Freedom Behind Bars

In my travels around the Boston area, I frequently pass a place in which a shocking murder occurred. I think about how the victim -- a promising young woman who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time -- must have felt knowing she was about to die. I think about her final seconds of life as she struggled for survival.

This crime preys on my mind and disturbs my solace. Still, it hasn't stopped me from working with prisoners in a maximum-security prison, meeting with men who have at times committed violent crimes and are trying to understand what they did and why.

I can picture one prisoner who showed up faithfully for our group meetings, speaking at first in a guarded manner and then more openly about his childhood. He always did more than was asked, as if this might be his only opportunity to discover the truth about his past, and to benefit from the opportunity to deeply understand his personal story and for others to hear him talk about it.

His story is what hit me hardest. I learned that he had murdered that young woman.

I was badly shaken. Overcome with a rush of strong and conflicting emotions, I felt I could never return to the prison group. But, as I struggled to understand myself, I concluded that I had to go back and face my fears. I am so glad I did. I now saw this story through another lens, and I now knew that damaged and lost prisoner who was working courageously to face his past, his own experiences as a victim of violence as a child -- and the horrendous crime he had committed.

My discovery of this complicated and emotional prison world came over a dozen years ago when I found a distant, foreign land down the street from my home and safe neighborhood: A medium-security prison in Concord, Massachusetts. The prison sits on the edge of a traffic rotary that I had been circling for many years. I wavered between a lack of curiosity about what was happening behind the walls, and, at times, a sense of fear about the people locked inside. Who were they and what had they done?

I clearly remember a hot summer day when I read a newspaper article in the town paper asking for volunteers to work with prisoners. I immediately responded, thinking that I could now use my professional skills as an anthropologist and psychiatric nurse. I wanted to be helpful.

I had had many adventures as a nurse in an Eskimo village in Labrador, and in the Peace Corps in the mountains of southern Africa. Yet, as I placed the phone call to the prison volunteer association, I had no idea that I was about to enter the most powerful, life-changing experience of my life. I always thought of myself as a healer for others in need. I now realize I had much to learn about myself. And prison was to become my classroom.

Life in prison is filled with danger, deprivation, and a pervasive sense of loss. There is a predominant gladiator lifestyle that attracts many to public displays of manhood and prowess. Yet, among many prisoners, there is a yearning to construct a more meaningful existence. Away from the distractions and physical trappings of the outside world, prisoners are in a setting that is potentially conducive to deep reflection and the development of self-awareness, self-understanding and compassion. Prison treatment programs typically offer guidelines for shaping prisoners' behavior and changing their thinking, but stop well short of providing them the safety, support and skills to reflect upon their emotions, their addictions, childhood histories, and crimes.

I had been teaching meditation in prisons for several years when I heard that a large and growing number of prisoners were learning to meditate in a maximum-security prison outside Birmingham, Alabama. When the prison psychologist, Dr. Ron Cavanaugh, invited me to visit and to interview some of the meditating prisoners, I immediately packed my tape recorder and flew down.

That visit and the stories that I heard while there set my course over the next 10 years. Soon after that first trip to Alabama, I became aware of a meditation practice, Vipassana, which is taught in centers around the world and contains the elements that I felt were most needed in an effective prison program: the opportunity and techniques for significant introspection in a safe and supported environment. With collaboration among Ron Cavanaugh, the Alabama Department of Corrections, and a Vipassana center in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, a Vipassana program, based on the 2600-year-old teachings of the Buddha, was brought into this Alabama prison.

After witnessing the powerful convergence of an overcrowded, understaffed, maximum-security prison -- considered the end of the line in the Alabama correctional system -- and an ancient, intensive meditation program, I realized that this story needed to be documented, and could only be fully told through film. The Dhamma Brothers documentary film tells a dramatic tale of human potential and personal transformation as it follows the prisoners on their journey inside.

Since its theatrical release in 2008, The Dhamma Brothers has galvanized audiences, won awards, and received positive reviews. In the words of U.S. Congressman John Lewis, "The Dhamma Brothers have taken their own passage to India and discovered a practice of meditation that guides them down their inner path to freedom".

Comments

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Jenny - I am so glad to have met you through Fleet when you were in town.

Your work is so valuable. The Dharma Brothers is still in my heart and mind.

May you continue to bring on the dharma.

I hope to see you on HP living often.

