Personally I have been very inspired to give lectures and teach meditation classes to prisoners. I have found that many prisoners are sincerely interested in transforming their lives. My initial inspiration came from the work done by Bo and Sita Lozoff of the U.S. They are followers of the Tantric guru Neem Karoli Baba, and together with Ram Dass they started the "Prison-Ashram Project". It inspires prisoners to treat their cell like a yoga ashram where they can train for their physical, mental and spiritual development. This idea has become so popular that they now send meditation books and free newsletters to 50,000 prisoners (www.humankindness.org). During the last few years in South America, Ananda Marga has run regular classes in six penitentiaries, four male and two female, in the cities of Georgetown, Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre and Asuncion. In this article I would like to outline some of our techniques and encourage others to start this most gratifying service work. BENEFITS AND OBSTACLES The first benefit is internal. My organizational work and responsibilities do not give me much scope to open and manage permanent service projects that are very demanding in both time and money. A weekly meditation class in prison only requires a few hours and the cost of the transportation to and from the jail. It is a very valuable service work that can be done in both rich and poor countries with almost no bureaucratic restrictions. As with any type of regular social service, it is personally fulfilling and contributes to one's sadhana. Though occasionally I am forced to miss a class because of travel or other commitments, the prisoners are always understanding and grateful when I return. Our classes are an opportunity for growth that they cannot get otherwise, and inside there is no competition with other organizations. Some prisoners become more serious about their practices than people on the outside, and they have plenty of time. This work is also highly respected by the public and the government. The major obstacle is also internal. Modern society and the media teach us terrible messages about violent criminals that frighten everyone. In fact, many of the true causes of violence are structural problems caused by society itself. Ba'ba' wrote in "Human Society: Part One" that while there are five different types of criminals, most people take this path because of drug or alcohol addiction, poverty, lack of education and criminal gangs. He admits that habitual criminal behavior is a "disease of a stubborn type", but then states: "Of course it can be cured in a few days through spiritual sa'dhana' (meditation on the Cosmic Entity), and in a little more time through yogic methods." To err is human, and if someone makes a big enough mistake he or she may suddenly wake up one day in a prison cell with years of punishment before them. The first person to receive the highest honor of personal initiation by our beloved Ba'ba' was no less than a notorious criminal who later became the great avadhuta Kalikananda. To offer prisoners the opportunity to transform their lives through spiritual practices is a great service. Another obstacle is the nature of the prison in your area. There are jails where those who are arrested await trial or serve short sentences of a few weeks or months. In these institutions there is a regular turnover as new prisoners arrive and old ones are released or transferred to regular penitentiaries, so a meditation class will always have new faces and regular participants will suddenly disappear without notice. To get an idea of this turnover, you can ask how long the average prisoner stays. Then there are minimum, medium and maximum-security prisons for youth, women and men. Violent criminals are segregated to maximum-security prisons. Another obstacle is that prisoners often suffer from severe depression and despair because of their harsh environment, and so they may not be motivated to come to the class, or they may quit after starting. Next we will deal with obstacles from the prison administration. GETTING PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHORITIES Most prison directors throughout the world have absolute authority over their institutions. In the name of security, they can refuse any request to offer classes, and there is no appeal. If an escape or riot ever takes place, all classes may be cancelled for an indefinite period to punish the inmates. Some directors are quite open-minded and liberal, while others will refuse to even grant you an interview to discuss your proposal. The only way to find out is to try. In Georgetown, Guyana, when Dada Jiiveshananda sent a letter to the prison director, he was referred to the Minister of Home Affairs. It took four long months and much persistence before they received permission. In Brazil we have gotten help initially from the Catholic Prison Pastoral, which organizes regular visits to many prisons. The first time I visited this group in Belo Horizonte, another Margii accompanied me, and, as always, I went in uniform. We showed our photos and appreciation letters. The two priests and six lay people seemed to like us. They do social service work as we do, and there was mutual respect. The Australian priest invited me to accompany him one day on his weekly rounds at another prison. He most respectfully introduced me with my complete name, organization and what I teach more than 50 times to all the guards, prisoners, employees and even the prison director we met! On my way to my first posting in Spain, one dada advised me, "There are Catholics and there are Catholics. When you meet a close-minded one, excuse yourself and leave. When you meet an open-minded one, inspire him or her to learn meditation." In my experience the same can be said for Muslims, Buddhists, etc. Ask around in your area about other prison service projects and visit them to learn about their experiences and hear their advice. Then phone the local prison and ask the complete name and official title of the prison director. Write a letter with your proposal. Below is a sample: [complete name] Director [title] Prison [name and address] Dear Sir [or Madam]: We would like to volunteer to offer a weekly 90-minute class of yoga and meditation for twelve weeks to those prisoners who are interested. The course will teach techniques to reduce stress, create good habits, improve self-esteem and teach universal principles of morality and good conduct. The class should have a maximum of 45 people. We can hold the classes either in the morning or the afternoon according to your convenience. We can offer an introductory lecture and demonstration for all interested prisoners. The course will be taught by volunteer instructors of yoga, all members of Ananda Marga, a non-profit international social service organization. We hope you can grant us an appointment to discuss this proposal according to your convenience. We attach letters of appreciation from the directors of others prisons that held similar courses. Respectfully yours,... If you get an interview, take photos and leaflets of Ananda Marga's relief work. The best would be to carry copies of letters of appreciation from other prison directors (those who are interested can write to my address at the end of this article and I will post three letters from Georgetown and Sao Paulo to you). If approval is granted, ask for permission to see the room for the class and if possible tour around the prison. Remember your guru mantra and prepare yourself for a heavy clash you will feel the first time you enter the prison. The armed guards, steel bars, huge cement walls, security checks and the stares of many curious prisoners depress everyone the first time. But that is all the more reason why teaching meditation is so valuable there. A LEAFLET The best approach is to ask for permission to give an initial lecture and demonstration to interested prisoners. Prepare a leaflet announcing your talk or the course itself that emphasizes the benefits the prisoners will experience. Ask the prison administration or the inmates themselves to post the leaflet around the prison, and carry extra ones with you every time you go. The sample leaflet that follows is what I use with a small cartoon drawing of a prisoner blissfully meditating in front of a prison wall: GETTING FREE! We are all prisoners of our fears, our unhappiness, our emotions and our errors. This weekly course uses very ancient techniques to develop yourself physically, mentally and spiritually. It will include yoga exercises, deep breathing, meditation, music and group discussions led by an experienced monk of Ananda Marga ("The Path of Bliss"). The benefits include improved health and vitality, better concentration, willpower, peace of mind, wisdom and inner joy. Every Tuesday from 2:00 to 4:00 in the theater. Bring a blanket and learn how to get free! THE FIRST CLASS Didi Ananda Sutapa took two new sisters with her to her first class in the women's prison in Asuncion, Paraguay. About 20 inmates showed up. They laughed and made fun of her, and even pulled at her veil. Didi was determined to go ahead, so when teaching warm-ups didn't work, she tried demonstrating simple asanas, and when that didn't work, she sang kiirtan. The prisoners continued laughing during the kiirtan. But when she sang a Spanish devotional song, they all became quiet. At the end they demanded that Didi sing that song again. And again. Five times Didi sang that song and another song. From then on the prisoners were respectful, and she used music to get them to do asanas and meditation ("No, we have to do asanas first before I sing another song.") Two of the prisoners have since been released and are now attending Ananda Marga programs in the city. I'm not a very good singer, so I take a collection of photos of our Ananda Marga activities with me whenever I visit a prison for the first time. All prisoners suffer from boredom, and colorful photos attract them easily. While explaining the different photos, they naturally ask questions about the photos and about me and my work, and thus we overcome the initial hesitation they feel. SUGGESTIONS HOW TO TEACH THE CLASSES For one year I taught a weekly class in Carandiru Prison of Sao Paulo with two or three LFT's to a group of prisoners with AIDS. Several of them were confined to wheelchairs and others were too weak to stand for long. I could not give them what they wanted most: freedom and a cure for their disease. But I explained that their physical resistance to the spread of AIDS depended not only on the daily "cocktails" of medicines that they were taking, but also on their positive state of mind. This they could feel, and they responded well to practices of deep breathing and meditation. In Belo Horizonte I have run a course for the last years with one or two Margiis. Madhumita begins by singing one or two inspiring Portuguese songs. Each class I write the names of all the participants which is important, because learning their names is a key to our success. Then she and Jyoti Lingam start quiet music on the tape recorder and lead the group in general warm-ups and stretching. They teach the three basic asanas (Yoga Mudra, Dhiirgha Pranam and Bhujangasana), Utksepa Mudra, Kaoshikii dance, self-massage and Shravasana (deep relaxation). Simultaneously I sit alone with two different prisoners, one after the other, and give initiation or just listen to them talk about their lives. Next we sing kiirtan together and meditate. Most prisons are very noisy during the day, so it is quite distracting. But we encourage them to try to concentrate, and we explain that at night and in the early morning they can meditate a long time in complete silence in their cells. After meditation, we tell a short spiritual story and briefly teach about one aspect of our philosophy. The final part of the class is also gratifying to me. I ask a question and each one gives their opinion. I ask two, three or four questions each class, depending on the time left. The first question is usually simple and light, encouraging everyone to talk. Then I ask deeper questions and we listen sincerely as each one struggles to express himself. Of course everyone has the right to pass if he cannot think of an answer. Some of the