Attitudes of sexual integrity! Freedom from porn and sex compulsions! Addiction Recovery [Sex] Mode!

17 years and one month after starting the ASI podcast I start episode one of the series finale. An epilogue for the ASI podcast.

Unpacking some history of the ASI podcast. 15 years of unpacking stubborn unwanted behavior. explaining some themes hopefully answering some questions like... What’s it like working to understanding the mystery and meaning of motivation? Do I consider myself a kind of a SA pioneer? What if any credibility of Russ Shaw The host in this body of work?

Sex has been demonized for centuries. Who is the D-EVIL? I think it’s one of the ways we get, the flesh and the spirit being at war, is confused.Are we putting a name or character to the evil we would like to see or believe is always 'out there'? Is the devil a scapegoat for trauma? Is this why is the saying, 'the devil made me do it' is so popular? Do we use the devil as a way of not really talking about but as a natural result, projecting our own trauma?

Is it true that The road to recovery goes through your childhood? Does real, lasting freedom from our stubborn unwanted behaviors mean we move must go through our childhood trauma? Why can’t we just leave the past in the past? Eddie stops by the podcast once again to talk about his new book Going Deeper, How the Inner Child Impacts your Sexual Addiction.

S07E14 A Conversation with Keith Giles, Craig Weir form My Pilgrimage and yours truly Russ Shaw. Keith Giles is a licensed and ordained pastor who left the pulpit over 10 years ago to start a house church that gave away 100% of the offering to the poor in the community. He is the author of Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb and also Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible, both of which were published by Quoir Publishing. Keith is also the co-host of the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast and blogs regularly at www.KeithGiles.com. Craig Weir joins us from the gold coast of Australia and is a regular contributor to the My Pilgrimage Facebook group.

Was inspired by this quote and another quote I talk about in the episode. Feeling like I am in full ADHD mode but it’s good because I am able to be me and not let my perfectionism try and polish everything up just so... If you Love anyone or anything there will be suffering. Because what you love is worth suffering for. - Richard Rohr Constructive Intentional contribution

Freedom and the rise of nervous excitement around change. Stand for something or fall for anything? Love that line, I used to hold fast to that line. Still do to a degree. The question is how does one define freedom?

Russ is joined by both Seth Taylor and David Taylor author and co-author of feels like redemption and the creative minds and hearts behind My Pilgrimage. We talk about the energy of purpose, giving forward as well as the definition of perfect and the difference between it and perfectionism.

How is our sexual integrity impacting our self-worth? Or at least our perceived self-worth based on the information that was available to us as we’ve grown to adulthood in this life. This expectation and anticipation of rewards is called the "wanting" in neuroscience language. Have you tried entering on to the freeway of healing? Where is the nearest on ramp? Why do people choose to take the off ramp? And what characters might we meet along the way? What can we expect on this yellow brick road Like journey?

S07E09 If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you keep getting what you’ve always got. Most of us have heard that line before. But what about when it comes to our closely held belief structures? Where does the fear come from? Today I am humbled and honored to have Andrew and David Taylor on the Podcast. David is the identical twin brother of Seth Taylor who co-wrote the book Feels Like Redemption and who started the My Pilgrimage.com and Facebook group which I highly recommend. And Andrew Taylor is David‘s son! David and Andrew talk about launching the new My Pilgrimage podcast soon.

I wrote some surveys which have been on the website for a few years. My motivation in doing? So I could ask listeners nine questions that they probably have never been asked before from the perspective of someone who shared in the struggle of sexually compulsive behavior from my perspective on the other side. For the last few months people haven’t filled out the surveys completely. I get it. I go through one of the surveys and answer all the questions on this episode myself. As well as try to explain why the survey page exists.

In this episode ASI is lacing up our boots and install the backplate, cuirass but before gorget or bevor, and way before putting on the pauldrons. Headed out symbols forward and on display because this time we exploring the layers of sexual attraction, desire, identity and the ways we learn to trust others and ourselves.

Seth Taylor stops by the show and we talk about what it must be like to be quarantined during a pandemic. What of the quick escape? Pornography has been likened to a pandemic but is it? And what of this word discipline, discipleship and what it means to achieve sexual self control? We also discussed the launching of the my pilgrimage apart from triple X church and the upcoming podcast.

In the history of the ASI podcast there’s been a progression. During BLACKOUT the last show encouraged people to talk about their unwanted sexual behaviors. Bring it out in the light with someone. It doesn’t have to be your spouse but if you get caught (which is really easy right now) or you tell them it’s out in the light and you must deal with it. Through bravery and vulnerability things change and even heal over time. Being cooped up is a recipe for corals it’s also a recipe for quiet. Some intentional purposeful audio by some experts in this episode as well. ASI247.org

Russ shares his personal experience with march 2020 and works to draw an emotional picture of our current circumstances. Is it any wonder why pop porn sites viewership is way up during these uncertain times? In this episode he explores the parallels to a major city during a power outage. As the whole world has been thrust into a kind of social psych blackout. How does that affect our relationship with our hearts, minds and bodies?

