Paul Ryder, Ph.D.

Dr. Ryder founded the Congregation for Sacred Practices (“CSP”) in late 2019, following decades of spiritual investigation, religious studies (including amongst Protestant, Catholic, and Pentecostal organizations and congregations, and while observing and learning from Native American and Indigenous healers and traditions), and personally transformative experiences involving sacred rituals. The Congregation for Sacred Practices is a religious organization devoted to building spiritually awakened communities and to the development and training of licensed ministers. Seminarians who feel called to work with sacred plant medicines may apply to undertake CSP’s rigorous, three-year training program. There, they will develop a practical skillset derived from the study of spiritual direction and counseling; foundational sacred texts from diverse mystical traditions; sound and vibration meditation; spiritual practices; somatics; energy healing; and the administration of entheogenic sacraments. Prior to committing fully to a religious path, Dr. Ryder worked in corporate settings and universities as a professor, writer, executive, consultant, and coach. His approaches to deep pattern recognition, principle discovery, learning design, and strategic development have been employed by a wide range of clients, from federal government agencies to tech and media companies. Dr. Ryder holds degrees from Harvard (Artium Baccalaureus, Physics), Rutgers University (Masters of Science, Developmental and Social Psychology) and Pacifica Graduate Institute (Masters of Arts and Ph.D., Mythology, Religious Studies, and Depth Psychology).