questions I ask are: What is your favorite film? What is your favorite place on earth, and why? What is the best advice you have ever received? What is the most beautiful thing about people to you? What was the best day of your life? What is your personal motto, that is if you were to print something on a T-shirt, what would it say? What is most difficult for you here in prison? Is there any kind of service or kindness to others you can do in prison? If so, what? If a new prisoner who just arrived asked you for your advice, what would you tell him? If you could give one suggestion to the prison administration to make life better here, what would you give? If you are released, what will you do? According to the perspective of yoga, every place, every situation, every obstacle is an opportunity for your development. So what things have occurred here to help your growth? Is this prison better or worse than the prison you were in before? Why? What do you think you could do to help improve the quality of life here in this prison? By listening carefully and respectfully to each reply, we gradually demonstrate that their thoughts and ideas are important to us. I and the other volunteers also share our opinions when appropriate. The honesty that develops through this process enriches and strengthens our collective group. Remember that in all countries, some prisoners have had very little education or are even illiterate. Many have no contact at all with their families or anyone on the outside. Be sensitive to these issues and avoid very intellectual discussions, complicated words and stories or asking them to write their name and permanent address, for example. Kiirana teaches two Tai Chi classes in the youth detention center in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the U.S. She gives the more experienced boys important duties, so one will demonstrate the movements, another will count, and others are assigned to guide the newcomers. At the end of each class they do a short meditation together. Several of the boys have told her, in their own "gang-boy" ways, that they feel they have changed from the inside and so will have a better chance of making it on the outside. She feels it, too. Sometimes, she says, the class is just plain happy. In 1978 Dada Jyotirupananda was a Margii living in Seattle and he helped free a prisoner who had suffered a lot of injustice because of his struggle for prisoners' rights. He was a bit cool the first time they met in jail. But when the Margii explained that his Guru had been a political prisoner for more than seven years in India, they became very close. I have also found that telling about Ba'ba's imprisonment inspires the prisoners I teach. I don't follow a fixed curriculum, and I believe that any Ananda Marga philosophy classes are valuable. Sometimes I distribute photocopies of articles about meditation or Ananda Marga books, and these are greatly appreciated. Be sure to give our Ananda Marga address and telephone to all the participants in your classes so that in case they are suddenly transferred or released, they can write or visit us. In Philippines and Georgetown the Margiis organized very popular cultural programs for all the inmates with musicians, a short spiritual talk, kiirtan, and distribution of food. ASKING FOR A LETTER OF APPRECIATION After you have taught your class for a few months, ask to meet the director and request for "a letter of acknowledgement" that you can show to your "supervisor". Explain that you have already prepared a draft with all the details, and ask if the secretary can type something similar on official letterhead paper for the director to sign. This is very helpful for the director, so that he or she doesn't have to bother thinking what to write. Chances are he or she will approve your draft, so prepare the best letter possible. Below is the English translation of what Didi Ananda Krpa gave to the Carandiru Women's Prison director and which was typed and signed (though in fact she actually improved it): Respected Didi Ananda Krpa, We would like to express our appreciation to Ananda Marga for your yoga meditation course. This was led by you and volunteers Madhumita, Yamuna and Anumatii once a week for two hours each time. The thirty prisoners who participated in the first group were greatly benefited, and are now more happy and calm, and they are less agitated, aggressive and stressed. They are very enthusiastic and have clearly enjoyed these classes. We believe that it is helping us transform their lives and making the environment a little better for everyone. We hope that you will continue this work with the other inmates of our institution. Sincerely, Carmen Lucia dos Santos Director 18 February, 1998 WHAT SOME OF THE PRISONERS SAY The Georgetown Prison class has been running for the last five years. Brothers Vivek and Rajesh are the most regular, and the different dada’s who have worked there during this time have usually accompanied them, too. The attendance usually ranges from 5-10, and depends partly on the efficiency of the officer who calls the prisoners. But one prisoner was very regular for four years and got two lessons, while another came regularly for two years until one was released and the other transferred. One brother said he would dedicate his life to humanity on his release. Others said: "Because of the yoga classes I am able to cope with prison situations." "Yoga is good. Since I came, I feel different. I used to smoke and drink in prison, but now I understand it's no good." "When I meditate, I feel it is Ba'ba' and me alone." OTHER RESOURCES Human Kindness Foundation (free newsletter and books) P.O. Box 61619 Durham, NC 27715 USA www.humankindness.org The Prison Phoenix Trust (free newsletter and “Teacher Manual”) P.O. Box 328, Oxford, OX1 1PJ United Kingdom Tel. 01865-79864 [Note: interested readers can contact the author directly with any questions or for further information at the following address: Dada Maheshvarananda, The Prout Research Institute of Venezuela, www.ve.prout.org, Tel. 55-212-782-2103 (weekdays), 55-212-633-0131 (nights and weekends), cell 55-234-514-5663. Email:]