“Right away [after being put in solitary], as stressful as I saw this situation to be, I knew all I needed was my meditation and yoga books. I knew that this was to be an opportunity to gain some introspection on myself. I am still going though periods of depression. I want to do service. In here I have no contact with anyone but the officers who bring me my mail and food.
Of course, as Srila Prabhupada says in his purport of Queen Kunti in the Gita “The duty of the sane person, therefore, is to be undisturbed by worldly calamities, which are sure to happen in all circumstances.” I am often amazed at the depth, yet simplicity, of his explanations on simple truths of the material world, the mind and the spirit soul.”
One thing that has been clear to me in this situation is the transient nature of this body. It has definitely become clear I am not this body; that it is like luggage I am carrying around, a space suit for the soul. The aches and pains that trouble me have shown me how fragile and temporary it is and thus I recognize not to put my faith and hope in “another” who is as temporary.”
Bhakta Robert Cepeda
Malone, NY

“Dear Bhakti-lata, Hare Krsna!
I’ve shared my KC knowledge with other inmates here in a community group meeting in our program. There have been 3, 4 other inmates already that have read the books and magazines I was fortunate to have with me. I even introduced kirtana to the inmates on my pod and one day I came out to the dayroom for “independent study” and some inmates at a table in the back yelled out to me, “Hey, do the Swami two-step!” and they all raised their arms, palms up, and swayed back and forth in their chairs, chanting “Hare Krsna-Hare Krsna.” Two of my cell mates often spontaneously dance around the cell doing the same thing! What a trip!
Maybe in some small way my being here had value unseen by me at first. I’m like ol “Johnny Appleseed” sowing seeds of Krsna consciousness along the way in his travels. That’s all fine and dandy but I still want to serve Krsna from the other side of the wall, so to speak.
Reading “Prabhupada Nectar” game me some really good insights about myself and what I need to do to be successful and return back home to Godhead. I have been maintaining my 16 rounds of chanting daily and reading and meditating on Prabhupada and Krsna.
Again, thank you for standing by me and inspiring me to continue my service to Krsna and IPM, my true and real family. The only place I actually feel I have found of contentment in a life filled with so much turmoil.”
Bhakta Kevin
Milwaukee, WI