The feelings you're running from aren't trying to destroy you—they're trying to SAVE you. In this raw, unfiltered episode, Jason sits down with Duane (15 years sober) who reveals the shocking truth about why "positive thinking" and spiritual bypassing are actually keeping people stuck in addiction and relapse.

This isn't another motivational speech. This is actionable wisdom from someone who worked in a BAR for over a decade after getting sober—serving alcohol every single day—and was never once tempted to drink.

KEY TOPICS COVERED:

- Why resistance to emotions creates MORE suffering than the emotions themselves

- The "spiritual bypassing" trap that 99% of addicts fall into (and how to escape)

- Duane's life-changing "pool moment" after 6 months of daily prayer

- How to rewire your brain in 21 days using neuroscience (Dr. Caroline Leaf's method)

- The simple "I am aware" technique that creates instant emotional freedom

- Why working in a bar for 10 years AFTER getting sober was possible

- The difference between "sounding pretty" and actually feeling your feelings

- Teal Swan's shadow work and emotional experiencing techniques

- Matt Kahn's "Whatever arises, love that" philosophy explained

- The Appreciation Game practice for shifting emotional states

- Eckhart Tolle's teachings on present moment awareness applied to recovery

- How to use prayer as a neuroplasticity tool

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

"I worked in a bar for over a decade serving liquor every day and was never tempted to drink. The obsession was completely removed." - Duane

"There's a very big difference between sounding pretty and feeling the feelings. The sounding pretty is the spiritual bypass." - Duane

"If I have one foot in the past and one foot in the future, I'm pissing all over today." - Recovery Wisdom

"We have 60,000 thoughts a day - that's 60,000 opportunities to practice being our best self." - Duane

DUANE'S MIRACLE "POOL MOMENT":

For 6 months, Duane said this prayer with every step he took: "God, relieve me of this obsession." Working as a landscaper, cleaning pools, he repeated this prayer hundreds of times daily. Then one day by a pool, he fell to his knees crying—not from pain, but from realizing he hadn't thought about drinking in TWO WEEKS. The obsession was gone. This is the power of surrender combined with neuroscience.

UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL BYPASSING:

Spiritual bypassing is using spiritual concepts to avoid psychological work. In recovery this looks like:

- "Just think positive" instead of processing grief

- "Everything happens for a reason" to avoid accountability

- "Good vibes only" while suppressing real emotions

- Excessive meditation to escape uncomfortable feelings

- Using spiritual texts to intellectualize instead of feel

THE ANTIDOTE: Practice saying "I am AWARE of anger" instead of "I AM angry." This creates observer consciousness, allowing you to learn from emotions rather than be controlled by them.

ACTIONABLE PRACTICES YOU CAN START TODAY:

1. The "I Am Aware" Technique - Create space between you and your emotions

2. The Prayer Walk - Repeat a powerful prayer with every step for 21-90 days

3. The Appreciation Game - Spend 5 minutes listing everything you appreciate

4. The 21-Day Thought Detox - Rewire one toxic pattern using Dr. Leaf's process

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR:

✓ Anyone struggling with addiction, alcoholism, or substance abuse

✓ People in early sobriety or recovery feeling stuck

✓ Those dealing with anxiety, depression, or emotional regulation

✓ Anyone who's relapsed and doesn't know why

✓ Loved ones trying to understand addiction and recovery

✓ People using "positive thinking" to avoid real emotions

This episode combines spiritual wisdom with neuroscience to provide ACTIONABLE HOPE for your recovery journey. Whether you're struggling with alcohol, drugs, behavioral addictions, or just feeling stuck in life,

In this raw and transformative episode of "Recovered Addict: A Journey Within," hosts Duane Yardman-Frank and Jason Rigby dive deep into the spiritual roots of addiction, revealing it not as a moral failing but as a profound cry for connection. They challenge traditional recovery narratives by spotlighting the spiritual void that fuels addictive cycles, regardless of the substance or behavior.

Drawing heavily on the profound teachings of spiritual teacher Matt Kahn, Duane and Jason explore how radical self-acceptance and spiritual awakening can pave the path to true freedom beyond mere sobriety.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Spiritual Void: Understand addiction as a "God-sized hole" within, an insatiable hunger that external achievements, pleasures, or distractions can never truly fill.

