TRULINCS 23038076- LUMMUS, ALLAN CRAIG - Unit: BAS-T-A

FROM: 23038076
TO: Clf Prison Ministry, The
SUBJECT: mp letter to max
DATE: 08/02/2015 07:44:34PM

mp 85 letter to max 8.2.15

Max, I am having some difficulty finding motivation to write. I have decided to use a ploy of writing to you in order to kick start
the writing. I hope you don't mind.

Max, one of the issues that has come up in our drug program is a general lack of cohesion among the participants. We are just
doing our own program in isolation. We are not a coherent unit. The idea is to come up with activities that will give us some
team spirit.

The first idea is start the day in silence. We walk frm the unit to the chapel, wait outside the door while some organize the
chairs and then file in to sit down. We use to be rather loud walking down, talking and kidding around and then find it hard to
walk into the chapel in a quiet way. But since we started walking down, waiting outside the door in silence, we have walked into
the chapel in a much more organized and respectful way.

It reminds me of the beginning of a religious service. It is interesting to see how the difference effects me. I like the silence. It
helps me focus and set my intention. All Buddhist services start with an intention stated. By speaking the purpose of the
practice I find it easier to focus. In this case I can focus on the community meeting which is our first meeting of the day and
lasts for an hour. We handle our program wide issues in this meeting. I start my day with a meditation which does the same
thing on a personal level. I mentally dedicate myself to being awake and present for the people in my life today. I find it easier
to go through my day after starting the day with a mindful meditation. I tend to be more scattered and less productive without it.

mindful prisoner betweethebars.org allan lummus #23038076 pobox 1010 bastrop tx, 96402