Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Liberation Newsletter

Every month Liberation Prison Project publishes at least 3,400 copies of Liberation Newsletter in the US and Australia and gives them away to all of our students in prison, volunteer Buddhist teachers, donors, all FPMT centers and lamas all over the world.

Executive Director Ven. Robina Courtin, who worked as the editor of FPMT's Mandala Magazine for 13 years, edits all stories, which are researched and written by Communciations Coordinator Kate Macdonald. LPP Graphic Designer Keisha Roberts lays out the newsletter, originally designed by Arnoud Smits, an old friend of Ven. Robina's in Holland.

A bimonthly publication, every newsletter includes: news from LPP USA, Australia, Spain, Mexico and Mongolia; updates on our students all over the world; the struggles and successes they share in their letters; their Buddhist-inspired poetry and prose; and their artwork and photographs.

We always feature suggested prayers and practices; a teaching from one of our lamas; news from LPP ex-prisoners, volunteers, staff and the greater FPMT community; and a profile of one of our volunteer Buddhist teachers.

Our students in prison are desperate for a sense of community and through Liberation can share each other's struggles and successes.

“Just the other day I received a phone call from Shane Baker at Darwin Prison in the Northern Territory,” says Ven. Aileen Barry, the project’s Chaplain Coordinator in Australia. “He rang to let us know how inspired he is to read of other inmates progress through the newsletter. ‘It's so good to hear of others in the same situation as we are, doing so well,’ he said.”

“It is wonderful to hear of the things going on to benefit so many,” writes Jason Bryant from the Rudd Unit in Brownfield, Texas to his teacher Judith Hunt in San Anselmo, California, who was profiled in the May–June 2007 Newsletter. “And to hear about those who are in the same position I am.

“And you could only imagine my surprise when I opened it and there was a great article about you... How great it must be to have known and helped so many. And I’m sure you could only imagine the shock when I saw my name in there! ... I felt so special and truly cared about… It has given me much to do for the benefit of others and that brings me a great deal of peace as well as discipline to practice.”

LPP began publishing an eight-page black and white bimonthly newsletter in September 2006; last November it grew to 12 pages. Our goal is to develop the newsletter into Liberation Magazine: a 40-page full-color monthly publication.

In 2003, after seven years of helping people in prison with their Buddhist practice, we realized that the project's students needed a means of communication. That year LPP published two issues of Liberation Magazine, a 40-page, full-color magazine with news from LPP prisoners and prisons, reports on the various prison project activities around the world, teachings and book reviews.

10,000 issues were published in June and December of 2003 and given away to people all over the world – people in and out of prison and Buddhists and non-Buddhist alike. But due to a lack of funds we were only able to publish two issues.

By developing the newsletter into a monthly publication of Liberation Magazine we hope to continue to provide our students with a much-needed sense of community and also bring greater awareness to the admirable Buddhist practice of people in prison.

“As a Buddhist project, we are clear that our focus is on offering people in prison Buddha’s methods for fulfilling their potential for clarity and kindness,” says Ven. Robina. “But, just as His Holiness does not hesitate to point out the suffering that his people experience at the hands of the Chinese communists, we too feel it is important to point out the suffering and injustice experienced by so many in prisons worldwide – not as political rhetoric but in order to encourage humans to think and act wisely and compassionately.”