Buddhism Behind Bars: What I Learned Teaching Meditation in Prisons

Buddhism Behind Bars: What I Learned Teaching Meditation in Prisons

Author: The Modern Buddhism Podcast January 23, 2025 Duration: 35:18

In this episode, we sit down with Gen Thekchen, a Buddhist monk who was invited to teach meditation to prisoners in Canada. He shares his remarkable journey of teaching controlling the mind behind bars, revealing how the inmates’ surprising resilience and unwavering determination to master their minds in such a tough environment inspired him. Tune in as Gen Thekchen reflects on the profound lessons he learned from the very people society often overlooks. Book references How to Transform Your Life ~ https://kadampa.org/books/free-ebook-download-howtotyl The New Eight Steps to Happiness ~ https://tharpa.com/uk/the-new-eight-steps-to-happiness Gen Thekchen is the Resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center Ottawa https://meditateinottawa.org/ The participants of these podcasts are practicing meditation according to the New Kadampa Tradition, which has over a thousand meditation centers worldwide. See more https://kadampa.org/ WANT MORE? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U5J8JlJq2Y Find a meditation center near you https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en Listen to teaching clips: youtube.com/nktikbu https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z Follow the Modern Buddhism Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modernbuddhismpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernbuddhismpodcast/ TIkTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@modernbuddhismpodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7lgQNhbjMGoHOxBnjkfmK4 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/519b6d69-b6ed-46b2-ab56-ebaf59adf96e/the-modern-buddhism-podcast #modermbuddhismpodcast #buddhism #podcast #BuddhismBehindBars #MeditationInPrison #BuddhistMonkJourney #InnerPeaceInToughTimes #InspiringStories #ResilienceAndMeditation #LessonsFromInmates #BuddhistPodcast #MeditationForChange #OvercomingChallenges #mindfulnesspodcast Subscribe to get notifications of new videos.


There’s a quiet space between the rush of daily life and the ancient wisdom of Buddhist teachings, and that’s where you’ll find The Modern Buddhism Podcast. Rather than presenting philosophy as a distant theory, this series focuses on tangible, practical application. Each episode features conversations with individuals who are actively integrating meditation and Buddha’s insights into their modern routines, demonstrating how these practices foster genuine resilience and a more steady sense of contentment. The discussions are grounded in real experience, exploring how inner peace isn’t about retreating from the world but engaging with it more skillfully. You’ll hear from a variety of voices within the New Kadampa Tradition, who produce the podcast, sharing their personal journeys and the subtle shifts in perspective that come from consistent practice. This isn’t about abstract ideals; it’s about the texture of daily life-managing stress, navigating relationships, and finding moments of happiness amidst ordinary challenges. Tuning into this podcast feels like joining a thoughtful dialogue where timeless principles meet contemporary questions, offering listeners a resource for cultivating a stronger, more peaceful mind right where they are.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 43

The Modern Buddhism Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Bonus Episode: Meditation on Our Precious Human Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:16
Happy New Year Everyone! While we continue our break from our usual conversation episodes, please enjoy Kadam Adam briefly explaining and then guiding a meditation on how our life is precious, rare and meaningful. This b…
Bonus Episode: Meditation on Love and Kindness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:29
While we take a brief break over the festive season, please enjoy this bonus episode: a beautiful guided meditation on love and kindness called equalizing self with others.Full conversation episodes will resume in mid Ja…
How To Overcome Your Fear of Failure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:13
We live in a world that constantly tells us we need to do more, be more, and achieve more. We set insanely high standards for ourselves, pushing to be successful in every area of life—yet, even when we reach those goals,…
Finding Meaning And Purpose In Your Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:24
In this episode, guest host Agnes Bednarczyk is joined by Buddhist monk Gen Doryning to explore the deep sense of searching many young people feel in today's world. Surrounded by uncertainty and overwhelmed by modern cha…
How Your Meditation Can Go So Much Deeper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:18
Meditation is a popular method to achieve a calm, peaceful state of mind. In this podcast, International meditation teacher, Kadam Morten Clausen, explains how meditation is so much more than just breathing meditation an…
I Wouldn’t Wish This On Anyone - But I Wouldn’t Change A Thing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:19
In this Podcast Gen Demo, a Buddhist nun who is dealing with the chronic disease of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), explains how she is learning to let go of worry and accept her illness. Worrying makes everything worse and has…
How I Used Meditation To Deal With Conflict [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:39
In this episode, Kadam Adam and Buddhist monk Gen Doryning discuss how conflict can become a pivotal time for achieving real success. They both share relatable stories of conflict that helped them to change their reactio…
Freedom from Anxiety: Buddhist Meditations To Unlock Fearlessness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:19
Anxiety is a modern-day epidemic. In this podcast, Buddhist monk, Gen Kelsang Rabten, uses his own experience of anxiety to explain how to deal with this debilitating habit of mind by applying specific, powerful meditati…
How I Conquered Chronic Pain: The Inspiring Power of Meditation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:50
In this podcast, Miri (Mirja Renner) discusses how to transform chronic pain. Dealing with chronic pain herself Miri explains an extraordinary and ancient meditation practice that has helped her deal with relentless pain…