Ep. 31: Sam Reynolds

My aspiration in the interview episodes of Curious Hearts is to reflect the extraordinary diversity of human spiritual life. Our internal worlds are the closest understanding we have of the Divine: vast, extraordinary, and always inspiring. No wonder we’re so curious.The magic of this conversation with Sam Reynolds is that his personal spiritual journey is a microcosm of how much is available to us when we follow our hearts — from boxer to childhood preacher, from radical atheist to dedicated Muslim, from strategic skeptic to visionary astrologer. These adjectives can only skim the surface of our conversation, which I know you’ll enjoy.I was introduced to Sam at the the Northwest Astrology Conference in May of 2020, where he gave a keynote about the power of astrology in those radical shifting times to connect us to each other and to ourselves. He was so inspiring, I immediately registered to study with him, and have been honored to call him friend since.You’ll hear in our conversation what a skilled teacher he is and why he was a preacher — his language is vivid, detailed, and makes you think deeply. We also talk about the mythic quality of astrology, our responsibilities to being in righteous community, and how he’s making sense of his spiritual life these days. He surprised me!This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.00:00 – Introduction to Sam Reynolds03:00 – Childhood faith, church, and early mysticism08:00 – Atheism, conversion, and becoming a child minister14:30 – Leaving the ministry and the loss of certainty22:00 – Black nationalism and intellectual searching27:30 – Astrology as a spiritual turning point34:30 – Traditional astrology, Kabbalah, and study41:30 – Islam, practice, and eventual departure49:00 – Ancestral veneration and a spirituality beyond dogmaConnect with SamIf you’d like to learn more about Sam’s take on astrology, be sure to sign up for his newsletter and keep and eye out for his upcoming classes — both in person and online. He’s an excellent teacher and I really appreciate how he holds that space.You can find everything you need at: https://www.unlockastrology.com/Work with MeIf you’re craving support on your spiritual path or seeking more meaning in your work, you can explore ways to work with me at veralester.as.me/Coaching-Discovery.You can also reach out directly at [email protected] or connect with me on Substack.#CuriousHearts #SpiritualJourney #AstrologyPodcast #SamReynolds #FaithAndDoubt #SpiritualPractice #Astrology #AncestralVeneration #Mysticism #Humanism #ReligionAndSpirituality #SpiritualPodcast #MeaningMaking #LivingTheQuestions This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit veralester.substack.com/subscribe