| The American Judicial System Is In Need Of | | | | hopes? If you could, how would you change your life? |
| Rehabilitation. A Solution Is Explored In This Article!! | | | | After the prisoners were chosen to do the work, a |
| I was having a conversation the other day about all | | | | Vipassana retreat was arranged: ten hours a day for |
| the ways I could think of for my son Devin to get out | | | | ten days, sitting, breathing, silence, without TV, cell |
| of going to Jury Duty in Brooklyn, New York, where he | | | | phone, radio, talking or any other common distraction |
| lives. | | | | we face in modern society. |
| Suddenly I found myself ranting about the American | | | | They only ate healthy vegetarian fare. |
| Judicial System, particularly the fact that the | | | | What is the purpose of Vipassana? It is to take the |
| rehabilitation of hardened criminals is virtually | | | | journey deep within. |
| nonexistent. | | | | The only way out is in. |
| I told Devin about the book, "We Are All Doing | | | | The first few days of breathing and sitting, following air |
| Time,"by Bo Lozoff, which describes Bo's experiences | | | | as it moves in and out of the nose, is when the |
| with the "Prison Ashram Project. He took meditation | | | | memories and regrets surface. This is when a man |
| programs into prisons, thus helping unruly and chaotic | | | | faces his past, faces what he really did to cause great |
| people find peace of mind through their spiritual | | | | suffering to another human being whether it be murder, |
| practice. | | | | accomplice to murder, rape, robbery, or any number of |
| This program is still fully functioning, under the auspices | | | | other heinous acts, |
| of "The Human Kindness Foundation." | | | | Questions may arise inwardly such as who am I at the |
| The marvelous action of synchronicity took over from | | | | core of my being? Preconceived belief systems from |
| here and began to work its magic. I found Jenny Phillips | | | | childhood resurface and are examined. |
| on Oprah's Soul Series. Jenny is a Cultural | | | | The Vipassana meditation experience gives these |
| Anthropologist and psychotherapist. She has been | | | | men skills and a safe place to explore the inner |
| working in the field of Mental Health for fifteen years. | | | | landscape of the mind, and is a help for them to come |
| Much of her work has been associated with male | | | | to terms with everything that has ever happened. |
| prisoners teaching inmate courses on Emotional | | | | Or potentially will happen. |
| Literacy as well as Vipassana meditation, an ancient | | | | Oprah said, "My listeners will ask, 'Why should I care if |
| meditation technique based on the teachings of | | | | these people feel safe or if they have skills to deal |
| Buddha more than 2600 years ago. Jenny has helped | | | | with their lives?' " |
| hardened criminals, many serving multiple life | | | | Jenny Phillips responded, "Because 97% of these |
| sentences, transform their lives by giving them tools to | | | | prisoners will one day be released. And by creating a |
| face their past and become more purposeful human | | | | safe haven for them, everyone around them in turn |
| beings. | | | | feels safe. Murderous acts with in the prison walls are |
| Her book, "Dhamma Brothers: Meditation Behind Bars," | | | | prevented. Correction officers are protected." |
| is a collection of letters and interviews from inmates | | | | Jenny said that if these men continue to be treated |
| who took part in the meditation course. | | | | without respect, with total disregard for their humanity, |
| Oprah was fascinated by the book. She said | | | | then they will come back to society and commit |
| according to Eckhart Tolle, who with Oprah, did the ten | | | | worse crimes. |
| week New Earth Webinar Course, said all people are | | | | The prison psychologist at Donaldson gives the book |
| imprisoned within the confines of their mind. | | | | called, "Houses Of Healing" to every prisoner. The |
| We can all access the power of prayer and | | | | book teaches inmates how to meditate. |
| meditation no matter where we find ourselves, even if | | | | But Jenny Phillips is the first to teach Vipassana |
| that place is in one of the most dangerous prison in the | | | | meditation in the prison system. She contacted the |
| world. | | | | Vipassana Meditation Center to help her carry out her |
| Jenny Phillips used to lead psychotherapy groups in | | | | mission. After much discussion, organization and |
| prison. She saw something special about prisoners: | | | | negotiation, Vipassana meditation teachers were |
| they are searching for meaningful change. | | | | recruited to Donaldson to institute and teach the |
| The prison population is an under served group in our | | | | program there. |
| society. Jenny said she was not afraid of these men | | | | The teachers were given a locked room overlooking |
| except maybe the first few minutes. She said they | | | | the meditating prisoners and were available to help |
| have bottled up misery and are searching for ways to | | | | when needed. |
| rebuild their lives. | | | | Oprah said that this program and others like it are |
| She said they don't speak of trivial subjects, similar to a | | | | going to literally save the world because if we do not |
| person on her deathbed or a person in a war torn part | | | | institute strategic programs NOW we will not survive |
| of the world. | | | | as a species. |
| She learned that a person's act is not who they really | | | | As Eckhart Tolle says, we must evolve or die. |
| are. | | | | The Vipassanan Bootcamp, as it is called, may seem |
| However, the general consensus here in this country is | | | | like a dire and extreme solution. |
| to throw "those people" behind bars and toss away | | | | But the prisoners worked very hard. They not only |
| the key. | | | | meditated the allotted ten hour period, but continued to |
| But the truth is two-fold: These people are real and | | | | meditated after the ten hours passed. These men |
| have much to teach. | | | | were willing to sacrifice everything to find inner peace. |
| And 97% of them will get out of prison one day. | | | | Their crimes were catalysts for extreme inner growth. |
| Do we want chaotic, dysfunctional people to be | | | | How many people in America can say the same |
| prowling the streets again or do we want peaceful, | | | | thing? |
| purposeful, self-reflecting people to be released to the | | | | How many of us are willing to do without computer, |
| outer world, perhaps joining any one of us on the | | | | TV, cellphone for ten hours a day, for ten days of |
| streets, the parks, or in the cafes all across America? | | | | complete immersion in self-reflection? |
| Jenny Phillips felt a calling to go to the Donaldson | | | | These men are testaments that change is not only |
| Correctional Institution to do her work. What she found | | | | possible, but inevitable, if certain disciplines are followed. |
| were human beings in great suffering looking for | | | | Anyone can change, |
| solutions. | | | | Few choose to do so. |
| She set up shop in the prison psychologist office and | | | | Radical honesty and humility is the key to this level of |
| one by one, prisoners were brought to her. She asked | | | | transformation. |
| them poignant questions such as: What do you want | | | | May we allow the most feared people in society to |
| out of life? What are your greatest dreams and | | | | show us the way? |