When the first ten-day Vipassana meditation course came to a close at Alabama's Donaldson Prison, 20 maximum security prisoners had the possibility of a new chapter in their lives. Many have life sentences and most have been deeply acculturated during years of incarceration to the life of violence and abuse that is common in prisons.
In Letters from the Dhamma Brothers we gain direct and intimate access to the thoughts, struggles, dreams and triumphs of these inmates during the four years following their participation in the rigorous meditation course, by reading their letters and interviews with author Jenny Phillips.
Pariyatti Press will publish Letters from the Dhamma Brothers in the spring. The 200-plus page book includes photographs of the participants and the prison gymnasium transformed into a meditation course site. It is now available for advance purchase at the prepublication price of $12.95 (regular price will be $15.95).
The Dhamma Brothers, an award-winning documentary film about this program, will open in New York City on April 11 and subsequently in Boston, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Visit www.dhammabrothers.com to learn more.
"The stories of the Dhamma Brothers ring with the truth and power of their experiences, and offer the hope for renewal and rehabilitation. . ." -- Sister Helen Prejean, author, Dead Man Walking