Rachael P. - Letters to My Former Self

In fall of 2022, Rachael Petersen published a long-form article in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin titled “A Theological Reckoning with Bad Trips.” In the piece, Rachael recounts harms she experienced from both a psychedelic clinical trial and a weeklong silent meditation retreat, and explores what she frames as risks in popularizing these “technologies of transcendence.” In this talk, Rachael will share why and how she chose to write this piece, reflect on the process of publishing, and summarize reactions from readers alongside impact the piece has had in the world. She will offer her perspective on factors to consider when making meaning of harms from meditation, and potentially crafting that meaning into a story to be shared with the world.