Episode 20: Winton Higgins - Politics Matters: Becoming A Dharmic Citizen

In Episode 20, I speak with Winton Higgins, a scholar of political science and Dharma Insight Meditation teacher in Australia and New Zealand. We explore the importance of politics within Western Buddhism, socially-engaged Buddhism, the limits of the modern mindfulness movement, and the notion of becoming a “dharmic citizen.”

Winton lives in Sydney, Australia, and began meditating and practicing the dharma in 1987. He took up teaching (mainly vipassana) meditation in 1995, in city classes and in silent residential retreats in rural venues. In 2003 he became one of the regular teachers of the Bluegum Sangha – an ongoing commitment. These days he also teaches regularly for Golden Wattle and Kookaburra sanghas in Sydney. He is a senior teacher for the umbrella body Sydney Insight Meditators, and One Mindful Breath in Wellington, New Zealand. Winton’s meditation teaching has developed towards non-formulaic insight practice based on the Buddha’s original teachings, while his dharmic orientation inclines towards secular Buddhism. He fosters interest in the original teachings and their affinity with modern streams of thought and progressive social commitments. He is a social science academic (specializing in genocide, social democracy, and political theory) and a novelist. He and his partner, Lena, have two daughters, a grandson and two small granddaughters – all living in Sydney too.

To explore more of Winton’s writings, please go to his website at www.wintonhiggins.org In addition, the Tuwhiri Project also provides a range of materials for further reading.