Ed

[AhmaDaeus]

INCARCERATING PEOPLE "FOR PROFIT" IS IN A WORD....WR­ONG!
In fact, until all private prisons in America have been abolished and outlawed, “the promise” of fairness and justice at every level of this country’s judicial system will remain unattainable. We must restore the principles and the vacant promise of our judicial system. There is urgent need for the good people of this country to emerge from the shadows of indifference, apathy, cynicism, fear, and those other dark places that we migrate to when we are overwhelmed by frustration and the loss of hope.
My hope is that you will support the National Public Service Council to Abolish Private Prisons (NPSCTAPP) with a show of solidarity by signing "The Single Voice Petition"
http://www.petitiononline.com/gufree2/petition.html

Please visit our website for further information: http://www.npsctapp.blogspot.com

–Ahma Daeus
"Practicing Humanity Without A License"…

[HalfBakedSushi]

After working with ex-felons in halfway house situations at our local literacy council, I have become curious about teaching English in prisons. (I have a Master's in English Language & Lit and have taught at comm. colleges.) However, my fear generally wins over curiosity basically b/c I'm a young-ish female. It is essays like this that help to allay those fears and stoke my curiosity and desire to teach in that atmosphere.

But I must echo jayes' comment re: the three tracks in the article. The lead made me very curious about the inmate who did more than asked and seemed to capitalize on the reflection time. What was the outcome of his situation? Did he finally understand how his childhood played into his adulthood? Was there every any sort of epiphany and sincere remorse? Is the author of the essay still in contact with this inmate? How, exactly, did the experience with this inmate affect the author? Did the inmate begin meditating? If so, what was his experience? How did his experience connect with his apparent desire to understand the fallout of his life choices? Did he truly find freedom behind bars? The beginning seems to go from solid, specific examples to generalizations to another topic entirely - which was just as interesting, but not directly connected to the lead.

[cynara]

If you are interested in teaching Reading/English at prison, yet wary about working with men, why don't you volunteer at a female prison unit? There are more women being locked up than ever before and they could also benefit from your expertise.­...

[HalfBakedSushi]

Thank you for your suggestion! Lol, as obvious as it is, it had truly never occurred to me! *hits head with heel of hand* And I could-a had-a V8! ;)

I'll have to do some research and see if there is a women's prison / unit in my area.

[plaidsportcoat]

Everyone needs to read "The Family" by Jeff Sharlet
So many of our leaders secretly belong to this jesus worshiping cult of non-christians
They believe Buddhism is a demonic, satanic religion and they get together in their secret cells and pray for its downfall regularly. Members include people like Orrin Hatch and many, many republicans and a few conservadems. They worship power and hate all religions except their cult of jesus

[Texleft]

Here in Texas prisons are a major growth industry. Our former governor Bush and now Perry see to it that private prisons run by CCA, formerly Wacenhut, make good money from locking up everyone the cops can lay their hands on. And with super conservative courts and jurys we can be sure the keys will be thrown away.

[ModernTimes1]

Next time post something relevant, please.

[helpusa]

I wish that there was more like this done with and for prisoner. Prisons are often places where they go in better criminals than when they went in. This is a crisis that should be looked into as to why there are people that can and do profit from more criminals in our jails.

[Myoho]

Freedom and Liberation from suffering comes from within. It is a mental state... not a physical one.

Vapissana is the awakening of the "minds' eye". It is seeing the true nature of reality.

[jayes]

(before i go to meditate)

this article has about three tracks. for the sake of journalism, what's the point?

[ModernTimes1]

I can see how Vipassana would work in prison. Many of the inmate conditions actually mimic the austere conditions of Vipassana retreats. I mean it sincerely, without jest.

TM is a practice which emerged out of Hindu seed mantra meditation tradition. TM is effective but not for all. Intial teaching of TM should be strictly supervised.
TM absolutely should not be taught to inmates with serious or moderate psychiatric disorders as well as present drug addictions. Mantra meditation could have considerable negative repercussions for such persons.
For those persons, mild guided meditation or progressive relaxation is a safer choice.

Pranayama can also be extremely effective for most.

[ModernTimes1]

P.S.For those without access to a mantra meditation teacher, I recommend a very inexpensive alternative to TM.
It is identical in all ways but no face-to-face week long intensive offered by TM.
In short, you get what you pay for: $50 bucks instead of many hundreds doe TM.
See:
http://www.naturalstressreliefusa.org/home.php

P.P.S I am in no way, shape or form connected to this website or its owners.

