I talked to him about what I had experienced.  For the first time, he heard some words describing what he had already lived.  Anyone who wants to know the words for what s/he experienced can always ask God to show him or her the words.  We can meditate: close our eyes, concentrate on our breath and observe first our body from the toes to the top of our heads, as well as observing our minds.  As we become caught with what our minds are saying, we can gently bring our attention back to our breath.  In addition to meditation, and to prayer, there are many guides in the Universe who are happy to help us to learn everything we needed to learn, so we can name our experiences and help others. 

The power of meditation is that it helps the body become relaxed.  The more relaxed our bodies are, the more we can re-experience the horrors of our lives, if the purpose of our practice is to find words to help both ourselves and others.  If we do not have this purpose, then, even with the relaxation response being fully active, we will not be able to tolerate going back to what happened.

If we are asked to define our experiences to help those who have had the experience as well as educate a person who does not know,  then there is great value in having words. Just by being asked a question, the answer to the question can help others, the experience is transformed inside the person.  The burden becomes a gift.  If the person has kept a journal; documented who the guides were; what the guides said; what prayers they prayed; how their bodies felt, how their bodies changed as a new insight become integrated with everything else that each cell of their bodies knew; they will be able to fully live again in the present. 

Living in the present means that they will again be able to feel joy, gratitude and compassion. Each time any of us have trauma, the negative experiences live in our bodies, as an ocean of helplessness. Each time life stimulates their emotions, their old feelings come in to drown them in negativity.  All of us have all the positive and negative emotions.  Trauma creates a severe imbalance.  As the person encases their feelings in words, the person comes back into balance, in the middle ground between the extremes.

Usually, reporters are very much focused on the facts.  The facts of solitary confinement are profound changes in consciousness.  I hope that what I’ve written helps broaden all of our perspectives both on solitary confinement and also on, how every severe problem also brings us a gift.

Alice Adelman Lowenstein
January 30, 2012

Congratulations to you both on your Mimi Awards and thanks for the inspiration!