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What helps people to cope with traumatic events that can sometimes accompany altered states? Jules Evans researches this question for the Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project. He’s also the author of books about Stoic philosophy, ecstatic transcendence and strategies for navigating “spiritual emergency”.

That term covers all sorts of crises, not just those arising from psychedelics. People get into difficulties while meditating and practising yoga. In this wide-ranging chat, we explore:

* How a bad trip on acid led to years of anxiety that made Jules feel broken

* Why cognitive behavioural therapy led him to write about Stoic philosophy

* What inspired him to try Ayahuasca despite his earlier traumatic experience

* Why he no longer takes psychedelics and focuses instead on helping others

* What causes spiritual emergencies and why it’s helpful to talk about them

* How understanding the balance of risks and rewards makes people safer

You can find out more about Jules’s work here, or subscribe to his Substack, Ecstatic Integration, for regular updates on his project’s research. He also covers broader topics – including the links between Aldous Huxley, spiritual eugenics and Silicon Valley…

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