Mindful Solidarity: a secular Buddhist democratic socialist dialogue

Buddhist meditators and progressive political activists rarely interact. Activists may dismiss Buddhism as irrelevant in the face of struggles for urgent political change, while many Buddhist meditators believe activists fail to recognize that human suffering arises not simply from unjust social institutions but also from our tendency toward greed, anger, and delusion.

In Mindful Solidarity, Mike Slott encourages political activists and Buddhist practitioners to connect with and learn from each other. A secular form of Buddhism and democratic socialist politics complement each other, he argues. We need to pursue both individual and social transformation.

Secular Buddhism enables us to recognise the ways in which we harm ourselves and others, as well as how we weaken progressive political movements. Buddhist meditation practice is an essential tool for activists working to transform oppressive social institutions, the source of so much human suffering.

Political activists with a meditation practice and imbued with an ethic of care can play a vital role as we work to create fundamental social change. At the same time, the Buddhist path of individual transformation is enriched by making it more ethically and socially focused.

We will be strengthening our political movements by injecting mindfulness and compassion into our campaigns and projects, and when we pursue individual and social transformation at the same time, we are enriching the Buddhist path, making it more ethically and socially focused.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A long-time political and labor movement activist, Mike continues to explore the
intersection between secular Buddhism and socially engaged Buddhism. He is an
editor of the SBN website and their newsletter, ‘Rethinking the Dharma/Reimagining
Community’.

PRAISE

"Progressive politics works for social change. Buddhism focuses on individual change. Do they need each other? Mindful Solidarity brings them into a fruitful dialogue. Mike Slott's conclusion is persuasive: we need both."
—David R Loy, author of Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis

"A group of meditators and a group of activists walk into a book. Activists passionately express their visions and meditators share dharma understandings. Mindful Solidarity intertwines their voices, weaving discernment, cooperation and guidance into every page."
—Linda Modaro, co-author of Reflective Meditation: Cultivating Kindness and Curiosity in the Buddha's Company

"A brilliant and accessible analysis of Buddhism and Marxism that weaves together ideas and practices from two seemingly incongruous traditions to reveal a higher synthesis in which the central values of both are honoured and integrated."
—Stephen Batchelor, author of After Buddhism

"The exorbitant power of the few needs mindless division amongst the many. A mindful solidarity is its only antidote."
—Yanis Varoufakis, author of Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism