What if nothing is wrong with you — you’re just living out of alignment?

In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Gary, founder of The WHY Institute, to explore identity, purpose, and what happens when we spend years muting who we really are.

From a life-altering medical crisis to discovering the deeper patterns behind human motivation, Gary shares how finding your Why can change everything — from your career and relationships to your energy, mental health, and sense of meaning.

This conversation goes far beyond business or branding. It’s about remembering who you are and giving yourself permission to live as that person.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why feeling anxious or depressed can be a symptom of misalignment

• The difference between Who you are and What you do

• Why passion disappears when you’re in the wrong role

• How people unknowingly mute themselves to fit in

• The nine core “Whys” that drive human behavior

• Why purpose creates energy — and misalignment drains it

• How discovering your Why can change relationships, careers, and families
  

  This episode is for anyone who feels stuck, exhausted, or quietly disconnected from themselves — and is ready to understand why.

  
  

• 🎧 Listen slowly. Let it land.

  
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  Thank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business⁠ here⁠

  
  

What if the thing you’re avoiding is the thing that frees you?

In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Akshay Nanavati — Marine veteran, explorer, author, and seeker — for a raw conversation about solitude, suffering, and what it means to truly master yourself.

Akshay shares his journey from addiction and PTSD to extreme solitude — including darkness retreats, polar expeditions, and voluntary suffering — not as acts of punishment, but as a way to build an honest relationship with himself.

This episode isn’t about doing hard things for ego or validation. It’s about learning the right kind of hard — the kind that leads to integration, presence, and peace.

In this episode, we explore:

• Survivor’s guilt and life after war
• Addiction as an escape from the self
• Why solitude is one of the most powerful teachers
• Darkness retreats and sitting with discomfort
• Voluntary suffering vs. self-destruction
• The difference between force and alignment
• Why “the only way out is through” is a lived truth
  

This is a conversation for anyone who feels restless, numb, or disconnected — and is ready to stop running.

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Thank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business⁠ here⁠

In this deeply moving episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Vanessa Medina to talk about healing after trauma, the quiet strength required to rebuild a life, and why trusting your village can be the difference between survival and transformation.

Vanessa shares her story with honesty, clarity, and wisdom—exploring what it means to show up for your future self even when the present moment feels unbearable. Together, they discuss grief, healing, nervous system regulation, and the permission to experience joy again after pain.

This conversation isn’t about fixing or rushing the healing process.
It’s about honoring it.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why strength doesn’t always look like certainty

• The importance of trusting your village during trauma and transition

• How daily intentions and small wins can create stability

• Why healing is not linear—and that’s okay

• What it means to show up for the version of yourself you’re becoming

Pour a drink, take a breath, and join us at the table.

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Thank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business here