To learn more about the CNRS training and certification course, visit this link.

To join the online community for the Center for Non-Religious Spirituality, go here.

If you are interested in exploring Process Philosophy, consider this book.

A summary of "dependent arising" in Buddhism might go like this. Interconnectedness is a central tenet underlying all Buddhist teachings. It is expressed in Buddhism as “When there is this, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When there is not this, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases” (Ñāṇamoli and Bodhi 1995, p. 655). It delineates the interdependent nature of all phenomena in the world, implying that the arising of all matters is conditioned on the arising of one another. In other words, all matters are mutually influencing one another and co-arising dependently.

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An assignment to help you in deconstructing religious trauma:

Investigation: Processing Your Religious Past

This Investigation involves reflecting upon your journey through religion. This is the first tool that will help you disentangle yourself from your religious past. It will aid you in sorting out the dynamics that entangled you, and give you the opportunity to process your former religious involvement.

Identifying what your religious past cost you

This part of your self-reflection involves specifically finding out what your religious past cost you.

● How do you feel that religion most negatively affected your life?

● In what ways did religion damage your spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, and psychological health?

● What deep wounds did religion leave behind in you?

● What do you feel your involvement in religion stole from you?

● What do you most grieve having missed or lost as a result of your involvement in religion?

As you work on this part of your personal inventory it is natural to feel hurt, sadness, disillusionment, anger, and betrayal.

Naming destructive messages and beliefs you have internalized

This second area involves specifically naming the damaging fear-based and shame-based messages you absorbed through your involvement in religion. It is important that you identify these messages as succinctly and accurately as you felt, experienced and internalized them. Some examples may be: “I am not good enough.” “I can’t trust myself.” “I am bad.” “It’s not okay to be me.”

Name and write out the three most damaging messages you internalized from your involvement in religion.

Acknowledging the continuing impact of religion

Another area involves taking an honest look at where you are now in terms of the continuing impact of toxic religion in your life.

● Thinking about your life and spiritual journey, what religious beliefs, mindsets, narratives, and mentalities have been difficult for you to shake and still impact you?

● In what ways is your religious past still holding you back, preventing your peace, freedom, happiness, and personal growth, or at the root of self-sabotaging beliefs and mindsets?

Working yourself through these questions is not something to tackle in one setting for thirty minutes or even an hour. It is more the kind of personal work that could take a few days. It is an activity of vigorous self-reflection. It is important that you record your thoughts and feelings in your written or computer journal.

A second optional part of this assignment is to share this personal inventory with someone else. That person could be a trusted friend, someone who is walking a similar path, a significant other you trust, or a therapist. Also feel free to share as much as you would like with our group in a comment on this post. I encourage each group member to consider sharing an insight, discovery, or realization in a comment for each day’s investigation.