[inlight1]

There is nothing Hindu about TM. It is from the Vedas as interpreted by the Indian philosopher Shankara the founder of the Vedanta tradition. Hinduism is a faith based religion worshiping multiple Gods.

TM does seem to get a lot of negativity due to how people resond to the TM organization. I can understand that. But there were no negative reactions from even the most hardcore sciopaths in the prisons participating in the TM project. The research done on the program was independent and not related to the TM organization unlike a lot of other TM research.

I am sure your aware of the project started by the David Lynch Foundation. I suggest you check out the current reseach for some real time information if interested.

[ModernTimes1]

II am intimately familiuar with Lynch' foundation­..They do great work!
I would completely disagree with your contention "there is nothing Hindu about TM."

Any one even remotly familair with TM, Maharishi, Guru Dev and TM puja and the seed mantras would naturally disagree.
In my humble opinion it is a mistake to deny the extremely profound religious Hindu tradition. People in the world are becoming more familair with the great spiritual tradition of the East. TM should embrace itr more, not deny it to the outsiders.
Jai Guru Dev.

[longtimegone]

You cannot sever the Vedantic tradition, from Shankara through Ramana Maharishi and Nisargadatta, from Hinduism any more than you can sever the Sufism of Abdul-Qadir, Rumi, or ibn Arabi from Islam. Vedanta and Sufism are the essences of the religious teachings from which they have emerged, the pinnacles, but sadly, they seem difficult to grasp for most. But to sever the connection relegates the average believer to a life of gnawing on the rind and never tasting the juice; by keeping the connection intact, they may sooner or later get a taste of the essence and be transformed.

[SansArc]

It's nice to see inmates and ex-cons find solace and meaning from jail. I think in our society we regard people after the crime has already been committed as hopeless heaps of flesh. Forgetting that many of these people have a past that has lead to their unfortunate actions. They are not all psychopathic animals. They are victims of their own ignorance and when they hit the cell they seem to be surrounded by a perpetual life of greed and hatred. They come out worse and they feed the belief that rehabilitation can not work. They get out of jail and continue the cycle. The good examples are people such as Malcolm X who's past was filled with bad and he only ends up in jail. However after prison he becomes one of the great leaders of the civil rights movement. We need to encourage ex-cons and prisoners of another way and give them a real fighting chance when they get out. Both in their everyday lives and spiritually. We have as a society given up on the idea of rehabilitation. They get prison terms not only for their actions but also to reflect and amend for them. The crime has been committed. The question is when they serve their time; what next?

[ohmetoo]

The supreme court in Argentina has ruled that it is unconstitutional to punish people for using marijuana for personal consumption.

[inlight1]

Not just a teacher of TM, George Ellis has worked as a correctional service officer in the county jails of San Mateo Calif., as a guidance counselor in residential treatment facilities for the mentally disturbed, and as a drug resource specialist at the California Youth Authority, where he has taught juveniles TM.

Having taught TM in prisons for 17 years, Ellis says he has seen the program alleviate enormous human pain and suffering.­It also significantly reduces stress, improves memory and health, and boosts self-esteem and self-worth, he says.He feels TM would be more widely used in U.S. prisons if corrections officials were more open-minded about the treatment.

In 1982 Ellis was part of an extensive demonstration project at the Vermont Department of Corrections in which 150 correctional professionals and 360 inmates -- 4O percent of the total inmate population -- were taught to meditate.A­fter the two-week experimental period, there was a 30 percent reduction in institutional problems.I­n addition, employees reported they felt less hostile, anxious and stressed.E­llis cites another example in which a 17-year-old male at the California Youth Authority committed an average of 17 assaults per month before learning the technique.­In the following four months, he committed just one assault.

There is no doubt about the effectiveness and success of TM.

[goddess1871]

Wow! That sounds really cool. It's always good to hear about some of the good and healing things that happen in a prison instead of only the bad ones.

[janeycat]

i watched the trailor on utube..loo­ks like a real good thing...i'­m not a inmate but i think meditation would work for me......i sometimes use breathing exercising­........i suffer from cronic back pain that at times nothing helps.....­...

[inlight1]

I wonder if you are aware of the Transcendental Meditation program instituted in 1979 at Folsom and San Quentin prisons in California.
The program was started by George Ellis a TM teacher and documentet in his book Freedom Behind Bars: TM technique in San Quentin. If I am correct there was also a scientific study done on the progam which was very effective.