In the midst of a global pandemic how are we pouring out? How is the fear, anxiety working its way through our bodies? Sex is a powerful coping mechanism what does it look like to move through this kind of global storm?

Russ divulges some of his origin story sexually. Our moral compass is formed pretty early in life. It’s their to protect us from the chaos of our random environment. How do our thoughts about sex shape our self worth as we move through this life?

Season 7 kick off podcast! Russ explains in four minutes how to kick sex and or porn addiction! First show of 2020. And some plans for the road ahead.

Honored to have The Shack author Paul stop by the ASI podcast again. We share the complexities of pain, truth and trust as they feed or grow faith, fear or both in the uncertain realm of circumstances, history and relationships. And bonus material... As an author and storyteller many theologians tend to jump to conclusions about what Paul believes. 8 minutes with Paul and Jim Henderson clearing some of that up. Check out WmPaulYoung.com for more.

The Halloween, all Saints Day, Reformation Day show! Ever have a vivid dream about someone who’s passed away? And why do those dreams tend to have that person giving us wisdom and/or direction? And ASI’s dawn and sunset with Kanye?

What's up with ASI and Russ Shaw? After some time and some movment of counchiousness. Going through the motions reminds me of that line from the film The Shawshank Redemption "Get Busy Living or get Busy Dieing" How about your future status update? Ever catch yourself, asking yourself the question "I'm I the person I thought I would be five years ago?"

What's up with ASI and Russ Shaw? is Russ Shaw a progressive? What do atheists and christians have in common especially when it comes to sexual ethics? I answer a listeners concerns about weather or not I'm a "progressive". As a body of work has it raised my self-esteem but has it lowered my faith in Christ? Some extra thoughts on the queen and metaphor. How about your future status update? Ever catch yourself, asking yourself the question "I'm I the person I thought I would be five years ago?".

This episode has been sliced up in to bite size chunks, for mental digestive purposes. Status Update PART 1 What's up with ASI and Russ Shaw? PART 1 The Queen ant metaphor revisited.

In this weeks fap to NoFap... The past is gone, and the future is blank pages. This is a powerful and motivational statement but what is the validity to it? If you get bit by a rattlesnake do you just sleep it off and say the past in the past? No but getting bit by a rattlesnake, How did that happen? There’s a story waiting to be uncovered there. In this weeks episode I encourages listeners to mind the story gap. ASI247.org

What is NoFap and why is the movement still growing? Russ talks about some ASI season 6 approaches to the amazing place that is NoFap. Shares some of the stories and how he has responded to some of those posts by fapstronauts. ASI247.org

If I’m honest will I be honored? Andrew shares his brave story of bringing extremely difficult things out into the light. No question that healing takes walking straight into truth and honesty. Truth be told when it comes to some of our stories honesty can be a frightening place. But can we still honor and be honest? And if we’re honest will we be honored? Andrew story brings some great insight into how the grace of God shines a bright light of love on the healing path of not only a valuable individual but a valuable family too. An episode inspired by a story in Jay Stringer’s book Unwanted

When the urge to rub one out, comes calling is there a deeper need our bodies are working to get our attention About? Could it when we are horny, it's not just sex our bodies are thirsty for?

If a close friend or confidant were to ask, how is your sexual fantasy life? How would that feel? What would be stirred in you? And how would you define a sexual fantasy? Improbable or unrealistic mental pictures and movies that play in our minds provoking disruptive arousal? Or when it comes to our sexual fantasy life is something deeper or even life giving going on? I tell some stories of how desiring to understand by explaining some of my fantasies helped me reach a new level of peace, well-being and freedom. EDIT

When it comes to higher power, the universe or God what are we really talking about? Russ reads surveys filled out by listeners to the ASI podcast.

Trying and failing so many times is incredibly frustrating! Joined a purity group, accountability group or Bible study and still little lasting results? Praying to God Where is the transformation? I remember that feeling, After working so hard to change my behavior only to find myself feeling utterly disappointed, frustrated and stuck. My friend Seth Taylor felt that way too. This is why we are so exceedingly grateful to talk about the groundbreaking approach My Pilgrimage and the upgrade it’s gotten recently as result of experienced redemption. Experience that comes from authentic, flaws in the light, brave souls sojourning together.

Thinking out loud episode. A friend asks, when it comes to trust, what makes you value someones advice? And when it comes to the failure rate of 12 step and megachurches what has one trusting the people leading those organizations?

Yin and Yang, child-ish or childlike, flesh and spirit. Is it that black and white? Can a child like faith really transform us from the inside out? And if so what do we do with the childish part of ourselves?

