I have avoided more than one riot in here with mindfulness and awareness. Thank you for the course and all the pebbles you throw, good pebbles, into the ocean of consciousness are going to have far reaching ripple effects. — CC
Awareness helps us to notice things. It helps us to notice when we are being a jerk. … There was a situation about 6 months ago between me and my friend in class where he flipped out. He was ready to fight. Since I’ve started meditation, I am more calm. Instead of flying off the handle, I was able to maintain my calm because of my awareness. I could feel my anger building, but I didn’t let it take control. — RV
In prison we ‘look out for’ those who we relate well to. This entails sharing things and information. Even just saving a seat or a place in line for another guy demonstrates our interconnectedness and forms a palpable unity among us. The little things are the ones that matter here and I always try to be the one to look out for others by anticipating their needs. — RB
With awareness we can understand our conduct in any situation. I’m more patient and tolerant throughout my day. I recognize and acknowledge the things that happen throughout my day. And now I don’t react to them, I simply let them be. No reaction is necessary. I just witness. — RB
Prison is ironically an ideal environment to practice this courageous approach. In fact we are presented with multi-opportunities daily to employ skillful, compassionate means toward the suffering of others. There is ample suffering here to cultivate this practice and prison desperately needs people dedicated to the bodhisattva way of life. — RB
The good news is by developing our mindfulness and awareness, we give it strength to peacefully abide. We work it out by meditating. We build it. I play guitar, so when I play I am practicing making good sounds not playing sour notes, making sure what accents I put in are on key. So I get very in tune and can feel the flow, and when I am done playing, I feel a sense of peace because I have been so focused and still in letting myself just focus on notes and music. — MF
Do you want to understand your mind? My answer is yes. I have spent so many years as a slave to emotions. Being miserable. The only path I have found to eliminate the cycle is Buddhism. To be able to watch how narrow my thoughts and actions are and to take the first steps to change my habits. See the true nature of thoughts. — MB
I have experienced this a little: to go deeper than the feeling of anger to see what it is that makes me feel that. I have found that most of the time it is fear–fear for my security, my peace–fear of my world being upset. I don’t know where the insight comes from, but when I can calm the mind, I can really think clearly and gain some wisdom as to why I acted in anger. — MF
I’ve had to take a serious look at what has brought me to this point: a weak mind. This weak mind has been unable to resist drugs and the drug culture and all that goes with it for so many years … For so long I’ve been caught up in my personal story of relationships, desires, aversions, attractions to this, that, and the other. Now … I can cultivate a different outcome for myself. I’m beginning to break through! I’m experiencing the ability to resist situations and thinking that would hurt me. I’m experiencing a period of time in which I am not being led around by my nose like a bull by my mind. At least not as much. Coincidently, I just journaled today about how easy it is still to be led around like that. But through my consistent practice (at least twice a day), I can put a stop to it and reel it in. But man, I’m still amazed at how my mind can take me away. — MT
Yet the real virtue comes with my experiences with people. I’ve become less arrogant, so I listen better. I am less affected by the negativities of prison. For example, I don’t meet insult with abuse. Mindfulness allows me to watch the insult pass. My head is smaller, but it contains more space! — LC
I began the course with the idea that meditation was a way to keep my own sanity while in prison. Instead I found that meditation can be a selfless act towards the rest of the world, and I have to change myself in order to show others the way. I am more open to people now. — AE
I began this study with selfish motives and ideas but have ended it with the motives of helping others to find enlightenment. My view of the world and my place in it have totally changed. Thank you so much for that!
— AE
It is possible to develop compassion in any environment (prison) because it is not the environment that needs to change but one’s attitude. Plus it is easy to see the suffering of others in a prison environment and by being in it myself, I can have this love and compassion for all those around me. — AE
Once a thought has been acknowledged and I return to the breath, the thought seems satisfied and loses its power to demand my attention. — AE
Patience is not an easy task … Being in prison since I was 17 years old with no sign of ever physically leaving this place, I have learned to become such great friends with patience … It humbles me. I get too upset about my prison circumstances of life, patience brings me back to reality … many of us are suffering and life circumstances can be brutal for anyone of us, not just me. — KW
I now understand the pain I caused others was because I was hurting, it was spreading like a horrible disease. — SB
(Re: meditation) I am more consistent with and see it as a chance to not only find peace and stability for myself, but as a way to extend my good will and compassion to others. I began the course with the idea that meditation was a way to keep my own sanity. While in prison instead I found this meditation can be a selfless act towards the rest of the world … I am more open to people now. — KL
Hour Glass Flower – Prisoner art by Thomas H.