracing Discomfort: The Practice of Tonglen and Pema Chödrön's Teachings

In this episode of Letters to the Sky, Stephan and Adam delve into the transformative teachings of Pema Chödrön's book, 'Comfortable with Uncertainty.' They explore the profound practice of Tonglen and how it serves as a tool for spiritual awakening and a deepening connection to all beings. With heartfelt reflections and guided meditations, they discuss the existential discomfort inherent in being human and the importance of equanimity in facing life's challenges. Join them for a meaningful conversation that touches on the core of waking up and embracing the full spectrum of human experience.

00:47 Discussing Pema Chödrön's Comfortable with Uncertainty

02:41 Exploring Lojong and Mind Training

08:45 Understanding Tonglen Practice

19:04 The Path of the Bodhisattva

29:32 Understanding Resistance and Ego

29:51 Meditation and Letting Go

30:58 Weather as a Metaphor for Life

32:24 The Illusion of Perfection

33:59 Exploring the Six Realms of Being

37:14 Heaven and Hell: A Zen Perspective

41:27 Practicing Tonglen Meditation

50:15 Personal Reflections on Tonglen

55:07 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

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In this special episode, Adam takes the spotlight as Stephan interviews him about his newly published book, 'Love Does Not Know Death.'

The conversation delves deep into Adam's unique perspective as a neurocritical care doctor who has seen countless patients at the end of their lives. They discuss the inspiration behind the book, touching on themes of spiritual transformation, the physical and emotional aspects of dying, and the profound insights that have come not only to Adam in his practice, but to the patients themselves as they reach the end of their lives.

Stephan and Adam also explore the challenging yet rewarding process of writing the book, offering a glimpse into Adam's own spiritual journey and how he uses storytelling to convey powerful truths. An enlightening discussion for anyone intrigued by the intersections of medicine, spirituality, and the human experience of death.

Here's a link to purchase your own copy of Adam's book: https://a.co/d/5FZ6r7e

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:49 Adam's New Book: Love Does Not Know Death

04:30 The Journey of Writing a Book

05:24 A Memorable Patient Story

09:44 Lessons from Death and Forgiveness

14:02 Challenges in Healthcare and Healing

19:10 The Deeper Meaning of Healing

23:10 Facing Mortality and Embracing Life

31:09 Embracing the Messiness of Terminal Diagnoses

33:03 Healthy Responses to Death

34:35 Guilt and Burden in Facing Death

37:40 The Power of Self-Love in Facing Death

38:45 The Transformative Process of Writing

45:24 Insights on Writing and Creativity

53:55 Conclusion

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Copyright 2025 by Letters to the Sky