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Inmates Find Mindfulness in "PriZEN" Program

For the past year, three volunteers have been leading Buddhism, yoga and meditation classes for inmates at Goochland Women’s Correctional Facility outside of Richmond. WMRA’s Kara Lofton reports.

[Singing bowls chime]

The women lie on their backs – hands up, eyes closed – in a circle around the volunteer playing Tibetan singing bowls.

[Bowls chime again]

If not for the state-issued gray sweatpants and brightly colored shirts emblazoned with “DOC work force,” this could be a guided meditation class anywhere. But it’s not. 

SARA GOINS: I’ve been incarcerated for coming up on three years. I’ve been at this facility for a year now and I’ve got 4 months and 19 days left.

That was Sara Goins, one of the inmates at Goochland Women’s Correctional Facility, a minimum-security prison outside of Richmond. She is one of about 20 women who regularly participate in Goochland’s PriZEN program (those last three letters are Z – E – N) started last summer by yoga teacher Lori Schelin.

PriZEN is run by volunteers, such as Lainie Gratz, who teach weekly Buddhism, yoga, and meditation classes to the inmates in an effort provide them with [quote] “mindfulness techniques that lead to forgiveness and compassion with the hopes of integrating these teachings upon their return to society.” Over the past year, Gratz says the women have learned that meditation isn’t as difficult as they thought and can be incredibly helpful in navigating the stress of incarceration.

LAINIE GRATZ: The women realize it’s not such a difficult task.  They’re able to really integrate it and enjoy the meditation as opposed to it being so challenging.

Gratz’s class was very informal. Although she had an agenda, she didn’t seem overly intent on following it, rather letting the women take ownership of the time and talk about topics that were important to them such as, “I’m getting out soon – where do I find resources for Buddhism classes outside of the compound?” and “I’m going through a divorce, do I fight my husband for half or let it go? What would Buddha do?”

Structured or not, the class seems to be making a difference.

BRANDY PICKLES: I’ve been on the compound for three and a half years, and this is my second time in prison and the first time I feel like I really didn’t learn anything. I’m 37 and I acted very immature, I have four children – my oldest is 19 and my youngest is 11. 

That’s Brandy Pickles. She joined the Buddhism/meditation class in August of last year at the urging of a friend.

PICKLES: Coming to Buddhism and practicing Buddhism and reading about it and stuff – between my family and myself and the people on the compound, I have seen a world of difference. I have changed so much and my family has seen a big change in me. It has changed my perception and so much stuff in me. I love it; I really, really enjoy it. It makes me stop and think. 

Sara Goins agrees.

GOINS: My favorite part of the class is its really about the philosophy, about the way you treat other people, about how you can take whatever you’re suffering with and turn it into good – or not just yourself but for everyone around you. It’s really been a huge stress reducer. I’ve been here a year and almost a year I’ve been doing this and I don’t think I would have been able to do it as gracefully as I have. Because when I was doing my jail time I was all over the place, just internally and here I’m just really calm and collected, it’s really nice.

LOFTON: Do you think that it has changed the way you interact with people both inside the facility and outside?

GOINS: Oh absolutely. Even my family sees a huge difference in me. I’ve never been like a really angry person or anything, but my mom just sees my whole thinking has changed. I plan out things more, I don’t get as frustrated with little things. I have a seven-year-old so even he – he loves it that I’m doing the Buddhism ‘cause I teach him little things or send him stuff that the class has given us so he’s really into it too, so it’s cool.

The women here are non-violent, drug-related offenders and the vast majority will eventually go home. Their biggest challenge at this point is not getting out of prison, but learning the skills they need to stay out.

Kara Lofton is a photojournalist based in Harrisonburg, VA. She is a 2014 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University and has been published by EMU, Sojourners Magazine, and The Mennonite. Her reporting for WMRA is her radio debut.