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Prison Dharma

People in prison and volunteers who work in prisons reflect on how to apply the Dharma in prison settings and beyond.

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Person compassionately holding the hands of another person.
Prison Poetry

The cure

On March 15, 2019, 50 people at mosques in New Zealand were murdered by a…

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Silhouette of hand reaching out toward the sun.
On Cultivating Wisdom

Selflessness keeps you out of SHU

From a teaching by Venerable Chodron, an incarcerated person learns to train consistently to deal…

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Prayer flags and a rose garden in the courtyard of a prison.
Prison Dharma

The pagoda project: An update

An update on the meditation pagoda constructed by the Buddhist study group at a corrections…

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Pink teddy bear wearing a pink dotted dress.
By Prison Volunteers

The Teddy Bear Project

A surprise gift from an incarcerated person for one of the Abbey's volunteers.

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Prison Poetry

Sravasti Grove

An incarcerated person expresses his gratitude for having met the Dharma.

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Sunrise behind barbed wire fence.
By Prison Volunteers

Visit to Airway Heights Correctional Center

A nun visits a correctional facility for the first time in order to participate in…

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Illustration of an ear with sound waves going into it.
On Meditation

Meditation with noise

There are many distractions to meditation in prison. This is how one incarcerated person deals…

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Gray stone and rings in sand of Zen rock garden.
Prison Poetry

The garden notices the rocks moving

An incarcerated person writes about seeing others as equal in worth.

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Closeup of face of man contemplating.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

My prison education

If you can open yourself up to another person’s suffering, you are quickly motivated to…

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Looking through prison bars to blue sky outside.
On Overcoming Anger

I would normally have been upset

Even a small incident can give us a chance to practice compassion.

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Chain Link Fence with sunshine
On Meditation

Tears of compassion

A meditation on mindfulness brings strong feelings of compassion for others.

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Shiney Medication Capsules
On Addiction

The allure of drugs

An incarcerated person examines his relationship with drugs.

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