Ep. 7: Sam Brandao

Welcome back, curious hearts —This week’s episode is a tender, smart, and surprisingly funny conversation with my longtime friend Sam Brandao — a law professor, musician, and someone I’ve known since we were awkward, opinionated teenagers trying to make sense of the world. (Spoiler alert: we're still trying.)Sam is one of those people who might surprise people with the depth of his spiritual life — which is exactly why I wanted to talk to him. On the surface, he’s a rational, level-headed law professor. He only goes to church so he can play the organ. But beneath that? He’s someone who has been asking the same questions we all are:What do I actually believe?Can anything be trusted?What does practice look like when life keeps pulling you off-center?What if everything I built to protect me is actually a cage?This episode moves between the philosophical and the deeply personal. We talk about grief, law school culture, non-duality, breath, the weirdness of spiritual practice, and why so many of us come back to it even when we try to run away.We also cover:* How Sam went from childhood atheist to weekly church organist* The deeply spiritual experience of not listening to the sermon* Why patriotism might have been our real “childhood religion”* Whether safety is real — or just another illusion* What happens when you stop trying to be right and start trying to be real* The spiritual roots of resistance (yes, including actual war)This is one of those conversations that surprised me as it was happening — where we followed the thread wherever it led, and wound up somewhere deeper than we expected.Did this conversation resonate?Here’s how to stay connected:🌀 Subscribe (it’s free!) so you get new episodes in your inbox💬 Leave a comment or send me a message — I love hearing what lands for you🔗 Share this episode with a thoughtful friend🌿 Work with me: veralester.com — I offer spiritual coaching, work mentoring, and ceremony design for people on the edge of changeThank you, always, for listening. May you keep turning toward what matters.----------------------------------------00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:26 Meet Sam Brandao03:22 Sam's Early Spiritual Life05:38 Musical Journey in Church09:54 Law School and Critical Thinking18:23 Shifting Perspectives on Religion25:30 Spirituality in Daily Life33:52 Philosophical Reflections36:10 Reflections on Patriotism and Impermanence37:38 The Evolution of Patriotism in Modern Times41:03 The Role of Law and Security in Society43:33 Spirituality and Social Justice53:39 Meditation and Spiritual Practices56:16 The Paradox of Practice01:01:53 Breath and Martial Arts01:08:09 Final Thoughts and Farewell 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