Sebene Selassie is a teacher, author, and speaker who explores the themes of belonging and identity through meditation, creativity, and spirituality. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Washington DC, she began studying Buddhism 30 years ago as an undergraduate at McGill University where she majored in Comparative Religious Studies. She has an MA from the New School where she focused on race and cultural studies. For over 20 years, she worked with children, youth, and families nationally and internationally for small and large not-for-profits. Now she teaches classes, workshops, and retreats regularly and is one of the most popular teachers on the Ten Percent Happier app. Sebene is a three-time cancer survivor of Stage III and IV breast cancer. Her first book "You Belong: A Call for Connection" is published by HarperOne.
Website: sebeneselassie.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Summary and transcript of this interview.
Interview recorded February 14, 2021
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:03:56 - Belonging and Not Belonging
00:07:43 - The Mystery of Existence and Belonging
00:11:31 - Vyavaharika Satya: The Transactional Reality
00:15:08 - The Delusion of Separation
00:18:51 - The Power of Being a "Weirdo"
00:22:47 - Mainstream Acceptance of Meditation and Contemplative Practices
00:26:44 - Rocks are People
00:30:47 - Epistemocide: The Legacy of Indigenous Spiritual Practices
00:34:39 - Spirituality and Trust in the Present Moment
00:38:36 - Developing Discernment and the Importance of Community
00:42:54 - Fragmentation within Communities
00:46:28 - The Rise of Interest in Meditation
00:49:57 - A New Era of Spiritual Awakening
00:54:03 - The Power of Nature and Mystical Possibilities
00:58:22 - Nature's response to our predicament
01:02:02 - Spirituality in Refugee Camps
01:05:51 - Cultivating Curiosity and Creativity
01:09:39 - Breaking Habits and Reconnecting
01:13:28 - Awakening through Meditation
01:17:14 - Longing for Connection
01:21:20 - Knowing and Loving Yourself
01:25:25 - The Elements Practice: Earth, Water, Fire, Air
01:28:41 - Akasha and Modern Physics
01:32:47 - Wisdom of Living a Long Life
01:36:09 - Healing from Trauma and Supporting Students with Social Emotional Problems
01:39:58 - Embracing Diversity and Learning from Other Cultures
01:43:38 - Broadening Our Understanding
01:47:34 - Moving towards unbounded love
01:51:18 - Connecting with Sebenesellassie.com
01:54:51 - Upcoming Conversations and Thank Yous