How Meditation, Mindfulness And Kindness Transform The Lives Of Prisoners - Doug Carnine's Latest Book Offers Readers An Inside Look At A Revolutionary Paradigm Shift

Carnine's book relates the stories of four prisoners who achieve transcendence using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness.

While it was not always considered a hot topic, the media today is filled with articles about how meditation, mindfulness and kindness can significantly affect and, in some cases, utterly transform the lives and experiences of those incarcerated in prisons and jails worldwide.

NBC recently presented a piece entitled "Prison Meditation Program Helps Inmates Rebuild Minds, Restart Lives". Amy Maclin offered a piece on Oprah.com entitled, "Why Meditation Is Becoming So Popular In Prisons." Lisa Rapaport's piece on Reuters.com was titled, "Meditation linked to lower stress among prison inmates." CNN.com carried a piece by Stephanie Chen titled, "Prison inmates go Zen to deal with life behind bars." More articles can be found on the websites of Huffington Post, NPR, The Washington Post and others. There are hundreds more.

In addition, organizations like the Prison Mindfulness Institute and the David Lynch Foundation focus on showing prisoners how to create a sense of "freedom behind bars".

Why all the fanfare about meditation and mindfulness in prison? Because it works like nothing else. Doug Carnine, author of 'Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Max Hell,' presents the proof in his highly praised, must-read book.

Carnine has personally witnessed the life-changing benefits meditation and mindfulness produce for those who are incarcerated in jails and prisons. The book is a story spanning seven years’ worth of letters and Carnine’s growing friendships between Roy Tester and three other prisoners.

In their own words, the prisoners describe the crises they face including disabling illness, a brain tumor, a prison gang attack, family betrayal, medical abuse and harsh punishments for mild offenses.  Each prisoner in his own way achieves transcendence through his crisis using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness. Readers are stunned to see the destructive forces of an abusive childhood, a criminal adulthood, and a life without parole in prison result in their incongruously continuous acts of kindness. Their voices are raw and honest, and at times inspiring.

"Mindfulness is necessary but not sufficient to transform both prisoners and prison staff," Carnine stated. "Mindfulness clears our mind of worry about the past and anxiety about the future. But what then? The purpose of mindfulness is not primarily to make us feel better but to make us better able to act with kindness, which is the greatest win-win in the world. The recipient of kindness benefits. And those who act with kindness are happier, healthier, have more loving relationships and live longer. One of my co-authors, Roy, murdered his parents after being sexually abused for years by this father. Yet Roy risked his life to prevent the murder of a child molester who had just entered prison. Kindness overcame Roy’s hate of child molesters."

Another of Carnine’s books, 'How Love Wins: The Power of Mindful Kindness', follows in the same vein. Most of us recognize that being kinder and more present would not only improve our own lives and the lives of our loved ones, but also strengthen our communities. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that both living mindfully and being kind to others offer a host of benefits -- from stronger relationships to longer life. Yet even if we truly care and are motivated to change, we find that old habits keep us from achieving our goal of increasing our kindness and improving our relationships.

In 'How Love Wins', Carnine offers another path. In this simple but powerful guide, leading the reader through a 12-step process of transformation, opening a toolbox of skills and techniques that anyone can use to live more fully in the moment and be more kind to themselves and others. A lay Buddhist minister who has worked with prisoners and hospice patients, Carnine provides a clear path that will enable almost anyone to build a mindfully kind life -- and make it stick.

Carnine was recently named one of 50 great writers you should be reading in the ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’ Book Awards'. He was chosen from a field of hundreds of authors through a public voting process.

Readers and reviewers have praised his work. Geri Larkin, Founding Teacher of Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple and author of 'Stumbling Toward Enlightenment' said, “Saint Badass isn’t simply about the transformative power of sincere spiritual practice. It demonstrates the impact of our practice on our environment and the people around us. These men have many reasons to be filled with hate, to be violent, and to be completely shut down given the lives they are leading in the bowels of the hell realm of our society, our prisons. And yet. They transform. One of them glows in the dark, I swear. Reading the book gave me hope.”

