Doing Time, Doing Vipassana & The Dhamma Brothers

Ron Alexander: The Dhamma Brothers Documentary is why I went to ten day silent retreat to study Vipassan Meditation. After watching the amazing transformations of mostly convicted murderers in the worst prison in Alabama, I decided that it could work for me too. Besides, I have a nephew who may be facing a long term here in S.C., and... I will try to get this ten day retreat in prisons in this state also. This is a short trailer, but if you can get ahold of it - watch it! This second silent retreat that I have just returned from, I watched an even more dramatic (with over 1000 prisoners) in India - "Doing Time Doing Vipassana"! I have not located the you-tube trailer on it yet.See More

The Dhamma Brothers (Bullfrog Films)
www.youtube.com
Directed by Jenny Phillips, Anne Marie Stein and Andrew Kukura Produced by Jenny Phillips and Anne Marie Stein An overcrowded maximum-security prison is dramatically changed....http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Jenny-Phillips-on-Oprahs-Soul-Series-Webcast
Jenny Phillips is the amazing filmmaker, therapist, Vipassana Meditator who, courageously, went into the Alabama prison to document The Dhamma Brothers film. Like all long time Vipassana Meditators, Jenny has this wonderful Peaceful Loving Presence that even awes Oprah
DOING TIME, DOING VIPASSANA
Winner of the Golden Spire Award at the 1998 San Francisco International Film Festival, this extraordinary documentary takes viewers into India's largest prison - known as one of the toughest in the world - and shows the dramatic change brought about by the introduction of Vipassana meditation. In giving Doing Time, ... See MoreDoing Vipassana its top honour, the jury stated that:
"it was moved by this insightful and poignant exposition on Vipassana. The teaching of this meditation as a transformation device has many implications for people everywhere, providing the cultural, social and political institutions can embrace and support its liberating possibility." karunafilms.com
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Winner of the 1998 NCCD Pass Awards of the American National Council on Crime and Delinquency. A distinguished panel of experts found Doing Time, Doing Vipassana to be worthy of recognition and deserving of special acclaim:


Ten Days of Silence for Peace Of Mind Ron Alexander

After I returned from a ten day silent Vipassana Retreat, I have been asked "Why would you even want to be in silence for ten days?" That was a good question. I would have thought it crazy, if I had not seen the "Dhamma Brothers" documentary, about the amazing transformation of lifer prisoners (some convicted murderers), after they spent ten days of silent Vipassana Meditation.

Vipassana means to see things as they really are, and was started by Gautama Buddha 2600 years ago. "...Buddha taught: an art of living. He never established or taught any religion, any 'ism'. He never instructed those who came to him to practice any rituals, any empty formalities. Instead, he taught them just to observe nature as it is, by observing the reality inside. Out of ignorance we keep reacting in ways which harm ourselves and others. But when the wisdom arises-the wisdom of observing reality as it is-this habit of reacting falls away. When we cease to react blindly, then we are capable of real action-action proceeding from a balanced mind, a mind which sees and understands the truth. Such action can only be positive, creative, helpful to ourselves and to others." S.N. Goenka "The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation".

Science also supports the premise behind the Buddha’s meditation, as can be read about in Tolle’s books –specifically identifying with inner space (formlessness) instead of form.

Daily eleven hours of meditating was not easy, many times I felt like just bolting. However, I am glad I didn’t. I am meditating more and more effectively experiencing much more peace and joy.

Goenka advises practice – “persistence, and you will succeed." Also, we are to end each sitting with a ‘Metta’ (Loving Kindness) prayer:
May all beings be happy, be peaceful and be free!”



Reply by Jeanne o

I was thinking about how often people think that 'bolting' sankara as an expression of freedom... and yet, we can see that it is actually a reaction to trying to maintain the status quo,,, it is resisting change and growth.

taking on the yoke of discipline seems to be the way toward freedom... toward liberation. whereas bolting, escaping, running away, avoiding... are all part of maintaining the chains of enslavement to ignorance.

The other day someone said they couldn't see the benefit of sitting still and not moving a muscle... the old me might have tried to explain or persuade... but with vipassana... I've come to learn that if the seed of interest is there, if the karma of that person is ready, they will respond with interest. So I simply agreed that the daily zen is life itself.

My initial reaction upon hearing about the 10 days of silence necessary to fulfill a vipassana course was "whoa! ...you people are really serious". My meditation experience prior to vipassana consisted of driving long distances through city traffic to go and sit in someone's living room, meditate, break bread and share community. It gave the worthwhile lift I sought, but only touched the surface of my wounded soul.

Vipassana cut through to the roots of the wounds... and they were able to dissolve and float away... good-bye little fears and phobias, your work is done.