Andrew Jasko Proposal for SAND Presentation: Many religious and spiritual traditions psychologically traumatize people with their teachings. Religious and spiritual trauma can result in mental health disorders and rejection of spirituality, or an insecure attachment to the divine/nondual. Many have shut down their spiritual connection entirely and suffer from isolation and lack of purpose. How can we heal from our religious and spiritual trauma and reintegrate our secular and sacred traditions, including sacred scriptures? This talk identifies the specific psychospiritual harms we may experience from religious and spiritual indoctrination, individually and collectively. It discusses how to approach nondual spirituality and avoid repeating the same unintentional pitfalls that lead people into suffering instead of wholeness. And it suggests ideas for how to reinterpret and reintegrate our traditions and Scriptures from a nondual perspective.
Bio: Andrew Jasko, M.Div., Psy.D. in progress, is a former Christian minister turned religious trauma healer who writes about the integration of psychology, religious tradition, and spirituality. Andrew was born the son of a minister and became a preacher and missionary to India, after studying theology at Wheaton College and Princeton Seminary. As a Christian, Andrew’s relationship with God was his passion, but unhealthy religious teachings caused him an anxiety disorder, sexual repression, and spiritual disillusionment. After an agonizing crisis of faith, Andrew rejected it all. Then, he had an unexpected awakening to nondual spirituality. Andrew coaches spiritual and religious leaders to identify and heal from harmful religious dogmas and to re-interpret Scriptures through a mystical, nondual lens. Andrew’s writing and talks can be found at https://lifeafterdogma.org/blog/.
