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— If one uses this time and experience of being in prison to practice meditation, to practice dharma, then being in prison, even though it is believed you are in prison by outside people, in reality it becomes a retreat for you. —

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

 

Sally Martin - Prisoner Art Projects Manager

A volunteer, Sally makes cards, notebooks and bookmarks out of prisoner artwork offered to Liberation Prison Project from inmates all over the world. She also makes cards from unsold prison project calendars. The various cards, notebooks and bookmarks are sold at the Buddhist Bookstore Café, a joint venture with FPMT center Tse Chen Ling.

"I came to Liberation Prison Project through the back door – after answering an intriguing online posting for a volunteer – and knowing little about Buddhism or the prison project itself. I was offered the opportunity to make cards by hand: irresistible after years of corporate IT work.

"When I began to work at LPP, surrounded by Buddhas and altars and incense (not to mention kind and competent humans), I knew I was most fortunate to be here, Buddhist or not. Then I met Ven. Robina and realized what a privilege it is to work for her and the organization she started.

"From the first, I was drawn to Medicine Buddha – simply as an exotic blue image, as I knew nothing of his significance. One afternoon, I made a dozen or so Medicine Buddha bookmarks; and that night as I was falling asleep, I felt myself merge into his blue light. Now I have his image in every room. It seems that he’s guiding me toward something significant, perhaps to learn something of spiritual healing.

"I’m grateful for the chance to contribute to a most worthy cause, to work (and laugh) with lovely people, and to be immersed in auspicious Buddha energy."