Michigan prisoners offered opportunity to practice meditation

Sokuzan Robert Brown. Photo via sweepingzen.com

By Adam Tebbe

Sokuzan Robert Brown, a Soto Zen priest in the lineage of the late Kobun Chino Otogawa, spends an hour a week at one of five prisons within the Michigan Department of Corrections, offering classes on meditation to prisoners. According to the SokukoJi Prison Project, "This year we have donated dozens of malas (meditation beads) and given over fifty new Dharma books to inmates in various facilities just in the last six months." Brown was recently interviewed by Christina Shockley of Michigan Radio and was asked why he got started with prison work.

"I can't help it," he replied.

He elaborated: "…I started by helping myself. I was suffering and had a lot of difficulty, anger, frustration, depression—you name it. In my very early years I was in the Marine Corps (where I first started studying Buddhism) and [I] met my teacher about twelve years later, in my early thirties.

I began sitting meditation and it started to help me see what anger actually was. Rather than continually trying to push it away or ignore it, or explain it or justify it, instead meditation helps us (as it is practiced in the Buddhist tradition, in most cases) to see exactly what is the root [of] this; and, usually, as the Buddha taught, the root of suffering, or confusion, or delusion, is desire. Or, put in simple words, 'Wanting things to be different than they are.'"

Click here to learn more about the SokukoJi Prison Project. You can contribute to help Brown and his organization continue their important work.

See also:

Video: Got "extra" Buddhist books? Here's at least one great thing to do with them.

Plus, these Prison Dharma writings from the Shambhala Sun and Shambhala SunSpace:

Read More @ Source

Metta Meditation (Universal Loving Kindness)

Free Download and DVD here: yogayak.com Direct Click for DVD - bit.ly 18 Classes on 1 disk for .95 Kavita in this ancient meditation, taught by the Buddha himself, brings unconditional love to your Self, your loved ones and even learn to send unconditional love to your least favorite people. Visualizing a beautiful green light around your heart chakra encourages open and encompassing love that leaves you feeling good through and through! Mettā (Pāli) or Maitrī (Sanskrit) means unconditional and unattached loving kindness. It is one of the ten pāramitās of the Theravāda school of Buddhism, and the first of the four Brahmavihāras. The mettā bhāvanā (cultivation of mettā) is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism, practiced with mindfulness of breath, which provides concentration, so as to prevent the loss of compassion. Contraindications: If you are being treated for any form of depression or mental illness consult your healthcare practitioner before beginning any form of meditation.

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