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How you are involved in Prison Dharma
Ex-Prisoner, Teacher
My Prison Dharma Group or Organization
I am not involved in any prison projects at the moment but I am interested and would like to help in some way . I was in jail myself for 4 years and I understand the problems that inmates have and I even wrote a book about it. The book is called "Prison and Beyond" by John Simons and can be found on ebooks at cipmunkapublishing.co.uk.
Tell us about yourself & your interest in prison dharma: (answer required) .
I am a 55 yearold born and bred English or British, if you like. I live in Britstol in the west of England and work as a builder. I was released from prison in April 2006 after serving 4 years of an 8 year sentence for the importation of cocaine. I have 2 grown up children who both live in London, I live in Bristol with my partner. I went to school on a square rigged ship when I was 13 years old and went from there to a job in the Merchant navy as an apprentice navigating officer and stayed until I found that I needed something more from this life after trudging slowly around the world from place to place. It was then I heard about Prem Rawat or Maharaji in those days and eventually met him and received the Knowledge. Since then(34 years ago) my life has been a pretty incredible journey, including the jail sentence. I see that people are in prisons of their own making even if they are wandering free in this world and not in enforced confinement. I recognise that not only do the prisoners need educating but the prison service needs a good looking at as well. My experience could be put to good use if I could get the right contacts and the opportunity to use this experience. Whilst I was in prison I did a certificate of education course and I taught other inmates in 3 different prisons. I wrote a whole heap of poetry and songs and performed my songs with some great musicians in several bands doing concerts for all who wanted to hear. Even a governor congratulated me on some of my stuff but the icing on the cake was the publication of my book. While it isn't a great book at least someone liked it enough to publish it!!!

What its all about

Well what is IT, the big question? Well I can tell you that IT is what we are all looking for in everything we do, because IT is peace, truth, contentment,success. You see scientists looking for the essence of life far away on other planets, when all the time they are standing there breathing! Surely the essence of life exists within each and every one of us which it does. When we go to sleep at night we don't have to think about our breath, it comes and goes gently through our sleeping time and if the time has not come for our departure from this planet or this body we will no doubt wake from our sleep and think nothing more about it. We take for granted that we will breath but in essence are we this body? A dead body has eyes but it can't see, it has a mouth but can't speak and all the rest of it but it is dead! The life has left the body, nothing more, nothing less but life! The thing that enables us to do everything we do has gone, the very essence of our existence on this planet has gone, so how come that we seem to think that it comes from some other place, absurd

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Comment Wall (3 comments)

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At 10:21pm on September 28, 2008, b.broekema@sympatico.ca said…
Hi John:
I have visited prisoners for a long time and every person have had a tough
road to travel. Thank you for your sharing.
Bill
At 1:19pm on July 16, 2008, Carter (PDN Admin) said…
Hi John, We have added a new group called Prison Dharma Volunteers http://prisondharmanetwork.ning.com/group/pdnprisonerfamiliesgroup
Would love to have you join and post!
At 7:24pm on December 12, 2007, Erin Ferguson said…
Hi John, Welcome to PDN!
Wow, you've been around the block. I am grateful to hear your story. I'd love to hear more when you feel like checking in again.
I work at PDN so feel free to throw any questions my way if you like. And I lived in the UK for three and a half years. I love Bristol, BTW!
Blessings,
Erin
 
 
 

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