Episode 32 - Mindful Solidarity - an interview with Mike Slott

In this special episode I interview, Mike Slott, about his new book titled, Mindful Solidarity: A Secular Buddhist Democratic Socialist Dialogue. 

Mike is the founder of the Secular Buddhist Network – an organisation that has done a lot of work advocating for a secular approach to Buddhist ideas and practices, and in helping to link together secular Buddhist individuals and groups from around the world. In his book Mike argues for a dialogue between secular Buddhists and democratic socialists – two communities often seen as far apart – showing how, working together, both groups offer a critique of contemporary economics and politics, and show ways to develop and maximise human flourishing. The book is jargon-free, thought-provoking and helpful to anyone trying to navigate a way through the complex and challenging conditions of contemporary life. In the transcript notes, rather than a full transcript, I have included a brief note about secular Buddhism and notes about, and links to, books, organisations and terms referred to by Mike.

I hope you will enjoy this episode and find it to be useful.

Transcript

There is no transcript for this episode. Instead, here are notes about, and links to, books, organisations and terms referred to by Mike in the interview.

MIKE’S BOOK: Mindful Solidarity: A Secular Buddhist Democratic Socialist Dialogue, by Mike Slott. 2024. Tuwhiri.

A brief introduction to ‘Secular Buddhism.’ As noted by Stephen Batchelor, the word, ‘secular,’ is derived from the Latin word, ‘saeculum,’ meaning ‘of this age, time or world.’ The term, ‘secular Buddhism’ is not intended to refer to a new school or sect within Buddhism. The term denotes an exploratory movement of individuals and groups who are developing forms of Buddhist practice that meet the needs and demands of people living in twenty-first century cultures across the globe. Secular Buddhist groups and meetings are usually non-ritualistic, non-dogmatic and free of attachment to any particular teacher or tradition - drawing on contemporary research into the ideas and methods of the historical Buddha and into the questions he poses. The intention is that Buddhist ideas and practices should be open to the same kinds of reasonable questioning and rational enquiry that might be applied to any other activity. The secular Buddhist ‘movement’ is not opposed to formal religious institutions and traditions, but a complement to them. Secular Buddhists are concerned with how to understand and minimise suffering, and to maximise everyone’s potential for a rich and flourishing life. These aims can be realised by developing mindful awareness and an ethical framework grounded in understanding, kindness and peaceful living.

TEXTS

Stephen Batchelor’s 2012 essay titled, A Secular Buddhist, has been very influential: http://gaiahouse.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Stephen-Batchelor-A-Secular-Buddhist.pdf

Mike also refers to these two other books by Stephen Batchelor:

Confession of a Buddhist Atheist. 2010. Spiegel & Grau.

Buddhism Without Beliefs. 1998. Bloomsbury.

Mike also mentions Four Tasks as described by Stephen Batchelor. These are: Embrace life; Let go; Stop grasping; Act – often indicated by the acronym, ELSA. 

Reference is also made to:

John Bellamy Foster – this book of his may be useful: Marx's Ecology: Materialism and Nature. 2000. Monthly Review Press.

LINKS

Secular Buddhist Association:  http://secularbuddhism.org/

Secular Buddhist Network (founded by Mike): https://secularbuddhistnetwork.org/

Another link that may be useful:

Insight Meditation Society – a long-established organisation with lots of resources: http://www.dharma.org/