Thursday, October 14th, 2004...8:26 am
An insight
I was, like many people, shocked at the bitterness with which Michael Costello (former Chief of Staff to Kim Beazley) spoke on AM on Monday morning about Labor’s failed campaign.
I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of days, and I think that he and all the ALP big boys and girls should go on a 10 day silent meditation retreat.
Firstly, because it’s an amazing and enriching experience. I’ve done it twice and highly recommend it. “Vipassana” means “insight” and is associated with the Theravadan school of Buddhism which is prominent in South East Asia, particularly countries like Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. The guy I studied with, Dhiravamsa, is Thai. Unlike the famously superstrict Blackheath school (in the Blue Mountains near Sydney), Dhira’s approach combines elements of western psychoanalytical theory, qi gong and kundalini yoga with the hours and hours and hours of sitting on a cushion in silence. And at night you get to dance to Bob Marley.
I found that 10 days of silent contemplation really helped me to realise how much of the shit I thought I was mired in was coming out of my own head. Clarity and a little detachment would serve the big ALP dudes well now, I think.
The other reason I think a retreat would be a good idea is the silence part, or to give it it’s proper name, “Noble Silence”. The reason for silence is to intensify the process. But it also stops a lot of shit that does not need saying out loud, or saying in public.
John Faulkner will be exempted from the retreat, and can go and have a nice rest at the beach instead.
5 Comments
October 16th, 2004 at 4:30 am
Pretty good advice. For everyone, occasionally.
October 17th, 2004 at 2:54 am
Ahh yes, Michael Costello gets a gig writing for the Oz for the Labor side by bagging Labor all the time. Fair and Balanced. A Shaolin retreat where he can carry buckets of water with outstretched arms for all eternity.
October 17th, 2004 at 4:39 am
CL: absolutely, but you’d be amazed at the number of people who think they’d die without sms for 10 days
Anthony: as long as it’s carrying water insteading of learning how to smash things up physically. We don’t need him doing that. (and top man of action-ing, yourself, btw)
January 6th, 2005 at 9:16 pm
Yes, I’ve done the Vipassana thing too, and it is very good. Sometimes I think I should just stay and become a monk.
December 21st, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Great advice, not just for ALP politicians but for all. Wouldn’t it be wonderfull when at the beginning of each year “sitting still” away from the world would be the start of better politics no matter which side.
Going inside might mean less projection, less overstepping of the political bounderies, more awareness of our precious planet, but above a steady and balanced mind.
Who knows one day it is compulsary before entering the political arena to actually have some knowledge of self before attacking the so-called opponent.
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