The first session was an interview with Daniel Hahn, who wrote 'If this be magic: the unlikely art of Shakespeare in translation', and the second was a panel involving Hiroko Yoda, who wrote '8 million ways to happiness', Paul Callaghan, who wrote 'Leading from the dreaming' and Brigid Delaney, who wrote 'The seeker and the sage'.
The most resonant moment of the festival was listening to Paul talk about the Indigenous Australian concept of The Flow. Instead of being caught up in abstracted and ineffectual reasoning, such as deliberating over possible options for travel this year (if you're me), tuning into The Flow necessitates listening to your body and tuning in to your gut instinct. This was wisdom I could directly apply to my life: I was in dire need of someone telling me not to take my endless mental chatter so seriously and take a look at what is intuitively apparent.
In 2026 I mused over potential travel experiences to the point of frustration. I was confused. I was annoyed. But I will begin afresh, with the question: "Where do I want to be right now?" Today I feel like being in my apartment in Sydney. There's no need for escape. I have everything I need.
There might come a time when the answer to the question, "Where do I want to be today?" will change, and then, and only then, will I do something about it. 3.5 weeks ago, I felt like going to the Blue Mountains for a week or less, and I acted upon that wish, with great results. A short break, only 2 hours away, had sufficient restorative impact.
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The pantheist ways of Japanese spirituality were conveyed by Hiroko Yoda, whose reawakening to Shinto following the unfortunate loss of her parents inspired her to be thankful for the life around her. According to the religion, everything that can be conceived of, whether it's the sun, a tree, or a toothache, has a spirit. She finds spiritual meaning throughout her day, in moments mundane or dramatic. I imagine Hiroko would say that even the consumption of lunch can be a source of wonder. It's about energy, or the presence of life force, in every bite. For her, the number of '8 million' (ways to happiness) is just an example of how it's possible to conceptualise of them: in reality the spirits (kami in Japanese) are infinite.
There is another dimension to pantheism in Shinto, namely the mutually approving relationship between it and Japan's other dominant religion, Buddhism. Practitioners of the two regularly visit each other's temples or shrines to pray. The only belief you need to hold to pay your respects in a temple or shrine is respect for the host religion. The foundation of respect allows you to recognise the emotional resonance and philosophical relevance of another religion in your life.
Now, I am not religious, but I do think there is a generosity there which non-Japanese can learn from.
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[I think I'll discuss Daniel Hahn and his book in a Part 2.]
