For nearly 30 years Richard Winter has studied and practised Buddhism and meditation at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, and he currently teaches meditation at the Buddhist Centre for students of the Cambridge University of the Third Age. As a Professor of Education at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK, his research was mainly concerned with helping nurses, social workers and teachers to develop reflective, critical and creative methods of working. He is currently involved as a member of a radical political campaigning group and has also been a (frustrated) semi-active member of a political party for several decades.
Why doesn’t our politics ‘do what it says on the tin’? What on earth happened to ‘Truth’, ‘Responsibility’, ‘Honesty’ and ‘Trust’? The words and concepts have long been familiar. They are all ‘on the tin’, so to speak. But not much sign, anywhere, of putting them into practice!
So what actually needs to change? Not just our values or our ideas but, surely, our behaviour, our habits. We don’t just need a description of the changes we want to see, but an understanding of how we can BE those changes. And this is where meditation comes in.
Meditation not just as thinking, but as actions that we practise until they become habits. To enable us not only to think differently about politics but to develop forms of awareness that enable us to respond more effectively – with greater self-knowledge, imagination and sensitivity.
So this is a book for us to practise with, and the final section is a practical guide to meditation methods.
The details of the meditation practices are derived largely from the philosophical and psychological teachings of Buddhism, but the book is intended for those of any faith (or none) or of any political persuasion.
So enjoy: perhaps this book will make all the difference!
How shall I lead my life? What will bring me happiness (and can I possibly know this in advance)? Where do my ethical values, feelings and opinions come from? How do I know if I really understand something, or are my judgements always just opinions? Should I be optimistic or pessimistic about ‘human nature’ – including my own, of course? Finally, are there any ‘objective’ answers to all of this or is any answer always as good as any other?
If such questions seem important to you personally, then this book is written for you. Its focus is precisely on methods for understanding better the nature of our experience, behaving more ethically and with greater emotional awareness.
Don’t Expect a Standing Ovation is a reworking in contemporary terms of an ancient Buddhist teaching on meditation, but it is intended for readers of any ‘faith’ (or none), i.e., for anyone who is open to meditation as a possibly helpful practical response to the sense of unease arising from the questions listed above. Buddhist teachings are, therefore, introduced not as a ‘religion’ but as a combination of psychological, ethical and philosophical ideas that are nevertheless in themselves not unfamiliar.
The teaching consists of fifty-nine slogans or maxims, which taken together form a practical handbook of guidance in responding skilfully (and indeed, therefore, ‘wisely’) in our everyday interactions with others.
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Here are two new books which present an idea that increasingly feels as if it is of crucial importance for us all: meditation – as a practical form of self-help for these troubled times. Not, of course as a substitute for all the other things we need to be doing, but as a series of practical methods for making what we attempt more effective, both in our personal relationships and in our public affairs.
‘How to BE the Change We Need’ gives a clear picture of how we can think about political issues, whilst keeping a firm hold of our Buddhist practice of mindfulness, ethics, wisdom and compassion. ........
My book, Don’t expect a Standing Ovation, is featured on The Secular Network. Read the blog feature to get an inside view about my book. I’m delighted to announce that my book, Don’t expect a ........
Why doesn’t our politics ‘do what it says on the tin’? What on earth happened to ‘Truth’, ‘Responsibility’, ‘Honesty’ and ‘Trust’? The words and concepts have long been familiar. They are all ‘on ........
How shall I lead my life? What will bring me happiness (and can I possibly know this in advance)/? Where do my ethical values, feelings and opinions come from? How do I know if I really understand ........
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