Podcasts & Talks
Videos on various topics related to healing religious trauma and spirituality.
The conference on Death, Grief, and Belief
“Many religions claim to provide mystical union, but they fail to deliver anything more than emotionalism, hype, and manipulation. Mainstream Western secular philosophy — and many in science who embrace it — have reacted to religious abuses by dismissing or avoiding non-ordinary and expanded states of consciousness and their implications for healing and human potential. This is beginning to change as scientists, Eastern mystics, shamans, and healers are coming together to research and apply the healing and transformational benefits of mystical experiences and to explore their implications for the nature of reality. In this talk, we will examine how to explore mystical spirituality and stay grounded in rationality.”
We take a deep dive into deconstructing Evangelical Christianity and discuss several of my articles on topics including the trauma triangle of victim-persecutor-rescuer in the Bible and Evangelicalism, fascism in the Bible, and the article, “Is Evangelical Christianity’s God the Devil?”
“Oh HELL yes (see what I did there?) we are talking to Andrew Jasko today about religious trauma, psychedelics, hell, healing and much more. You might need a glass of wine for this one cause we’re diving real deep.”
Our conversation covers a lot of ground, from religious trauma syndrome and childhood hell indoctrination to the use of psychedelics to assist individuals in releasing oppressive, fear-based religious ideas and reclaiming a healthy, authentic connection with spirituality.
We discuss: Leaving organized religion (Pentecostal), profound similarities between Mormonism and evangelical Christianity around sexual repression and purity culture, recognizing and healing from religious trauma, reclaiming spirituality, finding purpose and meaning and connection post religion, changing the narrative of your life, psychedelics as a tool of healing through experiential spirituality.
What exactly is trauma, how can you begin to cope with religious trauma, and is there life after we leave it behind? How religious trauma breaks down your sense of self, healing from fear of hell, spirituality, and many other topics.
Andrew is on the vanguard of an exciting new field of research and experimentation: using psychedelics to treat such issues as PTSD, Religious Trauma Syndrome, and many more. Listen in as Andrew expands our consciousness as to the incredible possibilities that this fascinating work represents.
Together, we discuss “secular spirituality”, the “Self”, “ego death”, “surrendering” to “nature”, and so much more, all within a framework of trying to be as responsible as possible with our word use. It’s a pretty friggin’ nuanced and exciting conversation. If you’ve been struggling with your internal voice/experience post-religion, this is a good episode for you.
We discuss the integration of mysticism and psychedelics with science and religion, “God?”, ways of mystical practice, and limitations and psychology of traditional philosophical scientific materialism, nonduality, and more.
Purchase the full 1.5 hour video along with all conference videos here: www.gcrr.org/religioustraumaconference
Purchase the full 1.5 hour video along with all conference videos here: www.gcrr.org/religioustraumaconference
We chat about methods of spiritual awakening with and without psychedelics, why people undergo “bad trips,” and nonduality. We go through ways to recognize if you are experiencing the aftermath of trauma and don’t know it, and the common ways that religious trauma can show up in your life.
My upcoming book “The God Complex,” dynamic spiritual/religious/humanist practices, developing a healthy ego, the power of transcendent experiences, ecospirituality and the Climate Change Denial Apocalypse, psychological splitting and projection in our prejudices and self-rejection, critiques of uncritical versions of atheism… and much more.
Summary of major psychological damages caused by religious indoctrination, how mental “disorders” are formed in response to trauma, and much more.
On this episode, Andrew joins Emerald to share the painful loss of identity he suffered as his Christian faith unraveled and the powerful spiritual awakening that followed. He explains his philosophy around the connection among all things, discussing how to use medicine work, meditation and breathing techniques to experience this sense of unity for yourself. Andrew also weighs in on the dangerous narcissistic ideology of survival and success that drives our world and offers advice on finding a sense of joy in the creative process. Listen in for Andrew’s insight around the ‘hard work’ that is suffocating our souls and learn how to extract yourself from dogma by embracing the healing path.
How trauma works, how trauma is tied into the history of the development of the Judeo-Christian worldview, religious mind control, anxiety, and emotional repression, Yahwehism and the historical development of a narcissistic god image which informs predatory capitalism, spirituality and reconciling with nature, and more.
Understanding the benefits of mindfulness and how to develop a meditation practice.
Deconstruction of Fundamentalism and discussion of religious abuse
What spirituality is and how to cultivate it, bridging atheist and spiritual communities, experiencing science as spiritual, spiritual pitfalls, the work of healing, avoiding manipulation and error, healing the natural world.
Overview of how trauma works, the nature of religious trauma, the process of coming out, practical tools and guidance for healing religious trauma, how psychotherapy works.
Second part of series on healing religious trauma.
Discussion of Psychedelics, spirituality, and atheism
How to experience and reclaim spirituality coming out of religion or a form of atheism closed to spiritual experiencing, what it looks like to stay grounded in rationality and open to spiritual experiences. How to heal from trauma through spirituality, how the Protestant work ethic has led to a culture of mental illness and emotional repression in the US through making worth a function of worth, learning to relate well to our emotions, how the gospel message creates anxiety, drug-like dependence, and enslaves spirituality, and more.
Overview of the psychological abuse of the Bible, Religion as Slavery, Psychological Splitting and Dualism in Religion
Including my story coming out of religious life and career, and the use of psychedelics for healing: “Sex, Drugs & Jesus: A Psychedelic Journey from Faith | Andrew Jasko.”
At California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) 12/6/18. By addressing our experience of religious teachings and practices, we can begin the process of reclaiming sexuality from religious repression and societal structures of oppression like patriarchy, LGBTQ discrimination, purity culture, and more. Share away!
The nature of religious abuse, psychedelics, mental health
Hear my full story and current studies on religious transitions and trauma: my religious upbringing and career in Christian ministry, my life crisis and transition out of religion, and my work today on religious trauma and tips for those struggling through a religious transition or healing in the aftermath.
I share my story about how I grew up in religion and why I left, psychological abuses in religion. The relationship between religion, psychedelic exploration, and spiritual awakening. Psychedelics and sex, psychedelics as tools to help people heal from religious fundamentalism. Hope you enjoy and support Leia’s amazing podcast.
“Religion is ultimately disempowering, claims Andrew, because you are taking the word of another person–an authority figure–not only to diagnose your spiritual problems but also to provide the solution. This dynamic leads to all sorts of abuses: spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, and in terms of sexuality. Join us as we discuss all of this and more in this fantastic episode!”
Andrew Jasko who is currently getting his doctorate in Psychology, but not long ago was a Presbyterian Minister having gotten his Master of Divinity from Princeton, talk about his struggles with Religious Trauma as well as how he reclaimed his sexuality, spirituality, identity, and sanity from religion. Hear how he is helping others today through his own journey.
Ready to begin?
If you’re navigating religious trauma, faith deconstruction, or rebuilding your life after a high-control religious or spiritual environment, explore whether working together feels like the right fit.