The Destruction & Awakening of Elizabeth Gilbert

Rich Roll

11 sept 2025

Episode description

Elizabeth Gilbert is the bestselling author of "Eat, Pray, Love" and her new memoir "All the Way to the River." We discuss using people like drugs, losing her partner to cancer and relapse, six years of celibacy, radical honesty, and more. READ MORE👉 http://bit.ly/richroll935
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CHAPTER
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:35 Sobriety Timeline & Earth School Metaphor
00:02:54 Writing About Addiction & Grief
00:07:51 Sex and Love Addiction: Self-Examination
00:13:01 Patterns, Shame, and Secret Lives
00:16:19 Rhea as Earth School Assignment
00:17:52 The Relationship’s Descent & Prayer for Clarity
00:23:54 AD BREAK 1
00:27:40 Idealization, Power Transfer, and Relapse
00:31:21 Rhea’s Cancer Diagnosis & Codependency
00:34:29 Markers of Relapse & No Abandonment of Self
00:37:07 Self-Awareness vs. Addictive Compulsion
00:46:05 The Blind Spot & Compartmentalized Spirituality
00:49:51 AD BREAK 2
00:55:06 Willingness, Withdrawal, and Lineage
01:01:08 Celibacy, Healing, and Amends
01:05:59 Friendliness vs. Self-Love & Dalai Lama Story
01:11:13 Parenting the Inner Child & Self-Compassion
01:16:10 Transformative Modalities: 12-Step & The Work
01:22:34 Surrender, Higher Power, and Spiritual Practice
01:30:39 Purpose Anxiety & Presence over Achievement
01:53:02 Public Disclosure, Anonymity, and Advocacy
01:58:50 Creativity, Recovery, and Reclaiming Life
02:01:25 All the Way to the River: Intimacy & Book Title
02:06:40 Addiction Vigilance & Avoiding Triggers
02:08:52 Lessons from the Past & Trusting the Process
02:15:10 Closing Stories & Friendship
02:40:51 Shame, Transparency, and the Power of the Rooms

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Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:
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Episode description

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Recognize self-awareness as a step, not a solution in recovery

You can have a deep intellectual understanding of why you act a certain way, but 'discovery is not recovery' as it doesn't stop the addictive behavior.

#addiction

#self-awareness

Recognize relapse as returning to family role in recovery

In relationship-focused 12-step programs, relapse is defined as returning to your original role in your family system, such as being the caregiver.

#family

#recovery

Utilize Whoop wearable for on-demand ECG and heart rate monitoring

The all-new Whoop wearable is 7% smaller, has a 14-day battery life, and includes a heart rate screener with on-demand ECG readings you can share with your doctor.

#testing

#wearables

Try Nandaka B Peak for focus and calm energy without crash

Nandaka B Peak is a coffee alternative made with 100% fruiting body mushrooms like Lion's Mane, Reishi, and Chaga for focus and calm energy without a crash.

#focus

#supplement

Shift focus from purpose to presence for peace of mind

Instead of stressing about finding your life's purpose, which can create anxiety, try to replace that search with an awareness of the present moment.

#anxiety

#mindfulness

Choose recovery to gain everything from life

Addiction is giving up everything for one thing, while recovery is giving up one thing for everything.

#addiction

#recovery

Challenge the notion of self-hatred as a western concept

When the Dalai Lama first encountered the concept of self-hatred from Westerners, he was bewildered, as the idea of being an enemy to oneself was completely foreign to his understanding of the mind.

#culture

#mind

Release the illusion of control to overcome anxiety

The fear of losing control through surrender is an illusion because you never actually had control in the first place; all you had was anxiety.

#anxiety

#control

Challenge painful beliefs with Byron Katie's four questions

Byron Katie's 'The Work' uses four questions to challenge painful beliefs: Is it true? Can you absolutely know it's true? How do you react when you believe it? Who would you be without it?.