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Handful of Leaves

Handful of Leaves

Handful of Leaves

Bringing you practical wisdom for a happier life.
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Ep 74: I’m Not Good Enough ft. Angela and Cheryl

Can you find peace by wanting it less?

In this episode of the Handful of Leaves podcast, hosts Cheryl and Angela sit down together for the first time since attending a March meditation retreat led by Ajahn Jayasaro, to unpack what the experience taught them once they brought it back into ordinary life. Both arrived quietly depleted ā€” Angela nursing work burnout, Cheryl anxious and adrift after a company restructuring ā€” and what follows is a candid conversation about what happened when they sat with that depletion instead of running from it.

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Sep 18, 2026 | 3 min read

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Ep 73: Retiring from Singapore Elite Special Forces to Buddhist Monk ft. Venerable Drachom

Can you become fearless not by becoming stronger, but by learning to love more deeply?

In this thought-provoking conversation, Ven Drachom explores what it means to move beyond fear and develop a deeper relationship with compassion, courage, discipline, and suffering. Drawing from his experiences as a former SEAL-trained anti-terrorist commando and his Buddhist spiritual practice, he offers a very different perspective on what it means to become a spiritual warrior.

Rather than seeing fear as something that must simply be defeated, Ven Drachom describes a transformation in which fear gradually gives way to love. The goal is not to become emotionally numb or invulnerable. Instead, it is to develop the inner strength to meet difficult experiences without immediately reacting to them.

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Aug 19, 2026 | 16 min read

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Ep 72: Buddhist Monk with The Duty to Kill ft Venerable Drachom

What happens when a former Special Forces operative turns his attention from confronting external threats to confronting the hardest enemy of allā€”the mind?
In this episode, Ven Drachom reflects on his experience in Singaporeā€™s Special Forces, the meaning of responsibility, and his journey into Buddhist practice. He shares why the happiness we chase externally is temporary, how self-cherishing creates suffering, and why the ultimate goal isn't simply to feel peacefulā€”but to develop clarity so we can do more for others.

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Aug 9, 2026 | 18 min read

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Ep 71: From Princeton Graduate & Singapore Civil Servant to Buddhist Nun ft Venerable Damcho

What happens when you follow the Singapore path, tick the right boxes, and still feel like something is missing?
In this episode, Cheryl speaks with Venerable Damcho on her unexpected path into Buddhism, from heartbreak and anxiety in university, to meditation, retreats, ordination, and discovering a kind of happiness that did not depend on external success.

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Jul 29, 2026 | 22 min read

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