In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, host Julie Cluff is joined by guests Pooja and Bernadette for an honest conversation about the intersection of spirituality and religion.
Each woman brings a rich and unique background to the discussion:
Pooja, originally from India, was raised in the Hindu tradition and later converted to Evangelical Christianity after moving to the United States. https://lighttheday.com/strengthening-a-powerful-faith-in-the-divine-with-pooja-chilukuri/
Julie is a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon church). https://lighttheday.com/25
Together, they explore what they gained from their religious upbringings, the pain and liberation of deconstructing deeply held beliefs, and the freedom they’ve discovered in forging their own spiritual paths.
They share deeply personal stories, including powerful encounters with Jesus and reflect on how those experiences shaped their evolving relationship with the Divine.
This conversation delves into the challenges of leaving behind religious dogma and community, the beauty of spirit-led living, and the nuances of holding compassion for both the harms and the gifts of religion.
Whether you’re rooted in a faith tradition, navigating the tension between religion and spirituality, or walking an independent spiritual path, this episode offers insight, inspiration, and space for reflection on your own journey.
Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio
About Bernadette:
Bernadette grew up in a devout Irish Catholic family. https://lighttheday.com/8
Bernadette Thompson is the owner of Tell Me Our Story, Ancestral Healing.
She is an Intuitive Ancestral Healer, Grief, and Spiritual coach, and a guide for
those who have experienced loss. Bernadette helps them move through the
grieving process and introduces them to Ancestral Healing and Spirit
Communication so they can begin to heal.
Several years ago while navigating trauma and loss herself, Bernadette
experienced a profound Spiritual Awakening which opened the channel to
communication with her Ancestors and Guides. She teaches that we are all
spiritual beings and there are many ways to communicate with our loved ones
in Spirit. Helping them understand there is more to learn about the unique
path and that what they have been seeing, feeling, and sensing is real.
Bernadette holds a B.A. in psychology, is trained in grief and trauma, and
holds an End of Life Doula certification from the University of Vermont. For the
past twenty years, she has worked with people, both young and old, guiding
them through many of life’s most difficult transitions.
Connect with Bernadette: https://www.tellmeourstory.com/
About Pooja:
Pooja Jindal Chilukuri is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) and a published Author. Pooja is also the host of the Afterlife podcast, where she interviews those who have had near death, shared death, afterlife communications or other spiritually transformative experiences. In her memoir, And Then There Was Jesus, Pooja shares her journey of deconstructing from religion, healing her spiritual wounds, and reconstructing her faith.
Connect with Pooja: www.poojachilukuri.com
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