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Reflections on teaching Yoga and Buddhism in Cambodia: In the prison
JohnC.Kimbrough
Explorer
Reflections on teaching Yoga and Buddhism in Cambodia: In the prison
“The practice of religion involves as a first principle a loving, compassionate heart for all creatures” –
Fo-pen-hing-tsih-king – Chapter 12
We sometimes unwisely think of men and women in prison as being dangerous, in there for a bonafide and legitimate reason, as being lifelong criminals or getting what they deserve, as not being able to change or rehabilitate themselves, or as being ignorant and stupid. Such assumptions show more ignorance on our part then anything else.
Men and women make mistakes, sometimes ones that are very stupid, but it does not mean that they are hardened criminals, lifelong threats to society and other people, or can not change.
The conditions that men and women must live in in a Cambodian prison are quite harsh and I am sure that anyone of them would gladly embrace the opportunity to spend time in an American or western prison with all of its amenities.
Having taught Yoga and Buddhism, and more infrequently English in a local provincial prison in Cambodia on a part - time and volunteer basis over the last year has allowed this writer to grow as a human being and as both a student and teacher of Yoga and Buddhism.
Much can be taken from such an experience and if seen with understanding, balance and clarity by others, used as a springboard for cultivating greater insight within themselves.
The point is assisting others in anyway is something that makes both ourselves better and more joyful people and along the way can also bring something worthwhile, meaningful and healthy into their lives also.
We can do it in easy ways each day of our life wherever we are, such as giving a friendly and sincere smile to others, showing a sincere interest in their health and well - being and that of their family, and offering ourselves as someone who will listen to their concerns regarding life and giving them insightful responses to assist in dealing with those concerns.
Its called compassion and some of us, in our anxiety and fear, lack of balance and focus, and tendency to ill – will and anger have lost sight of how to live in such a way.
It is not hard at all, though for some of us it may take some painful work and changes to get it back or make changes in our life that can bring it about.
We do not have to have all of the things in life that we may selfishly or unwisely think of as being necessary to enjoy and find satisfaction in it as a prerequisite for being compassionate.
We also can not be wrapped up in or led astray by thoughts, feelings and emotions based on jealousy and envy.
The realities of life and the limitations of the body humble us all and teach us that others share the same loneliness and confusion at times that we do, and that we all share the same fate.
We should be thankful for the health, peace, work, opportunities and material and financial gifts that we have in our life instead of getting lost in those things within that create greater pain and disharmony for both ourselves and in our relationships with others.
Yoga and Buddhism both offer us a set of teachings and practices that make us more mindful about ourselves and others and allow us to act on that mindfulness in a compassionate manner.
Right Understanding, the first step and foundation for the practice of The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism, is a set of teachings that we are all capable of learning and understanding whether we are in a prison in Cambodia or America or a shack in India or a penthouse in New York.
The Yoga and Buddhist teachings and disciplines are both universal in scope and application and will bring benefits to all who take some time to learn and apply them.
John C. Kimbrough has taught English, Yoga and Buddhism on a full – time, part time and volunteer basis in Asia for the last twenty years. He did his teacher training for these subjects in Singapore, England and India and currently lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He also does volunteer work in Banteay Meanchey province in Cambodia, teaching Yoga and Buddhism to prisoners in the local provincial prison and to individuals disabled by land mines in addition to teaching informal English language teacher training classes and English classes for Khmer learners. His writings on Yoga, Buddhism and better health and living are widely available on the internet. His E-mail address is johnckimbrough@yahoo.com
©2006 John C. Kimbrough
“The practice of religion involves as a first principle a loving, compassionate heart for all creatures” –
Fo-pen-hing-tsih-king – Chapter 12
We sometimes unwisely think of men and women in prison as being dangerous, in there for a bonafide and legitimate reason, as being lifelong criminals or getting what they deserve, as not being able to change or rehabilitate themselves, or as being ignorant and stupid. Such assumptions show more ignorance on our part then anything else.
Men and women make mistakes, sometimes ones that are very stupid, but it does not mean that they are hardened criminals, lifelong threats to society and other people, or can not change.
The conditions that men and women must live in in a Cambodian prison are quite harsh and I am sure that anyone of them would gladly embrace the opportunity to spend time in an American or western prison with all of its amenities.
Having taught Yoga and Buddhism, and more infrequently English in a local provincial prison in Cambodia on a part - time and volunteer basis over the last year has allowed this writer to grow as a human being and as both a student and teacher of Yoga and Buddhism.
Much can be taken from such an experience and if seen with understanding, balance and clarity by others, used as a springboard for cultivating greater insight within themselves.
The point is assisting others in anyway is something that makes both ourselves better and more joyful people and along the way can also bring something worthwhile, meaningful and healthy into their lives also.
We can do it in easy ways each day of our life wherever we are, such as giving a friendly and sincere smile to others, showing a sincere interest in their health and well - being and that of their family, and offering ourselves as someone who will listen to their concerns regarding life and giving them insightful responses to assist in dealing with those concerns.
Its called compassion and some of us, in our anxiety and fear, lack of balance and focus, and tendency to ill – will and anger have lost sight of how to live in such a way.
It is not hard at all, though for some of us it may take some painful work and changes to get it back or make changes in our life that can bring it about.
We do not have to have all of the things in life that we may selfishly or unwisely think of as being necessary to enjoy and find satisfaction in it as a prerequisite for being compassionate.
We also can not be wrapped up in or led astray by thoughts, feelings and emotions based on jealousy and envy.
The realities of life and the limitations of the body humble us all and teach us that others share the same loneliness and confusion at times that we do, and that we all share the same fate.
We should be thankful for the health, peace, work, opportunities and material and financial gifts that we have in our life instead of getting lost in those things within that create greater pain and disharmony for both ourselves and in our relationships with others.
Yoga and Buddhism both offer us a set of teachings and practices that make us more mindful about ourselves and others and allow us to act on that mindfulness in a compassionate manner.
Right Understanding, the first step and foundation for the practice of The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism, is a set of teachings that we are all capable of learning and understanding whether we are in a prison in Cambodia or America or a shack in India or a penthouse in New York.
The Yoga and Buddhist teachings and disciplines are both universal in scope and application and will bring benefits to all who take some time to learn and apply them.
John C. Kimbrough has taught English, Yoga and Buddhism on a full – time, part time and volunteer basis in Asia for the last twenty years. He did his teacher training for these subjects in Singapore, England and India and currently lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He also does volunteer work in Banteay Meanchey province in Cambodia, teaching Yoga and Buddhism to prisoners in the local provincial prison and to individuals disabled by land mines in addition to teaching informal English language teacher training classes and English classes for Khmer learners. His writings on Yoga, Buddhism and better health and living are widely available on the internet. His E-mail address is johnckimbrough@yahoo.com
©2006 John C. Kimbrough
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Comments
We sometimes forget just how good conditions are in the American state and federal prisons, that being that men and women are given an opportunity to improve themselves if they can get focused and make the commitment and effort.
Families quite often aren't there for them, and by their signatures their elder is locked in. In fact, often families will geographically relocate their parents away from a place where they have lots of friends and support, and then will visit them only a few times a year.
It's criminal how WE TREAT OUR ELDERS AS WE WOULD CRIMINALS! "INCOMPETENT" or dependent until the doctor is convinced otherwise. (OK, find me a GOOD doctor, or at least a facility truly committed to providing equitable care. [One of the biggest rackets going.])
__________________
Is the Falsification of Them.
— Quoting Myself
The other day, I was listening to some of the recordings, made in the 1950s and '60s, of traditional songs collected from fisherfolk around the British Isles. They were mostly sung by old men and women who had learned them as children from grandparents who had, themselves, learned them from grandparents.
Today, those grandparents would be in "homes", drugged to keep them docile and fed an endless diet of televised pap. They no longer sing.
If no one sings the songs to their grandchildren any more, we have been cut off from our deep past. We are set adrift and can no longer remember how to set our course. We no longer sing our way to rich fishing grounds, nor know the places where the wild food grows.
Liberate the old! Free the songs!
Projects in Cambodia – March 1rst, 2007
This writer has just finished another thirty - day
period of doing volunteer work in Cambodia as an
independent volunteer. The purpose of this posting is
to give interested parties a status report on that
work and how it is progressing.
• Yoga and Buddhist classes in the local provincial
prison – The daily teaching during the weekdays of
Yoga and Buddhism in the prison has brought me closer
and closer to the men in the prison and what their
material, educational and health needs are. In
addition to teaching Yoga and Buddhism, we are also
trying to, in whatever little way possible, to meet
their educational and health needs. This includes
providing them with whiteboards, whiteboard markers,
pens, notebooks, English language course books, cream
to deal with skin problems, mats for sleeping on,
toilet paper and talcum powder.
An itemized list of the things that we need to
purchase for the men for the year 2007 is available as
an attachment or upon request, as are remittance
instructions for those who wish to make donations for
this work.
• English language teaching – We continue to provide
free instruction and assistance to those learners who
wish to improve their English language ability. This
is done through one on one teaching and learning,
short special courses to small classes and formal and
informal classes for small groups of Khmer learners in
their homes or at local schools.
• English language teacher training – We continue to
provide information, advice and training on an
informal basis to those Khmer individuals who wish to
become English language teachers in the future. This
is done in small classes that are done at English
language centers in the area and in teaching these
classes, we also provide handouts and other material
for the participants to take away and study on their
own.
This writer recently gave six (6) presentations on how
to become a more effective and efficient teacher of
English at an international conference of English
language teachers in Phnom Phem which allowed him to
meet and network with other teachers and language
centers in Cambodia.
Our short and long - term objectives at present are:
• To continue to teach Yoga and Buddhism to the
prisoners in the local prison while at the same time
making an effort to provide resources to assist in the
education and health of the men and women living
there.
• To continue to work to networking with organizations
and people that do similar work in assisting the Khmer
people.
• To continue to be of assistance to the English
language teaching and learning community in Cambodia
in whatever way possible.
We continue to be in need of donations in order to
continue with our work and build on it in a positive
and evolving manner. If you wish to make a donation,
please look over the remittance instructions which
have been attached or are available upon request.
Thank you once again for your attention and interest
in this work.
Yes, it is true that the world and we treat a variety of people in various situations in a bad way....
We all too confused and unknowing about the right undertsanding to have in life...
We can all make some effort to assist those in need in our own way, be it in a sincere and real interest in listeing to and talking with them or in providing them with financial and material needs.
For many it is just assisting them to see the good in themselves and their life that may be most important and perhaps pointing them in a direction that teaches, inspires and puts forth a worthwhile meaning and path of knowledge to pursue.....