By Incarcerated People

Reflections, essays, and poems by people in prison about their Dharma practice.

All Posts in By Incarcerated People

A woman wearing a mask covering her face, one side of the mask with an open eye and word Happy and the other side of the mask a crying eye with the word Sad.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Masks

Wearing masks become part of our life so that we are able to hide our…

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3 stuffed mice-One bigger mice taking sticks, one smaller mice taking a basket and one small mice looking at the big one carrying the sticks.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

A family of mice

A family of mice in his locker—be compassionate or let them die?

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A road sign with the name Gratitude Road.
On Mindfulness

Gratitude

Getting caught up in our egos keeps us from appreciating the good things we do…

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Stone image of a bodhisattva.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Joys of taking the bodhisattva vows

An incarcerated person shares the impact of taking the bodhisattva vows on his Dharma practice.

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Fingers coming through a white wall
On Overcoming Anger

Making the teachings personal

An incarcerated person reflects on refuge and the insights he has developed through practice.

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Prison Poetry

Deeply committed to freedom

An incarcerated person writes about the choice we make each day: to rise above our…

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On Overcoming Anger

Growing pains

A story about an unhappy childhood, a lot of hate and anger, and, in the…

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A group of women waiting for a group therapy session to begin.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Scars and catharsis

An incarcerated person is asked to confront the results of his actions.

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Silhouette of men behind prison bars.
By Incarcerated People

The prison way of life

A person in prison reflects on how the rules of life in prison run counter…

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A letterbox with the word HOPE, very clear blue sky in the background.
By Incarcerated People

We are human beings

What the people on the outside should know about life in prison.

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