• Consummatory vs. Intrinsic Reward: Discover the two brain reward systems and how addiction traps individuals in the cycle of "consummatory reward," while spiritual development offers "intrinsic reward" and lasting purpose.

• Matt Kahn's Core Mantra: "Whatever Arises, Love That": Learn how this powerful mantra is an invitation to meet excruciating cravings, shame, guilt, and emotional pain with radical acceptance and unconditional love, transforming internal struggle into a spiritual path.

• The Ego as "WAR" (Worry, Anticipation, Regret): Explore Matt Kahn's acronym for ego and how this "war in the mind" manifests in addiction, driving constant seeking of external validation and temporary relief.

• Integrating the Ego for Freedom: Discover how the ego is not an adversary to be eradicated but an integral part of the human form that, when integrated with spirit, can empower individuals to say "no" to destructive patterns and play for "higher stakes". The Ganesh and mouse analogy beautifully illustrates this serving relationship between ego and divinity.

• The Gifts of Space and Time: Learn how cultivating inner spaciousness and making peace with the present moment can unravel deep-seated trauma and align you with your higher self, offering a "window of grace" for healing.

• Innate Worthiness: Reframe recovery not as a battle to become worthy, but as realizing the profound truth that you always were worthy, just as God sees you, regardless of past actions. This understanding allows for the healing of core unworthiness that fuels addictive behaviors.

Actionable Takeaways:

• Confront suffering directly rather than evading or suppressing it, seeing it as a path to service and rebirth.

• Practice mindfulness and sense perceptions to exit the "mind chatter" of worry and honor the present moment.

• Embrace the mantra "Whatever Arises, Love That" for radical acceptance of all emotions, including cravings and shame.

• Recognize that love is not bound by time or space and can bend dimensions, connecting you to infinite abundance and higher purpose.

Connect with Us: If you're interested in transforming your life and embarking on a long-term recovery journey, delve deeper into these tools.

https://recoveredaddictpodcast.com/

Dr. Dallas Bragg joins us to discuss the "silent epidemic" of crystal meth addiction among gay men and his revolutionary guilt-free approach to recovery. From his own journey through homelessness and incarceration to developing the 4-phase "alchemy" recovery program, Dr. Bragg offers hope and practical tools for lasting sobriety.

What You'll Learn:

• Why shame and religious trauma drive addiction in the LGBTQ+ community
• The reality of "chemsex" culture and how accessible crystal meth has become
• Why traditional rehab often fails gay men and what works instead
• The "craving hijacking" technique and other practical recovery tools
• How to view relapse as a stepping stone rather than failure

Key Topics Covered:

• The connection between internalized homophobia and addiction
• Why crystal meth has become epidemic in gay communities
• The secret world of "chemsex" and apps like Grindr and Sniffy
• How to move from shame-based to transformation-based recovery
• The 4-phase alchemy program for lasting sobriety
• Practical first steps for anyone struggling with crystal meth

Free Resources: Get Dr. Bragg's free 30-day recovery course and weekly newsletter at drdallasbragg.com

Perfect for anyone seeking to understand addiction recovery, especially within the LGBTQ+ community, or looking for alternatives to traditional treatment approaches.

This episode provides actionable hope for anyone affected by addiction, whether personally or through a loved one. Dr. Bragg's approach offers a compassionate alternative to traditional treatment methods.

Guest Resources:

Dr. Dallas Bragg's Website: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/

Free 30-Day Recovery Course "Reframing Relapse":https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout

The Aftermath Podcast:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2330781

Weekly Newsletter with Journal Prompts:https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog

Upcoming Masterclass Registration:https://www.drdallasbragg.com/masterclass

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741LGBT National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564Trevor Project Crisis Support: 1-866-488-7386

SMART Recovery: https://www.smartrecovery.org/Crystal Meth Anonymous: https://www.crystalmeth.org/LGBT Addiction Recovery Resources: https://www.lgbtmap.org/file/understanding-issues-facing-lgbt-people-substance-abuse.pdf

Crisis & Support Resources:Educational Resources: