On the cover of the book Letters from the Dhamma Brothers by Jenny Phillips, there is a quote by American Congressman John Lewis: “No human being should be considered beyond the reach of redemption.” It is this conviction that inspired the book, which tells the gripping story of 36 high security prison inmates in Alabama whose lives were transformed through meditation.

When a Vipassana meditation course came to Donaldson Prison for the first time in 2002, 20 men participated. They were all criminals accustomed to a life of aggression and violence; many were serving life sentences. Critics immediately cast their doubts on this new form of therapy – the first of its kind in North America. Could inmates truly be rehabilitated through meditation? Would their transformations be genuine and long-lasting?

Donaldson prison is an overcrowded maximum-security penitentiary – the end of the line in Alabama’s correctional system, complete with high security towers, a double row of barbed wire and an electrical fence. In fact, many of its inmates will never see the light of day. The extended Vipassana retreat is an emotionally and physically demanding course of silent meditation lasting ten days. The rigorous routine begins with a wake up bell at 4 a.m. and ends with lights out at 9:30 p.m. According to the book’s author Jenny Phillips, the technique of Vipassana meditation is a simple, practical way to achieve real peace of mind and to lead a happy, useful life. Vipassana means “to see things as they really are” and is a logical process of mental purification through self-observation.

Phillips visited the Donaldson prison for the first time in 1999 and initiated the Vipassana program there. Over the years, the inmates involved in this program began sending her letters about their lives and their quest for inner peace. Those letters, published here, were also the inspiration for the award-winning documentary film The Dhamma Brothers, also produced and directed by Phillips. Phillips is currently a practising psychotherapist in Concord, Massachusets and has received over 200 letters.

These letters cast a light on the deepest thoughts and struggles of the inmates who participated in this voluntary meditation program. They called themselves “the Dhamma Brothers” because of the experience they shared. Dhamma is a word in Pali (Dharma in Sanskrit) which means the Way, the Truth, the Buddha's teachings. Pali was the language spoken by Gotama the Buddha.

This book is said to provide the reader with hope for the human race and shatter commonly held stereotypes about men behind bars. Its strong belief in the powerful effects of meditation has helped reshape the ideas of many citizens and opened the door to the possibility of a more humaine and effective rehabilitation for prisoners everywhere. It is a story of hope in the darkest of times and renewal in the deepest of cells. It is proof that transformation and enlightenment are not restricted to gardens and sun-lit rooms. Most of all, it is a testament to the human ability to grow, persevere, and change despite all odds.