Western
Suburbs Weekly - November 16th 2004 (Australia)
How to get a life
Stress-relief mediation at a Buddhist centre was the start of something big for David Michie. He now leads a different lifestyle and enjoys much success.
By martin turner
Subiaco author and public relations consultant David Michie is unsure if adopting Buddhist practices changed his fortunes, but it certainly changed his mind.
Working successfully in PR, in London, a nasty rash led Michie to a medicine practitioner, who advised stress relief, which let to meditation class at a Buddhist centre.
The Rhodesian (now Zimbabwean) had written novels without getting them published but that soon changed, with a publisher taking up his expose of the PR industry, The Invisible Persuaders: How Britain's Spin Doctors Manipulate the Media.
Though litigation proceedings meant the book was almost co-authored by a lawyer, Michie's change of thinking led him to start writing PR thrillers, a genre in which he has found international success.
He quit his PR company, struck out on his own then left London with his Perth-born with Janmarie, eventually settling here.
Buddhism has been a constant, with Michie believing he has attained a "101, or 102, maybe" level of enlightenment as a student of the Tibetan Buddhist Society, Perth.
He has since published a book Buddhism for Bush People: Finding Happiness in an Uncertain World (Allen and Unwin).
It is an entertaining and informative outline of central Buddhist practices told through the medium of Michie's own introduction to the tradition in London and the part it has played in all aspects of his life.
The author sees Buddhism as an "a la carte rather than set menu".
"Buddhism is a practice-based tradition, rather than a believe-based religion," he said.
"There are countless practices for all kinds of things and you can take those practices that will help you in your life and get as involved as you want.
"While most religions tend to focus on the relationship with God, Buddhism tens to focus on our experience of reality.
"In western culture there is a strong believe that we can make ourselves happy by rearranging the externals of our lives.
"But true happiness is not to be found out there."
Michie's initial encounters with Buddhist philosophy and the central practice of meditation alerted him to his own mental limitations.
"Most of us do suffer from a high level of agitation." he said.
Michie spent 10 minutes each day mastering the art of counting each breath without his mind wandering. For several months he could only count to four without other thoughts crowding in.
His first teacher explained it thus: "If you allow a glass of murky storm water to stand, eventually the dirt settles and you are left with only clear water. It's the same with meditation." Rinpoche paused, his smile beautiful.
"Eventually we discover that the true nature of our mine is nothing except pure clarity, awareness - and bliss."
Michie stresses that Buddhism is not a cause to abandon the life you lead - he still enjoys the finer things in life.
"We life in what I would describe as a "me" culture, directed towards the instant gratification of that person's desires," he said.
"Redressing the balance is more what I'm getting at.
Buddhism for Busy People: Finding Happiness in an Uncertain World is available in bookshops.