Goal $881 • Raised $1,431 (2017)
For the past 16 years Freedom Project has provided prison mindfulness at the Monroe Correctional Complex in Washington state.
We wish to introduce prison mindfulness to three more Washington state prisons in 2017. Reasons why this project is important: [1] Mindfulness is a crucial stepping stone to begin the path towards trauma recovery, stress management, and empathy practice. [2] Building sangha with a non-sectarian approach to mindfulness encourages mutual support and growth during time inside prison and after release. [3] While there are other organizations providing prison mindfulness in WA state, Freedom Project is the only one that combines prison mindfulness with a curriculum on compassionate communication (i.e. Nonviolent Communication™).
Our approach is to have volunteers bring Path of Freedom: A Mindfulness-Based Emotional Intelligence Workbook for Prisoners into prisons, explore the book together, and practice skills for mindfulness. The intended outcomes include: [1] People in prison will be inspired to include mindfulness in their daily lives and to share it with other people. [2] People in prison will find hope and relief from the challenges and harm created by the incarceration experience. [3] People released from prison will have an improved quality of life that contributes positively to their community.