 Feature
Reports |
Report From Arizona, USA
Thanks
to a prior contribution of Master's books and lecture videotapes to the library
of the Federal Correctional Institution in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, inmates
have had a chance to watch Master's videos and read the sample booklets. Some
prisoners have contacted the Arizona Center to request the Convenient Method
of meditation, and many inmates have even asked for full initiation.
Due to
security concerns, the prison staff initially declined visitation privileges
for fellow initiates. However, the persevering sincerity of the inmates to
seek the Truth must have finally impressed Heaven and Earth, because after
several unsuccessful efforts, the fellow initiates finally received approval.
The day
of the visit, the prison atmosphere was filled with emotion as Master's voice
could be heard echoing throughout the meeting room and to the corridor outside.
Everyone gathered in front of the television set. Some sat on chairs while
others sat cross-legged as they attentively listened to God's holy teachings.
After the lecture, solemn and sincere looks were expressed on their faces
as the inmates practiced the Convenient Method of meditation. Most inmates
had experiences of inner light, while some described sensations of relaxation
and upliftment.
Among
the participants was an inmate who had been a vegetarian for more than three
months. Despite the unfavorable conditions in the prison, he continued to
subsist solely on beans and vegetables. Others who also longed for initiation
had requested permission to maintain a vegetarian diet from the prison administration,
but they were refused. They asked fellow initiates to write a letter of petition
to the Federal Executive Committee of the Central Penitentiary in Washington
D.C. to have this issue resolved.
Several
fellow initiates attended the basic training class designed for prison volunteers.
Hopefully they will be able to visit the prison more frequently to bring the
supreme dharma of light into the most isolated and the darkest of places.
