The Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama holds 1500 of the country’s most violent offenders. Inmates there have been convicted of murder in every degree among other senseless acts of extreme violence that will haunt the victims’ (and the inmates’) families for years. Donaldson houses it all.
Besides wondering myself whether such criminals can ever be rehabilitated, the fiscal conservative in me asks whether that’s even the taxpayer’s job to fund. My answer to either question probably depends on whether I’m in an Old Testament eye-for-an-eye mood or leaning more New Testament-y and willing to try and love my (incarcerated) neighbor as myself.
Enter “The Dhamma Brothers,” a new documentary that hits select theaters this Friday, which takes a stab at that very question of whether people can ever really change their behavior. The film centers on a fascinating social experiment that took place at Donaldson in 2002 where inmates were given the chance to take a ten-day Vipassana meditation retreat, replete with total silence, within the confines of the prison. Just what happens to this group of prisoners when their minds start screaming louder than their mouths ever could?
What results is a film that will undoubtedly challenge many of your most cynical opinions of the criminal condition. We all know that old aphorism that says that a leopard can’t change his spots, but what if that leopard met the Buddha? Yes, the leopard may very well eat the Buddha, thus leaving the saying intact, but none of us really know, do we?
For the sake of understanding the movie’s title, the “Dhamma” are the teachings of the Buddha and the “Dhamma brothers” are a specific group of inmates who took the Director of Treatment up on his Vipassana experiment and who felt completely transformed for the experience after so many other rehabilitation attempts had failed .
Are any of these guys really changed by Vipassana, a word that literally means “to see things as they really are?” After watching this film, chock-full of fascinating personal interviews with the inmates, prison guards, warden, and a slew of other people instrumental in pulling together such a progressive program, you get to be the judge and jury as to its effectiveness.
I’m not saying that any of these once (and still?) violent offenders are at the top of my afternoon tea list or will be invited to my next Knife-Sharpening with Your Ex Who Ruined Your Life party, but I do have great empathy for each individual man behind the crime. If I truly believe that I am not the sum of my past actions (as I always yammer on about in my Oprah/Eckhart class commentaries here at Beliefnet), then I know that these men are much more than their past actions, too.
As for the meditation philosophies of the East trying to squeeze underneath the tight Bible belt of the Deep South, the filmmakers do a nice job of exploring reactions at the local and state level.
As one local woman says:
Well, I don’t believe in Buddhism or stuff like that…I’m a Christian…or any kind of witchcraft at all…so I don’t believe it would help.
Another townsman quips:
They should’ve meditated before they done whatever they did to get in there.
Both were so brilliant that I couldn’t help but transcribe them here.
I found “The Dhamma Brothers” to be fascinating, inspiring, complex and, ultimately, hopeful. In a perfect world it would be the subject matter for a brilliant reality television series that would allow the viewer to spend more time with these men to see the long-term effects of such a groundbreaking and innovative program.
Of course, in a truly perfect world, we wouldn’t have people committing violent crimes in the first place, I imagine.
posted April 12, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I feel that any one;jail or other institutions can change given the right opportunity and person(s) clergyman,With out getting into too much detail I changed 100% but it had to be several times on different occasions these are very sensitive times in any ones lives,we never had any self esteem not much to hold onto for future references and as the future is glum and the fast lane is getting faster and the gov.is getting greedier what is exactly expected of those locked up? Not much.I strongly feel that why is it we get caught and do time but the law and other officials go un-noticed?the most crime happens right in the white house?
posted April 13, 2008 at 3:01 pm
After a stroke 2 years ago I have had time to think and wonder
what the world is coming to. I watch t.v. and see so much ugly stuff
happening. So I just read a lot and try to keep my mind on good
things. I have a friend that has a son in prison. He is making a preacher
and I am proud of him. We all pray that he will stick to it but knowing some people like I do, they won’t let him minister for the
church they attend. I will help him all I can. Joyce Jones
posted April 14, 2008 at 12:21 pm
We are so much more than the sum of our past experiences. There is our genetic composition, out birth order, our gender, our health, our environment, and most of all, our hopes and expectations. Some of this is based not on our past alone, but the past of our parents. Some of it is based on our parent’s choices. But a large part is based on our anticipations. Anyone who promotes only one or two of these many determinations has too short a perspective. And all of this can change from day to day – glacially or with the speed of light. So I always have hope, though I am often wary, too.
posted April 14, 2008 at 3:07 pm
According to the Buddha, we all have within us Buddha nature, and so have the seeds to change ourselves for the better. He did not seem to exclude those who have done horrible deeds, in fact some teachings mentioned criminals who had been turned by enlightenment.
It is said if we water the seeds of right intention, speech and action we can bring about a positive change in our lives. Perhaps this is possible for prison inmates as well.
Better to have hope of such an event rather than just discarding it out of hand.
Namaste,
Dblotus
posted April 14, 2008 at 6:29 pm
FYI, these courses are given without charge, so they’re a much better financial deal than a lot of treatment programs that prisons try (if, of course, they try any).
posted April 20, 2008 at 11:02 am
I like the idea. I’ve been in prison and a program back in the late 70′s helped me alot and it was all about mediation and yoga. Also a book my Ram Dass, Be Here Now, helped alot. Polly
posted April 20, 2008 at 1:13 pm
There’s a documentary that used to show on LINK Tv called Doing Time, Doing Vispassana. It was in some foreign country but it showed remarkable results for a very hard-core prison population. At the very least, it made their time served more peaceful.
Some might say, well, they shouldn’t be peaceful. But we have to remember that just about all prisoners eventually get out into society. Who do we want coming back into our communities?
posted April 20, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Being originally from the South, I was immediately curious about this article. I am always hopeful for my southern sister and brothers, even as some may equate Buddhism with Witchcraft.
I did a research paper on Mindfulness (Vipassana) Meditation, including its use in healthcare. What I learned was fascinating, even for one long interested in Eastern thought.
But, I still must remind myself each day that the past is over, the future is uncertain and we only have THIS MOMENT!
I hope this movie comes to my area.
Namaste,
Zenmyme
posted April 20, 2008 at 10:03 pm
I would like to share appreciation to you for this open-minded and thoughtful review. In a world where an all-accepting Global Spirituality must emerge as the world becomes smaller technologically and in the sense of fear-based curiosites we have a unique chance to bridge all our traditions into a sacred earth understanding.
I hope we can begin with a premise that supports human transformative potentials. Even in prisons and within the closed minds and hearts of those sheltered in false assumption and understandng.
Again, many thanks.
Constance McClain
Santa Barbara, CA
posted April 20, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Opps, my email address was missing a letter!
Namaste
posted April 20, 2008 at 10:59 pm
For more information on meditation trainings for inmates, see:
Prison Dharma Network, founded by Fleet Maull, a Zen teacher who served a little more than thirteen years of federal prison time.
Prison Ashram Project, founded by Bo Lozoff, who has studied in a number of contemplative traditions.
Lionheart Foundation, founded by Robin Casarjian, whose training is primarily in psychology and vipassana meditation.
posted April 21, 2008 at 9:04 am
I would love to see this film. How do we find out where it is playing.
In peace,
Leslie
posted April 21, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Hi Leslie,
You can find out where the film is playing at the website:
http://www.dhammabrothers.com