Prisons may leave much to be desired but for the most part are a well ordered and safe experiences for volunteers. Almost half of the residents of the Cambridge Zen Center have been out to the prisons in Shirley, Massachusetts at one time or another in the role of a teacher. This has been a learning experience for both the residents and inmates. The one general comment after the visit common to all residents was they found many of their initial fears unfounded. That does not mean there is not an element of danger. Caution is always necessary. Most prisoners willing to undergo a period of intensive growth do not appear likely to cause trouble now or later.

I would like to share some of my experience in the hope that it will motivate others to become involved in teaching Buddhism to those at risk. Many of my observations are based on my own growth and my own situation while dealing with this population. What works for me may not work for everyone else; but I offer my experiences in the hope they will serve as something to build on.

My initial career was that of an Infantry Soldier (8 years with the Marines and 16 in the Army). After I retired, I got a Masters Degree from the University of Florida, and then started my own business in Information Management and Database Design. At about the same time I became involved in volunteer work. My first major projects lasted 4 or 5 years. I worked at a medical clinic for the rural poor, and also at Hospice.Then I moved to the Cambridge Zen Center where I was involved with the two prisons at Shirley and also taught meditation with Janet Pushkal at the Cambridge Psychiatric Social Club. In 1996, I started teaching meditation at the Suffolk County Jail one day a week as part of an interfaith project. That program evolved into an 8 week program that ran five days a week. It flies under the cover of the 11th step (recovery comes through prayer and meditation) of the 12 steps. It is based on the Jon Kabot-Zinn 8 week program on Stress Reduction and Pain Control as taught at the Medical Center of the University of Mass. (where I interned at in the fall of 1995).

The single principle that underlines every class, meeting or gathering is to find out what is needed at that moment by the group and then provide the medium for the need to be fulfilled. A good way to start is with a 5 or 10 minute question and answer period where I give everyone an opportunity to say something. Then we sit in meditation for 30 minutes or longer. Again I ask for questions and from that dialogue a short talk unfolds. I directly link and build the talk on to some basic tenet of Buddhism. To close, questions and answers and as time permits, more sitting is offered.

The Jon Kabot-Zinn course has been the single greatest influence in the presentation method. It was there that I picked up the technique to find out where the group is and teach from there. It does no good to give them something that is either too esoteric or of no immediate value. The single greatest common denominator are practical problems like how to sleep at night, how to come out of depressions, how to deal with the anxiety associated with imminent release and what to do when released. Underlying much of the discussion is a great deal of denial about their circumstances.