(and How Your DNA Holds the Key to Breaking Free)
In this column, I’ve always maintained that everything is spiritual — from the food we eat to the thoughts we think to the very genetic code that makes us who we are. Our DNA isn’t just biological data; it’s sacred information, a divine instruction manual written in the language of molecules and expressed through every choice we make, every craving we experience, every pattern we can’t seem to break.
Which brings me to Jon Hamm.
He’s still easy on the eyes, even with that slight belly, those graying temples and perpetually disheveled hair. But watching his character Coop in “Your Friends & Neighbors” isn’t just eye candy — it’s a spiritual awakening disguised as entertainment. He’s not having a midlife crisis; he’s having a genetic revelation, and it’s both terrifying and oddly sacred to witness.
At surface level, Coop appears to be a privileged man making catastrophically bad decisions. But when you understand the spiritual substance of genetics — the way our DNA speaks to us through cravings, compulsions and inexplicable behaviors — you begin to see something far more profound: a soul trying to communicate through biology.
For those of us in recovery — whether from substances, behaviors or just the general chaos of being human — this hits at the core of our spiritual journey. I’ve rewatched certain scenes multiple times, listening intently to his internal narration as he crumbles before our eyes. I recognize something sacred in his unraveling: it’s the same divine blueprint that’s been trying to get my attention for decades.
The Sacred Science: Your DNA as Spiritual GPS
In previous Spiritual Substance articles, I’ve explored how the foods we eat carry energetic information, how our thoughts create biochemical reality and how our emotions are actually molecules in motion. Today, we’re going deeper into the most fundamental spiritual substance of all: the genetic code that serves as your soul’s operating system.
Your DNA isn’t separate from your spirituality — it IS your spirituality made manifest in physical form. I know that is a big statement, but it’s true in my eyes! Every genetic variation you carry is sacred information about how your soul chooses to experience this lifetime. Your SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) aren’t random mutations; they’re divine variations that determine how you process love, stress, pleasure and pain.
Think of your genetic code as your soul’s chosen curriculum for this incarnation. Some souls choose the curriculum of high sensitivity, designed to feel everything deeply and serve as emotional healers. Others chose the curriculum of intense reward-seeking, meant to push boundaries and create breakthrough innovations. Still others chose the curriculum of slow processing, designed to bring depth and contemplation to a fast-moving world.
None of these curricula are better or worse — they’re just different spiritual paths encoded in biological form.
DRD2: The Sacred Seeker Gene
Let’s start with DRD2, what I call the “sacred seeker” variation. This genetic code affects your dopamine receptors — your brain’s spiritual reward system. In the language of molecules, dopamine is your internal currency of divine connection, motivation and joy.
Some people have an abundance of dopamine receptors (the spiritual equivalent of being born into wealth), while others choose fewer receptors (like taking on the spiritual challenge of scarcity). If you carry the genetic variation that gives you fewer dopamine receptors, your soul is constantly seeking ways to connect earthly experiences. Think: “More of this or that!”
This isn’t a flaw in your spiritual design — it’s a feature. You’re literally wired to seek transcendence and going big more intensely because your system requires more stimulation to achieve the same level of satisfaction. You’re the entrepreneurs, the mystics, the artists, the innovators; the ones who push beyond ordinary experience in search of something more.
But here’s where it gets tricky: in a world that doesn’t understand the sacred nature of seeking, this genetic gift can become a trap. Without proper guidance, the seeking becomes grabbing. The transcendence becomes addiction. The divine hunger becomes destructive consumption. Yep, have been there, done that!
Coop embodies this sacred seeker energy gone sideways. His increasingly reckless behavior isn’t moral failure — it’s a soul crying out for transcendence through the only language his unguided genetics know how to speak. The robbery isn’t about money; it’s about the neurochemical hit of risk and excitement that his under-functioning reward system mistakes for spiritual connection.
I carry this genetic variation too, and for years I misunderstood its purpose. I thought my constant need for stimulation was a character flaw rather than a spiritual calling. I thought my difficulty sitting still was restlessness rather than divine restlessness — the kind that moves mountains and creates revolutions.
During one particularly unregulated period of my spiritual journey, this genetic variation expressed itself through a $600-a-month matcha habit. My rational mind knew this was excessive, but my soul was crying out for something, and matcha was providing a pale imitation of the spiritual nourishment I actually needed.
