Prison Work
We believe that those who are healthy in mind body and spirit are not only happier but are also more likely to contribute in beneficial ways to our communities. Therefore, working to improve well being in places of suffering is an opportunity to improve the overall human condition. For example, Mindfulness has been shown to improve a person’s ability to self-regulate. When men and women in prison are able to productively manage their responses in stressful situations, the environment is safer for the prison staff.
Joyful Path assists in helping interested volunteers to identify opportunities and develop skills to participate in Mindfulness and Eastern programs in the prison systems. Our members also participate in supplying books and other Buddhist materials to the prisoners. Some of the initiatives we contribute to are:
Wisconsin Prison Mindfulness Initiative
Wisconsin Prison Mindfulness Initiative (WPMI) is an organization comprised of individuals and organizations who help support and facilitate secular Mindfulness groups within the state and federal prisons in Wisconsin. WPMI serves more than 10 prisons and has over 30 active Mindfulness facilitators volunteering in the prison system. Joyful Path staff and community members participate in WPMI by serving as secular Mindfulness group leaders or participants in the circle of support for the Mindfulness group. A typical prison group session lasts 60 to 90 minutes and includes a short 5-minute grounding sit, a group check-in, a short discussion on a Mindfulness topic and a longer closing meditation.
Path of Freedom
Some Joyful Path volunteers are trained to offer Fleet Maul’s Path of Freedom program. Path of Freedom ® is a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence (MBEI) model for at-risk and incarcerated youth and adult prisoners developed by Kate Crisp and Fleet Maull.
Eastern Services
Joyful Path volunteers conduct Eastern Services in some of the state prisons. Eastern Services are typically 60-90 minutes and consist of opening chants, prayers and meditation, a Dharma talk and discussion, and a closing meditation or chant.
Letter Writing
Joyful Path helps identify Buddhists who are willing to correspond with Buddhist practitioners within the prison system. If you are interested in letter writing, please contact us.
Book Donations
Joyful Path collects books to be donated to the prison chapel libraries, from which the men can check out books. These books must meet strict criteria including no markings or ripped pages. Some prisons require that the books come from the publisher. We help to ensure the books are donated to the prisons according to the prison policies. If you would like to donate books, please contact us for the requirements.
Prayer Beads
Along with other organizations, Joyful Path assists in supplying prayer beads to Buddhist practitioners in the prison system. Typically, inmates must have completed a year of attendance (approximately 25 sessions) in Eastern Services before they are eligible for this program.