Listener on ASI's Facebook group Heart, Mind, Love, Sex and Affection asks... What was your partner’s response to your acting out? Did your wife need recovery after your acting out? How was her childhood and your marriage prior to you acting out?

What is the approach when it comes to focusing in on trying to solve a sex problem? Learning some lessons from people and organisations who spend way more energy on judging the path over walking the path. What does Lady Gaga, the film Dodgeball (A True Underdog Story) and the Apostle Paul have in common? We get into the left brain, right brain understandings of reason, meaning and instruction. Are film makers, song writers and poets highlighting the fact that our feelings are deceptive or undervalued? One could say both, right? How would looking at our lives as a story transform the path we are on?

Kicking off 2019 with an important conversation with Jay Stringer author of Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing. Revealing that which is unwanted in 2019! Knowledge brings opportunity and Unwanted is a ground-breaking resource that explores the WHY behind self-destructive sexual choices.

Now really Closing the lid on 2018. One last show of 2018. Heavy on my heart recently has been listeners going through the pain of life after the bomb goes off. Revisiting The Bomb Going Off with my friend Seth Taylor author of Feels Like Redemption. Gearing up for 2019!

Christmas episode and end-of-the-year review of 2018. Lots of material to cover as Russ Reacts to email Facebook messenger and tweets with questions asked and cognitive dissonance to be resolved. Closing the lid on 2018.

What is the need under the hunger and thirst is really about acceptance? How do developed mental messages of value and worth shape and mold our vision of self? Is self care "selfish"? If we don’t except ourselves how can we understand what it means to except and be excepted in a functional human relationships?!

Do we end up haunting our own lives with relational unfinished business? The cognitive dissonance around relational attachments and being known. Russ continues to unpack intimacy disorder while addressing things said in earlier shows about his own journey and story.

Is it sexual self control or sexual repression? His counselor said "Russ, If you don’t have an orgasm you’re not going to die!" true but is there suffering involved in surviving the not dying? Russ continues to unpack intimacy disorder while addressing things said in earlier shows about his own journey and story.

Motivate me! Get back up one more time! How does that feel? How does it feel when ‘one more time’ loses its hope? We all want to be moved and hopefully moved forward but in seeking forward moving motivations can we sign up for motivations that are counterproductive? Motivations that sell us on moving us forward but actually put us in reverse? Russ explores what it looks like to do a deep dive on what is really motivating us to stay stuck, move in reverse or what, we all want to feel better. To see a more hopeful set of days and to boldly move forward.

When large religious organizations hide from allegations of sexual misconduct is it encouraging a level of intimacy disorder? Rick Theissen and I talk about failures of leadership, moral code and breaking trust. And I ask Rick why he still wants to continue with hosting the GLS Despite Willow’s reputation and failures of leadership in keeping vulnerable women safe.

When large religious organizations hide from allegations of sexual misconduct is it encouraging a level of intimacy disorder? We wonder why American Christians have such a hard time with compulsive pornography consumption while organizations like Willow Creek keep hiding things in the dark? And now Willow, Who’s blatant lack of integrity is exposed to the world by a newspaper (The Chicago Tribune) still want to promote their global leadership?!

A show on priorities? Seriously? Why is that important? Russ talks about self-confidence, self-control, self-discipline and what all of that has to do with priorities. Coming from a guy who’s not the most self disciplined person, what does this have to do with compulsive sexual behavior? And Russ Intersects with another beautifully delicious post from a fapstronaut. By the way, check out NoFap on Reddit. Or go to nofap.com If you do not know what an fapstronaut is.

Seth Taylor and I Discuss polyamory, courage being oneself and a little of theology. We eat dairy or to ask the dangerous question, When it comes to debilitating compulsive behavior... can we come up with a better questions? www.sethalantaylor.com

Seth Taylor and I Discuss polyamory, courage being oneself and a little of theology. We eat dairy or to ask the dangerous question, When it comes to debilitating compulsive behavior... can we come up with a better questions

A healing path is as unique as the human on that path. What can trip us up is the belief in a one size fits all corse of action. And then over time when that doesn’t work we start to think Is freedom even possible? In this episode I invite listeners in to some of the rocky places on my unique path encouraging you to embark on your own unique path.

As sexual integrity breaks down. And the tick, tick of the time bomb runs out... What happens when the bomb goes off? The blast, shrapnel flies everywhere breaking, (most of all) trust. Not to mention the wounds left on close relationships and family members can be extremely severe. My guess today had a bomb go off in his life in a big way. It begs the question, can we disarm the time bomb or is the bomb building revealing something deeper that needs to be diffused? It is my honor to introduce you to Joshua Shea of RecoveringPornAddict.com on ASI Season six episode eight.

If sex or insert other pleasurable activity is offered up, do you want to, have to or get to partake?

Some work I did on Episode 1 Season One. Censoring myself? Russ Shaw Censores Russ Shaw? Gonna have to give it a listen!