Spontaneous Evolution

Last night I saw Swami Beyondananda and purchased the book, Spontaneous Evolution his alter ego Steve Bhaerman wrote with Bruce Lipton.  It looks like an excellent chance to dialogue on the evolution of the prison system.  Even if this is a conversation solely between the book and myself, I feel good about it being in the common.

In the introduction they lift up the biological example of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.  Both have the same DNA but are receiving and responding to a different organizing signal. From within the dying cells of the caterpillar, a new breed of cells energy called imaginal cells emerges and creates an entirely new form.

Those of us deeply engaged in awakening the potential of our prisons to become a healthy, healing environment contributing to the betterment of our collective human story on this planet, are the imaginal cells, it is from us that an entire new form will emerge.  Our prayers send the signal and collese the energy the (our) imaginal cells need for the transformational process.

As Swami Beyondananda enjoys saying, "we are the answer to our own prayers!"  And even as we may not have an articulated vision for what that answer might be, we offer up our prayers.  We can trust that the information for the new way forward is in our collective DNA.  Every spiritual tradition calls us to move from fear to love, this is the overarching evolutionary process of human life. All life forms seek their free flowing nature.

As we pray for the prisons to become places of healing and peace we are taping into the deep evolutionary nature of life it self seeking its own true nature.  As we pray for the prisons we are activating this natural desire and energizing the millions of imaginal cells seeking the new way.

As we pray for the prisons, we naturally shift away from old beliefs focusing on the worst in people, and begin to believe in the possibility of transformation for everyone and every institution. The stronger our beliefs, the greater the opportunity for this shift to occur within our lifetime.

Radical change in mindset (for example shifting to a belief that slavery is immoral) has taken centuries, and decades (shifting belief that tobacco is unhealthy), and now years (global warming). In our interconnected world we can shift very quickly towards fear and love (9-11).

Prisons as a special kind of health care delivery is very possible, we have the information, we have the creativity, we have the skills, all we need is the desire.  Prayer takes the desire hidden in our hearts into the collective field. Prayer is an act of empowerment, for such an effort will only manifest as a result of the shifting of our collective will.

Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul now available to the Public

Tom Laguna's books are a powerful source of inspiration for the creative potential alive inside our prison system.  He taps in so well with his strong story-telling background.  I met him years ago at a New Directions in Corrections conference, and am so inspired by how far he has taken his vision, and the contribution he has made to offering an alternative way of perceiving our prisons and human transformation.
Previously available only through free distribution to prisons, this life-changing book is the result of charitable donations from sales of Chicken Soup for the Christian Family Soul and gifts from thousands of individuals.
In the spring of 2000, over 100,000 copies of Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul were distributed to prisoners, prison libraries and prison ministries throughout the United States. The hope was that this collection of stories would touch the hearts of prisoners and offer them hope and encouragement, as well as inspire them to transcend the limiting thinking and behaviors of their past.
The book was so successful that the co-authors soon found themselves flooded with requests for the book from family members, correctional officers, prison volunteers and others. Because of this huge demand, the decision was made to also release the book to the general public.

Also by Tom Laguna:
Serving Productive Time: Stories, Poems, and Tips to Inspire Positive Change from Inmates, Prison Staff, and Volunteers 

Serving Time, Serving Others: Acts of Kindness by Inmates, Prison Staff, Victims and Volunteers