That wasn’t a quirky habit. That was my sacred seeker gene trying to guide me toward the plant medicine, ritual, and mindfulness practices that would actually feed my soul.
Now, let’s explore GABRA2, which I call the “divine sensitivity” variation. This genetic code affects your GABA-A receptors, which are responsible for grounding and nervous system regulation. GABA is like your soul’s natural sanctuary — it helps you feel safe in your body, present in the moment, and connected to the earth.
If you carry certain variations of GABRA2, you were incarnated with a more sensitive spiritual antenna. You feel everything more deeply, process energy more slowly, and require more time and space to integrate experiences. Your nervous system isn’t broken — it’s calibrated for a different kind of spiritual work.
This genetic variation creates souls who are:
- Natural empaths and energy healers
- Deeply intuitive and spiritually sensitive
- Prone to overwhelm in chaotic environments
- Requiring ritual, routine
,and sacred space to function
- Gifted at detecting bullshit that others miss
I carry the GG genotype of GABRA2, which explains so much about my path. The way crowds feel like an energetic assault. My need for extensive morning rituals to feel grounded. The reason meditation isn’t just helpful for me — it’s essential for survival. My nervous system isn’t high-maintenance; it’s high-sensitivity, designed for deep spiritual work in a world that often feels too fast and too loud.
Watching Coop return to that pawn shop for the second time, you can see his GABRA2 variation crying out for spiritual grounding. He’s not thinking; he’s dissociating. His nervous system is so overwhelmed that dangerous behavior feels like the only way to feel something real, something present, something that cuts through the spiritual numbness.
When Your Soul Speaks Through Substances
Let me share the deeper spiritual truth about my $600-a-month matcha period, because it perfectly illustrates how our genetic variations are actually our souls trying to guide us toward what we need.
I was about 24twenty-four years into recovery when I discovered ceremonial-grade matcha. At first, it seemed like a healthy choice — antioxidants, sustained energy, mindful preparation. But within months, I was ordering increasingly expensive varieties, trying different brands, consuming multiple servings daily, and feeling genuine anxiety when I ran out.
My rational mind labeled this as “addictive behavior” and tried to shame me into stopping. But when I approached it from a Spiritual Substance perspective, everything shifted. My soul wasn’t seeking matcha — it was seeking the spiritual experiences that matcha facilitated.
The L-theanine was helping regulate my divinely sensitive nervous system. The caffeine was giving my sacred seeker brain the gentle stimulation it craved. The ritual of preparation was providing the mindfulness practice my GABRA2 variation desperately needed. The earthy, bitter taste was grounding my often-scattered energy.
I wasn’t addicted to matcha; I was receiving guidance through my genetic variations about what my soul needed to thrive. The “problem” wasn’t the substance — it was that I hadn’t yet learned to provide these spiritual needs through more sustainable practices.
Once I understood this, I could honor the wisdom my genetics were offering while developing healthier ways to meet those needs. I increased my meditation practice. I created more elaborate morning rituals. I worked with plant medicines in ceremonial contexts. I learned to see my genetic variations not as problems to solve, but as spiritual guidance to follow.
Beyond Recovery: The Genetic Awakening
Here’s what 28 years of recovery and a decade of studying the spiritual substance of genetics have taught me: your patterns aren’t pathology — they’re prayers. Your compulsions aren’t character defects — they’re your soul’s attempts to communicate through the only language your genetics know how to speak.
For too long, we’ve been told that self-destructive patterns are moral failings or spiritual weaknesses. That if we just prayed harder, meditated more, or had better faith, we could transcend our struggles. But what if the real issue isn’t your spirituality — it’s that you haven’t learned to read the spiritual messages encoded in your DNA?
What if your tendency to overthink isn’t anxiety — it’s your GABRA2 variation trying to guide you toward contemplative spiritual practices?
What if your inability to feel satisfied isn’t greed — it’s your DRD2 variation seeking the transcendent experiences your soul came here to explore?
What if your pattern of starting and stopping things isn’t spiritual inconsistency — it’s genetic variations affecting how you process spiritual information and integrate spiritual growth?
This isn’t about removing personal responsibility or spiritual accountability. It’s about recognizing that your genetics are part of your spiritual design, not separate from it. It’s about learning to work with your divine blueprint instead of against it.
