Last week at our prison ministry we started reading and studying from Zen Mind Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. The members of our Zendo were excited to begin this study and to discover a little more about themselves and about the principles of Buddhism. They live an extraordinary life in there. They are both in the world of a harsh reality of living “behind the fence” and living a monastic life of Buddhism behind that same “fence.” They look forward to all of the visits they receive from our volunteers all around the state. They frequently sit alone and have to help each other decipher the teachings and principles of Buddhism and how they can use them in their daily lives to make the environment in which they live palatable and teachable and transformative.
You can help them in many ways:
1. Keep them in your prayers and thoughts each day during your meditation.
2. Offer to become a volunteer.
3. Donate books, magazines, DVD’s or CD’s on Buddhist teachings. (They would like a copy of their own I’m sure: new or used.)
4. Become a pen pal.
5. Help with the writing, mailing, printing etc of the Prison Newsletter being edited by Bud at this time.
6. Donate money to the Prison Ministry to help with the cost of printing and mailing the newsletters and books to the some 400 men that sit with us around the state of Florida.
7. Anything else you can think of…
We are making a difference in their lives each and every day. I hope you’ll join us on this very important adventure in living the life of a Buddhist every day, all day, no matter where you sleep.
In gassho,
Shokai
Prison Ministry Volunteer, pen pal, confidant, and friend
to those “behind the fence”
shokai1210@gmail.com