Episode 42: James Sebastiano—What is Suffering, a Neti Neti Process & Chasing the Present

In episode 42 I speak with James Sebastiano; a multi-faceted marketing expert, conscious entrepreneur and protagonist of the documentary, Chasing the Present. After watching the film, I was inspired to reach out to James to speak as it was a beautiful, deeply insightful and potent story featuring Gary Weber, Russell Brand, Graham Hancock, Sri Prem Baba, Alex Grey and several more. Our conversation dives into suffering, attachment to false identity, working with plant medicines, the process of making Chasing the Present and the mirror of our families. James is really open and shares a beautiful story both in the episode, but also in the the film itself. At the core, part of the process is beginning to truly ask ourselves, "Who am I?" and feeling what comes up from this, and how it can lead to liberation and connection.

“It’s not about what we think we are, it’s about who we actually are.”

— James Sebstiano

SHOW NOTES

• 4:00 The aesthetic direction of Chasing the Present

• 10:00 James’ health journey starting 10-12 years ago with diet, gratitude, lifestyle

• 15:00 Money won’t make us happy, but we have to learn this for ourselves

• 24:00 Creating a foundation for well-being across different mediums & importance of connection to nature

• 34:00 James’ experience of doing a month-long plant Dieta in Peru

• 43:30 Lessons on control and letting go

• 50:00 Why its important to nurture our own inner child with compassion

• 59:00 Moment in the film with Sri Prem Baba and James on how, ‘suffering is an illusion’

• 65:00 The Neti Neti process of pealing back the layers of who we really are at our core

• 70:00 Shift from conditional happiness to self generated source of happiness

• 76:30 James’ healing process with his father

• 84:00 James’ call to service and where to go next on his journey

---