E07 - Tom Griffin: Success, Addiction, Prison - How I Lost Everything and Woke Up

What happens when everything you thought would make you happy turns out to be empty?In this episode, I sit down with Tom Griffin to explore his journey to awakening. We speak about the slow disconnection from self that can happen even when life looks good from the outside… and what it really takes to wake up. Tom shares how losing everything cracked him open, leading to a deeper understanding of purpose, pain, and presence.If you’ve ever experienced the nagging sensation that something in your life is “off” despite the external wins - this one’s for you.Find out more about Tom here: https://www.tomgriffin.co/For more on Human Kinder: https://linktr.ee/humankinderShow Notes00:00: The Illusion of Success: Tom Griffin's Story01:43: Introduction 03:00: The Nature of Happiness and Presence08:25: Exploring Consciousness and Reality18:15: The Journey of Awakening38:05: The Alchemy of Suffering52:00: The Practice of Presence01:03:16: The Illusion of Craving and Happiness01:04:04: Acceptance, Responsibility, and Curiosity01:04:56: The Nature of Reality and Self-Constructed Worlds01:06:58: The Journey Through Suffering01:08:10: The Role of Spiritual Practice01:11:48: Navigating Criticism and Personal Growth01:14:13: The Power of Perspective and Choice01:19:16: The Essence of Spiritual Practice01:20:51: The Intersection of Spirituality and Daily Life01:26:17: The Path to Conscious Living01:52:24: The Practice of Presence and Emptiness02:01:11: Closing Thoughts and Resources