About 40 San Quentin inmates were introduced to Buddhist meditation in a recent half-day retreat.
Leading the session was Ralph Steele, a meditation teacher, former monk and Vietnam combat veteran. He began by telling inmates not to focus on the word “Buddhist.”
“Just do the practice,” Steele told the gathering in the Catholic Chapel. “This is an experiment in cleansing and management.”
He instructed the students to “elevate and lift” their heads. “Practice not blinking (your eyes) to absorb energy from the room.”
Steele led the men in a chant he described as an invitation to the spirits of their deceased ancestors to enter the room.
Later inmate C. Williams asked Steele if he believes people come back living a second life. “This is something you don’t want to just take someone else’s opinion. This requires your own confirmation.” Steele said he had an experience that confirmed it for him.
There was a very intense breathing exercise in which inmates were asked to breathe air through their nostrils excessively without allowing the body to rest. Steele said tools for self-healing state the body only uses 30 to 45 percent of lung capacity.
Inmate David Walker commented afterward that he felt a buzzing energy, among other emotions.
Steele told inmates regular bowel movements are important because many illnesses occur in the intestines.
Good times tomeditate are early mornings and sunsets, when nature goes through a transformation process. The focal point throughout the session was always letting go, detaching ourselves from our stories, people, tragedies, traumas or vice versa.
Inmate Rauch commented that desires are the root of all suffering.
Steele told inmates meditation is like two sides of a coin: one being focus and concentration, the other being insight and knowledge.
The theme of the retreat was “Tending the Fire; Reclaiming Ourselves.” Steele commented, “To all San Quentin inmates: tend your fires – your anger rages, bitterness, disappointments, the things that caused you to come to prison, victims.”
Afterward, many inmates reported similar experiences of feeling more peaceful, greater senses of awareness and better focus.
Inmate Matthew Ed Edwards said his level of concentration and awareness was more precise.
Eric Durr confided, “I feel so much more calm and peaceful.”