Kamiti Prison Courses

Hello! All my 1 follower so far : )

Its late but i am writing this blog because i promised someone i would. So here goes......

Today we finished our 2nd course at Kamiti prison. My 1st course there was 2 weeks ago, and i spent a lot of time breaking all my concepts about the kind of place Kamiti prison was. Before i went in, people had told me some horrendous stories about what goes on in there. A prison in one of the poorest countries of the world. Kamiti Maximum Security prison is situated in Kiambu, Kenya. Surrounded by lush green tea fields, this place used to be a torture chamber. There is an inmate population of 3000, the largest prison in Kenya. There used to be a saying, if you are sentenced to Kamiti, you will either die inside or if you are lucky enough to survive it inside, you will be mental by the time you come out.

One the first day, i went for the first prison smart course, the officers, wardens everyone was at first suspicious of our motives for being there, but eventually i found their suspicion turned to curiosity. They got used to seeing us everyday after the first 2/3 days. I was the only young asian lady going into Kamiti, and i had Paul (another local African teacher) and Duncan (the blessed soul who drove us there everyday)go with me. For the inmates, at first we were approached with curiosity. I was observed like a species from another planet. They were told we are were there to teach stress-management. Those who would like to join are welcome. the first course saw 30 brave participants come forward voluntarily out of 3000 inmates. With Paul and Duncan, the 7 days flew by, i had gone through teaching the entire course without saying much. I was more focused on excercising their bodies, and doing a lot of breathing to calm the mind. The inmates had some very intense experiences, i will post their experiences here soon.

The 2nd course was a lot more interesting. I taught it with Nimo (my own first basic course teacher). She being a lot more experienced, taught me a lot. This time word had been passed through the prison and we had 70 participants on the course! This time 2 young asian girls were going into Kamiti daily. One of the course participants narrated later - we thought you ladies were coming here to have fun and mock us. But after experiencing the breathing and the excercises, we feel free and truly transformed. Every inmate had a blessing for us, every inmate had their heart opened up. They felt free, the Sudarshan Kriya had transformed them, Grace had penetrated their lives. Some of the most hardened criminals were having some very powerful experiences. We talked to them about trust, brotherhood (to end the mentality of tribalism, a big problem in Kenya). We talked to them about forgiveness (they were very bitter towards the people/person who had landed them in prison), we talked to them about Kenya and patriotism, and how much the country needs good people to build it. They felt like there was a light at the end of the tunnel, we asked them to have a vision and a mission for themselves, their families and communities. We spoke to them about guilt, and freedom.

They said, these were things they had never thought about. All the inmates had very powerful experiences. All this time i was learning so much from them, and learning so much about what pushes a person into such a situation that they commit horrendous crimes. Towards the end, we felt so much love from the inmates (i really dont like the word prisoners).....we did a dancing process at the end where the inmates felt free for the first time ever....some dancing in ecstasy with their eyes closed and tears running down their cheeks....i went around saying to them, give it your 100% and you are free right now!!! It was a fantastic celebration.....it felt like the air was electric!

As i left the prison, i had a heavy heart, and felt responsible in a way for the inmates being there. The government, people, society in general of Kenya, had in some way failed these beautiful souls.....to me they were like innocent children, caught up in a big bad world, pushed into crime...... I feel so used to going there every morning, i am going to wake up tomorrow and miss going to the prison and seeing my friends......

These experiences have made my resolve stronger, to bring this precious knowledge to as many people as possible, to anyone who is willing to listen, first 30, now 70, next 90 inmates.....all 3000 of them will experience the Sudarshan Kriya. Slow but sure, 97 prisons, 50,000 inmates - with Guruji's grace, nothing is impossible for Kenyan prisons.....and for giving me the priviledge of this experience i bow in deep gratitude to my Guruji.

We are now working on a program where inmates will be able to go through a 9 days YLTP (Youth Leadership Training program) once they come out of prison. They will then become Breath Water Sound teachers and continue to spread this knowledge in their own areas....JGD.