Setting

Set primarily in the 1950s, Letting Go by David R. Hawkins unfolds against the backdrop of post-war America. Along with economic prosperity, suburban expansion, and social conformity, this era was characterized by underlying tensions and the seeds of cultural change that would blossom in the following decade.

As the book draws on Dr. Hawkins’s decades of experience as a clinical psychiatrist, the setting encompasses various urban and suburban areas across the United States where he practiced and conducted research. However, the “setting” of Letting Go extends beyond physical locations to include the internal landscapes of human consciousness and emotion. Hawkins explores the universal human experiences of suffering, negativity, and the quest for enlightenment, creating a timeless and borderless psychological setting that resonates with readers across different eras and cultures.

Key Figures

• Dr. David R. Hawkins: The author and narrator, a psychiatrist and spiritual teacher who developed the technique of “letting go” based on his clinical practice. He shares his insights and methods throughout the book, drawing on decades of experience helping patients overcome negativity and achieve greater levels of consciousness.

• Patients/Students: While not naming them individually, Dr. Hawkins refers to the many patients and students he has worked with over the years. Their experiences and challenges inform the practical advice and examples given in the book.

Quick facts

• Dr. David Hawkins dedicated more than 50 years to researching and developing the techniques described in Letting Go.

• Letting Go draws on Dr. Hawkins's experience as both a psychiatrist and a spiritual teacher.

• Dr. Hawkins claims that the technique described in the book can be applied to all areas of life, from health to relationships to spiritual growth.

• Letting Go is considered by many to be Dr. Hawkins's most practical and accessible work.

• The book introduces the “Mechanism of Letting Go,” a technique for releasing negative emotions and attachments.

• Dr. Hawkins relates the process of letting go to the concept of surrendering in various spiritual traditions.

• Letting Go includes a “Map of Consciousness,” which outlines different levels of human awareness.

• Letting Go was published in 2012, just a few months before Dr. Hawkins passed away at age 85.

• The audiobook version is narrated by Peter Lownds, a longtime student of Dr. Hawkins.

• Letting Go has been translated into over 25 languages.

About the Author

David R. Hawkins, MD, PhD, was a renowned psychiatrist, physician, researcher, and spiritual teacher. After achieving success as a medical doctor, Hawkins experienced a profound spiritual awakening that led him to devote his life to exploring consciousness and spiritual growth. His work bridges the gap between scientific understanding and spiritual wisdom, offering a path to enlightenment grounded in empirical research.

Hawkins is perhaps best known for developing the “Map of Consciousness,” a scale that measures the vibrational frequency of human consciousness from 1 to 1000. This groundbreaking work, detailed in his book Power vs. Force, provides a framework for understanding spiritual evolution and the levels of human awareness. Hawkins posited that emotions like fear and anger calibrate at lower levels, while love, joy and peace resonate at higher frequencies that have a beneficial effect on the world. 

As a lecturer and author, Hawkins shared his insights through numerous books, seminars and public talks. His teachings emphasized core truths found across spiritual traditions, such as compassion, humility, forgiveness and surrender to the Divine. Hawkins established the “Pathway of Devotional Nonduality” as a direct route to enlightenment, outlining practices to transcend the ego and realize one's true nature. His later works provided detailed maps of the highest states of consciousness rarely articulated in modern spiritual literature. His most accessible work, Letting Go was published in 2012, just a few months before he passed away at age 85.

Dr. Hawkins left behind a profound legacy as a pioneer in the field of consciousness research. His unique blend of scientific rigor and mystical insight continues to influence seekers worldwide. Advocates credit his work with accelerating spiritual growth and offering a rational basis for faith. While some critics question his methods, Hawkins remains widely regarded as an important figure who helped bridge Eastern and Western approaches to enlightenment.