The Three Shows To Watch
Recently, I’ve been analyzing three current shows through the lens of spiritual genetics: “Sirens,” “Your Friends & Neighbors,” and “Nonnas.” Each one perfectly illustrates different genetic archetypes that affect how we navigate the spiritual lessons of relationships, stress, and healing.
“Sirens” showcases social sensitivity.
“Your Friends & Neighbors” demonstrates the seeker archetypes who are meant to push boundaries and explore destructive pursuits.
“Nonnas” explores trauma and transformation.
These aren’t just entertainment choices; they’re spiritual mirrors reflecting the genetic archetypes we embody. And recognizing these patterns in fictional characters can help us understand our own soul’s curriculum.
Your Spiritual Substance Awakening
If you’ve spent years trying to fix yourself with therapy, self-help books, and spiritual practices, only to find yourself stuck in the same patterns, you’re not spiritually deficient — you’re just working with incomplete information about your divine design.
Your genetics aren’t obstacles to your spiritual growth — they ARE your spiritual growth curriculum. Understanding your genetic variations doesn’t limit your spiritual potential; it reveals the specific path your soul chose for awakening in this lifetime.
Maybe you’re someone who’s done years of spiritual work but still struggles with emotional regulation. Maybe you’ve tried every meditation technique but can’t seem to quiet your mind. Maybe you’ve achieved sobriety or other major spiritual milestones, but still feel like something is missing — like you’re not living in full alignment with your soul’s purpose.
If that resonates, it might be time to decode the spiritual substance of your genetic blueprint.
The Sacred Path Forward: From Confusion to Clarity
Understanding your genetics from a spiritual perspective isn’t about finding excuses — it’s about finding your soul’s true calling. When I finally understood my DRD2 and GABRA2 variations as spiritual gifts rather than biological burdens, everything shifted. I stopped trying to force myself into spiritual practices that didn’t honor my genetic design and started developing approaches that worked with my soul’s chosen curriculum.
I learned that my need for stimulation wasn’t spiritual restlessness — it was divine restlessness, the kind that creates art, builds movements, and pushes consciousness forward. I discovered that my difficulty with emotional regulation wasn’t spiritual weakness — it was divine sensitivity, the kind that allows deep healing work and energetic transformation.
Most importantly, I realized that my struggles weren’t spiritual failures — they were genetic prayers asking me to step into my soul’s true work.
This is why I’ve created a 5-day spiritual journey called “Decode Your DNA, Reclaim Your Power.” Starting July 10th, I’m taking a small group through the exact process I use to help people understand their genetic archetypes and develop personalized spiritual practices for soul alignment.
By the end of five days, you’ll understand your genetic archetype and have practical tools for working with your spiritual substance instead of against it. You’ll stop seeing your patterns as spiritual problems and start recognizing them as divine guidance.
The Revolution Begins With Recognition
Coop’s story doesn’t have to be your story. His genetic gifts led to spiritual confusion because he didn’t understand their purpose. But when you know your soul’s curriculum, you can write a different ending.
Your DNA isn’t your spiritual limitation — it’s your soul’s love letter to yourself, written in the language of molecules and expressed through every breath you take. And once you learn to read this sacred text, you can align with the spiritual path you actually came here to walk instead of the one your unguided genetics keep creating.
The question isn’t whether you have genetic variations that affect your spiritual journey — we all do. The question is whether you’re going to continue wandering in spiritual confusion or finally recognize the divine blueprint that’s been guiding you all along.
Your spiritual substance awakening starts now. Your soul’s true power has been there all along — you just need to decode it.
Lane Kennedy is a DNA Functional Nutritionist, mindfulness teacher, and long-term recovery advocate. She writes the “Spiritual Substance“ column for The Sober Curator, exploring the sacred intersection of genetics, wellness, and spiritual awakening. Her 5-day spiritual journey, “Decode Your DNA, Reclaim Your Power,” begins July 10.
Join the awakening at community.lanekennedy.com
THE MINDFUL BINGE at The Sober Curator is where we binge-watch and chill—mindfully. In this TV series review section, we don’t just consume shows; we explore their stories, themes, and cultural impact through a sober lens. Using our signature Sobees Scoring System, we rate each pick to help you choose your next watch with intention.
Our digital shelves are neatly organized into Drama, Dramedy, and Reality, making it easy to find your perfect series for a night in.
