Transformational Practices for a Better World

TERRY CONRAD
PROJECT CLEAR LIGHT
MAXIMUM SECURITY UNIT - BEAUMONT, TEXAS

Since 2004 Terry has been sponsoring programs with inmates at the maximum security prison in Beaumont, Texas, including a meditation class, an ethics course based on the Dalai Lama's book Ethics for the New Millennium and a Lojong correspondence course.

MEDITATION CLASS

In classes of approximately 30 participants, the inmates learn how to practice meditation in the prison environment.

ETHICS COURSE

For the past year Terry and a group of about 20 inmates have been participating in an “Ethics Class” to study His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s book Ethics for the New Millennium. The class is led by inmates who spend three months in preparation for their role as facilitators. During the first session, the facilitators realized that they needed a more “prison-centric” study guide, rather than the one provided by the Dalai Lama Foundation. With encouragement and support from Terry, the inmates wrote Discovering Ethics: A Path to Virtue - A Study Guide for Inmates for the next class, which began in June, 2009. By using examples of prison culture, the inmates' Study Guide promotes greater participation in the discussions of the Key Concepts presented in each chapter of His Holiness’ book.

During each class the larger group breaks into four or five discussion groups to explore the Key Concepts. Each group is led by a facilitator whose role is to keep the group on task without attempting to teach or dominate the conversation. To better prepare the facilitators, the men are also writing a Facilitators Training Guide.

Additionally, a companion piece to the Study Guide, An Ethical Toolbox, is being developed to create homework assignments for each chapter, again relative to experiences and situations common to life in prison. At every session the class members will receive a task for each Key Concept, which will better prepare them for the next week's discussion.

At the request of the Dalai Lama Foundation, Terry sent a copy of the inmates' Study Guide directly to His Holiness [see transmittal letter]. The guide is currently available on The Dalai Lama Foundation web site; the other materials will be available there upon completion. Additionally, these materials are under consideration to be used as resources in the prison systems in both India and Nigeria.

LOJONG TRAINING IN WISDOM AND COMPASSION

Terry also sponsors a Lojong Training in Wisdom and Compassion correspondence course based upon a study guide he adapted for Project Clear Light. The course involves "snail mail" one-on-one exchanges between Terry and the participants, as inmates in Texas do not have access to e-mail. Currently there are 67 inmates taking the course.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The cover of the Spring 2008 edition of Angulimala, published by inmates at the Stiles Unit in Beaumont, Texas, featured a drawing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama wearing a cowboy hat. A colleague of Terry's arranged to have a copy of the cover signed by His Holiness as a gift to Project Clear Light.

ATTACHMENTS

• Discovering Ethics: A Path to Virtue - A Study Guide for Inmates
• Transmittal letter of Study Guide to HHDL
• Lojong: Attitude Transformation in Seven Parts - adapted by Terry Conrad for Project Clear Light
• Angulimala cover signed by HHDL

For more information, email Terry at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .