SPIRITUAL GUIDE
Flying Doctor’s new book lands
The Flying Doctor Dave Baldwin has published the third book of his Healthy Bastards campaign, looking at spirituality.
The Bushman’s Bible looks beyond the material world at religion, for those who attend the ‘‘big blue’’ temple in the mountains and bush, rather than conventional churches and temples in the city.
It’s the final part of a trilogy aimed at improving the health of men hesitant to ask for help, specifically those in rural and isolated areas.
His journey started in 2009 with a book called Healthy Bastards ,a medical manual for the ‘‘average dingbat’’ describing physical health in common man’s terms.
Following the suicide of his son and best mate Marc, the series evolved from physical health to mental. Now, it with a look into spirituality.
Released on October 17 at Paper Plus Feilding, in front of more than 150 people, The Bushman’s Bible recognises that not everyone feels spirituality in the same way – and that there is no right or wrong way.
Baldwin said he had met people who were not ‘‘religious’’, but in touch with their spirituality. Some of them mentioned they were interested in going to church, if only it wasn’t called ‘‘church’’.
‘‘The guts of the book is a loose – Barry Crump almost – explanation of Judaism, Christianity and Islam,’’ Baldwin said. ‘‘It’s done in a real around-thecampfire, slang, easy-to-digest way.’’
Baldwin said the book explored states of transcendence, mysticism and spirituality.
‘‘There are so many religious pathways out there for Mr and Mrs Bushman to choose from. How does a good keen man or woman, with their own strange complexities of character and personality type, know which religion would suit them?’’
He believed people became a true ‘‘healthy bastard’’ if they attended to their physical, mental and spiritual sides.