Ki Training in the Jail

The things I learn about relaxation and concentration I apply to my life here. It is a remedy that rubs against the rough edges of my mind and body, thus making daily the rough edges smoother and more smoother. Daily these techniques are put into practice for a clearer conscious(ness). My anger is more in control and my choices are more clear.
                 - inmate at a correctional institution
Ki Development classes for inmates provide students with the opportunity to really recognize the state of their mind by understanding the state of their body. When they understand their motives and intent, they can more clearly see their actions and, subsequently, the consequence of their behavior.

Many of the inmates in jail have a short-term relationship with their actions, neglecting to look down the road at the results that ultimately land them in jail. In a room full of inmates you will find that 90 percent of them are repeat offenders. Ki Development training ultimately provides inmates with the awareness to identify and change behaviors, if they choose to do so:

It was the sixth class for most of the inmates in the stark room, dully lit with the fluorescent panels and furnished with pink plastic chairs and a white board. Maida Sensei asked the students about their week.
D responded, "I hit my 'cellee.' I had to; he was going to hit me. I had no choice."
The other six students listened quietly as the Maida sensei asked, "You had no choice? Are you sure?"
With all eyes focused on him, D reiterated the story a second and third time, each version revealing more details
Another inmate turned to D and repeated the same question, "Did you really have to hit him?"
Maida Sensei then asked, "Did you have to hit him, or did you want to hit him?"
D's expression changed and his body relaxed. He sat back in his chair and paused. All the inmates had been involved in the Ki training and they knew the answer at the same moment as D. The training enabled D. to clearly see his intention and his behavior.
This is Ki Development in the jails. To understand intent enables inmates to clearly see the choices in their actions and take greater responsibility for themselves and their life.

The beginning of Ki Development for inmates

The introduction of Ki Development into penal institutions began in 2002 at a juvenile facility. Groups of youth between the ages of 13-18 attended several classes that introduced them to a very basic Ki principal: relaxation is stronger than tension. During these classes, the young men began to understand that responding to a physical push with tension ultimately leads to destabilization. Taking this one step further, students eventually learned that if their bodies could be pushed and disturbed, so could their minds. The instructor, Pietro Yuji Maida, introduced methods to help them respond in a more relaxed manner to the physical push. Students expressed surprise and confusion when they experienced their own stability.

In the following months, administrators running a class at a correctional institution agreed to introduce Ki Development classes to the inmates. Similarly to the experience at Juvenile Hall, the inmates responded positively to the basic introduction of Ki principals. As a result, Ki classes are currently serving two housing units on a weekly basis at a correctional institution.

The Jail as a setting for Ki Development experiments

The jail setting, unlike our work place, is an excellent setting for Ki training. Much like a monastery, the jail environment severely regulates those that live within the confines of the walls. Inmates do not make decisions about their clothing, their food, or their schedule. Life from one day to the next is fairly predictable. This predictability or constancy is actually a benefit when working with Ki training. Inside the jail, inmates have less opportunity to blame outsiders or outside situations for their decisions. Most of the time, relationships are limited to other cell mates or the staff. Other factors such as impending sentencing or family visits do play a role in added stress but much less so then living "on the outside." Because everyone is pretty much under the same stress, the students can experiment, attributing success or failure to their own behavior and actions rather than external factors:

Class was just beginning on a balmy Tuesday evening. Thirteen men arrived to class, carrying their pink plastic chairs in one hand and a soda or a book the other. Their chairs formed a semi-circle as they settled in for the two hour session.
"So," asked Maida Sensei, "how did you use the ki training last week?"
J eagerly responded, "My girlfriend called me. She was really getting on my case. I felt myself getting angry, but I didn't. I remembered this class and about what you were saying about having a choice. I took a breath and I relaxed. Somehow, when I didn't shout back, she just got quiet and then we could talk."
By isolating an incident from daily life and applying a Ki principal he learned from his training, J could see clearly the affects of his reaction and choice of reaction.
Not every inmate will see so clearly, but even setbacks can be lessons applied for new learning:

One student described how well he avoided a fight "using his ki training". He recounted his story with a final exclamation, "But if [the other inmate] ever tries to hit me, forget it! I'll get him good. That's crossing the line." With this said, an entire Ki session about "the line" followed.
"What is your line to be crossed?" asked Maida Sensei. "We all have a line. But there is always something bigger than stronger than us. We can always win over something that is weaker than you or I; we don't really need to use tension when it's weaker. But what if it is stronger? Will hitting work?"
By providing a larger context for the problem, inmates are able to look at the long term effects of their reactions. By seeing the larger picture, the inmates change their initial reaction changes. In Ki training, they are learning to both physically and mentally relax when coming upon obstruction.

Positive benefits of Ki training for inmates

It is clear from the testimonials provided by the inmates that the Ki training is effective and positive for those enrolled in the classes. Students are learning to see ahead, to think about their actions, and to physically and mentally respond with positive attitudes. When asked about the training, students responded:

"There have been times when living in small quarters with another man I've tended to be upset, angry even hostile. In a way, this class has helped me to be more calm and patient. Because I realized that he is in there with me also. So what am I doing to irritate him? We have to live with each other so might as well make the best of it."
"The way I use this class is when things happen and I want to flash I find myself stopping and actually catching myself before doing things. Plus, I guess it helps me be more self-conscious. Even though lately I happen to daydream but I'm actually conscious that I'm daydreaming and see I'm working on it and this class is helping me accomplish that. It also helps me out in arguments on actually avoiding them."

The students in our program will be returning to a community that we all share. It is in our interest to support the inmates in their endeavor to make positive changes while incarcerated. Ki training effectively supports inmates to make better choices that ultimately affect us all. According to one student:

"In daily life this class has many benefits. I would say that the first one would be learning how to control my moods. Even though I rarely get excited about issues while incarcerated here at [the correctional institution], this class helps me to stay mellow. I am bipolar and take medication for my condition. This class reminds me at times when someone does say something negative about me to keep my cool."