Sunday musings – May 27, 2018
Some days I sit down to write and I do not show up emotionally and spiritually. I may then check in with some individuals via email, text or Facebook messenger. I may start the tasks which are on the to do list for that day. Sometimes, as we as true for this morning, I respond to a phone call. Before long it is time to go to the gym. On Sundays, since the gym opens later, I first enjoy breakfast. Once at the guy, I begin my work out and listen to NPR news or a podcast. On some Sundays, such as today, there is a new podcast of Ear Hustle. Today I listened to Episode 17 – The Row. Ear Hustle “is a partnership between Nigel Poor, a Bay Area visual artist and Earlionne Woods, currently incarcerated at Sn Quentin State Prison, and was cofounded with fellow inmate Antwan Williams.”
“The Row” refers to death row. San Quentin houses the 700 (give or take a few)
California inmates waiting on death row to be executed. Although no one has been executed in California since 2006, in 2016 the voters of California were asked to decide between speeding up the process of appeals of those on death row or to do away with capital punishment. They voted to speed up the process It is 12 years post-election and there have not been any executions.
Ms. Poor and Mr. Woods were able to send out a letter in the Prison newspaper asking folks on death row to share their story. Although Ms. Poor and Mr. Woods were not able to contact the men on death row the men were then able to call into the podcast recording studio. They got very few responses. Not surprisingly, those few who did call in were men who have found a way to treat their time on death row as an opportunity to grow spiritually. One man remarked that as was true for many great spiritual leaders, being on death row can be like going off to the wilderness to be by oneself to find meaning. Some of those inmates, such Steve, ask “Who am I? What is my purpose? Will, I choose to wake up happy?” One of the death row inmates who called in remarked that in some ways it is easier on death row to find or make time for what I will call spiritual growth. There are no responsibilities of children, house chores, or a full-time job. One is not focusing on spiritual growth to gain time off for good behavior or to impress someone else. The only motivation and reward is internal.
There are many examples of spiritual teachers going off to the wilderness by choice or force. Dietrich Bonhoeffer chose to resist the Nazi, went to prison and was eventually executed. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Jesus periodically went off to the wilderness. Many friends of mine have chosen extended silent spiritual retreats. Many I know daily decide to be spiritually intentional.
On this Sunday morning, I am acutely aware that I can choose to focus on all the insanity and injustice of the world. I can focus on all the ways that I have actively and passively strayed from my spiritual path this past week. I can focus on all those local, family and world situations over which I have no control or I can choose to focus on a positive spiritual goal/purpose for this moment.
It may seem ironic that today my most powerful teachers are a few men on death row in California. Obviously, once again, I could beat myself up for the thousands of ways I have actively or passively hurt others; for the many ways I waste my time, or neglect to appreciate my freedom. I could choose to judge my “crimes” as less than those of those “murderers” on death row. I could also choose to hear the wisdom of the spiritual teachers coming my way via Ear Hustle.
Written May 27, 2018
Some days I sit down to write and I do not show up emotionally and spiritually. I may then check in with some individuals via email, text or Facebook messenger. I may start the tasks which are on the to do list for that day. Sometimes, as we as true for this morning, I respond to a phone call. Before long it is time to go to the gym. On Sundays, since the gym opens later, I first enjoy breakfast. Once at the guy, I begin my work out and listen to NPR news or a podcast. On some Sundays, such as today, there is a new podcast of Ear Hustle. Today I listened to Episode 17 – The Row. Ear Hustle “is a partnership between Nigel Poor, a Bay Area visual artist and Earlionne Woods, currently incarcerated at Sn Quentin State Prison, and was cofounded with fellow inmate Antwan Williams.”
“The Row” refers to death row. San Quentin houses the 700 (give or take a few)
California inmates waiting on death row to be executed. Although no one has been executed in California since 2006, in 2016 the voters of California were asked to decide between speeding up the process of appeals of those on death row or to do away with capital punishment. They voted to speed up the process It is 12 years post-election and there have not been any executions.
Ms. Poor and Mr. Woods were able to send out a letter in the Prison newspaper asking folks on death row to share their story. Although Ms. Poor and Mr. Woods were not able to contact the men on death row the men were then able to call into the podcast recording studio. They got very few responses. Not surprisingly, those few who did call in were men who have found a way to treat their time on death row as an opportunity to grow spiritually. One man remarked that as was true for many great spiritual leaders, being on death row can be like going off to the wilderness to be by oneself to find meaning. Some of those inmates, such Steve, ask “Who am I? What is my purpose? Will, I choose to wake up happy?” One of the death row inmates who called in remarked that in some ways it is easier on death row to find or make time for what I will call spiritual growth. There are no responsibilities of children, house chores, or a full-time job. One is not focusing on spiritual growth to gain time off for good behavior or to impress someone else. The only motivation and reward is internal.
There are many examples of spiritual teachers going off to the wilderness by choice or force. Dietrich Bonhoeffer chose to resist the Nazi, went to prison and was eventually executed. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Jesus periodically went off to the wilderness. Many friends of mine have chosen extended silent spiritual retreats. Many I know daily decide to be spiritually intentional.
On this Sunday morning, I am acutely aware that I can choose to focus on all the insanity and injustice of the world. I can focus on all the ways that I have actively and passively strayed from my spiritual path this past week. I can focus on all those local, family and world situations over which I have no control or I can choose to focus on a positive spiritual goal/purpose for this moment.
It may seem ironic that today my most powerful teachers are a few men on death row in California. Obviously, once again, I could beat myself up for the thousands of ways I have actively or passively hurt others; for the many ways I waste my time, or neglect to appreciate my freedom. I could choose to judge my “crimes” as less than those of those “murderers” on death row. I could also choose to hear the wisdom of the spiritual teachers coming my way via Ear Hustle.
Written May 27, 2018
RSS Feed