‘Knowing What We Need and BEING What We Need’

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.

But not meditation instead of other forms of political practice, but as a way of being more effective in our political campaigns, discussions, and negotiations. Because so much of the political activity we see around us seems to be so obviously counter-productive and therefore doomed to perpetuate the very problems – war, injustice, etc – we are trying to solve.

So we need 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 with greater self-knowledge, imagination and sensitivity.

Also, apart from presenting the argument, this is a book for us to practise with, and so 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 at one level that is not really the point: the book is intended for those of any ‘faith’ (or none) and of any political persuasion.

So enjoy: perhaps this book will, at last, make all the difference!

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