Wednesday
Prison Retreat
A week-long Shambhala meditation intensive takes place in a prison setting
The Snake River Shambhala Meditation Group is the only entity within Shambhala that functions entirely inside a prison—the Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario, Oregon. This medium-security facility is the largest prison in Oregon (25 acres under roof) and houses 3,000 male inmates. Led by Chaplain Trime Persinger, the group was chartered as a Shambhala Meditation Group in 2007 and has functioned continuously since then.
While there are limitations and adjustments because of the prison environment, we maintain many of the Shambhala forms. Each Sunday we transform the chapel into a meditation hall with a shrine, banners, and meditation cushions. We do opening and closing chants, along with sitting and walking meditation. Most of the teachings consist of recordings by Sakyong Mipham or Pema Chödrön. Earlier this year we completed Walker Blaine’s commentary on the Supplication to the Shambhala Lineage, presented by Shambhala Online. Continue…