Duana Welch, PhD, author of 'Love Factually: 10 Proven Steps from I Wish to I Do' stated, “This powerful book takes any of us from a life of 'me' to 'we,' from isolation to connection and love. In a world where kindness is so needed yet so little understood, How Love Wins is a must-read.”

Doug Carnine is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below, or by email at dcarnine@uoregon.edu. Both books are available at online retail book outlets. More information is available at his website at http://feedkindness.com.

About Douglas Carnine:

Douglas Carnine, a professor emeritus from the University of Oregon, began his pursuit of scientific research, instructional design, Buddhism and martial arts when he was 21. His academic career focused on teaching at-risk students and led to him receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.

After retiring, working with men convicted of murder and serving as a hospice volunteer made him curious about the importance of kindness. After reviewing the research on kindness, he decided to devote his writing and his advocacy to making the importance of mindful kindness more prominent. The resulting project is his website, Feedkindness.com, along with his books, ‘How Love Wins’ and ‘Saint Badass.’

Contact:

Douglas Carnine
dcarnine@uoregon.edu
http://feedkindness.com

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Award Winning Author Doug Carnine's Latest Book Presents Clear Evidence Of The Life Changing Power Of Mindfulness, Meditation And Kindness For Prisoners

Carnine's book relates the stories of four prisoners who achieve transcendence using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness.

A recent article on Oprah Winfrey's website by Amy Maclin entitled "Why Meditation Is Becoming So Popular In Prisons" discloses a few powerful and insightful facts from Kate Crisp, executive director of the Prison Mindfulness Institute. In that article, Crisp says she believes many inmates land in prison after an act of pure impulse. She, like so many others, knows that mindfulness training can help.

Meditation and mindfulness training can help with much more than just impulse control of course. It can also teach prisoners how to manage anxiety, reduce stress and depression, and can improve conflict resolution skills. Mindfulness training and meditation can also dramatically impact self transformation efforts and personal development.

Doug Carnine, PhD, author of 'Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Max Hell,' has personally witnessed the life-changing benefits meditation and mindfulness produce for those who are incarcerated in jails and prisons. The book is a story spanning seven years’ worth of letters and Carnine’s growing friendships between Roy Tester and three other prisoners.

In their own words, the prisoners describe the crises they face including disabling illness, a brain tumor, a prison gang attack, family betrayal, medical abuse and harsh punishments for mild offenses.  Each prisoner in his own way achieves transcendence through his crisis using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness. Readers are stunned to see the destructive forces of an abusive childhood, a criminal adulthood, and a life without parole in prison result in their incongruously continuous acts of kindness. Their voices are raw and honest, and at times inspiring.

"RJ offers the  most unusual example of transformation through mindful kindness, Carnine stated. "RJ, who confessed to me that he was a child molestation addict with 100 victims, would soon be released on parole in Arkansas and feared he would molest a child. At his request I tracked down the the prosecutor’s office that will result in him being transferred directly to a prison in Washington, where he committed most of his molestations. His wish is being granted. He will never be free to molest another child."

Another of Carnine’s books, 'How Love Wins: The Power of Mindful Kindness', follows in the same vein. Most of us recognize that being kinder and more present would not only improve our own lives and the lives of our loved ones, but also strengthen our communities. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that both living mindfully and being kind to others offer a host of benefits -- from stronger relationships to longer life. Yet even if we truly care and are motivated to change, we find that old habits keep us from achieving our goal of increasing our kindness and improving our relationships.

In 'How Love Wins', Carnine offers another path. In this simple but powerful guide, leading the reader through a 12-step process of transformation, opening a toolbox of skills and techniques that anyone can use to live more fully in the moment and be more kind to themselves and others. A lay Buddhist minister who has worked with prisoners and hospice patients, Carnine provides a clear path that will enable almost anyone to build a mindfully kind life -- and make it stick.

Carnine was recently named one of 50 great writers you should be reading in the ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’ Book Awards'. He was chosen from a field of hundreds of authors through a public voting process.

Readers and reviewers have praised his work. Geri Larkin, Founding Teacher of Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple and author of 'Stumbling Toward Enlightenment' said, “Saint Badass isn’t simply about the transformative power of sincere spiritual practice. It demonstrates the impact of our practice on our environment and the people around us. These men have many reasons to be filled with hate, to be violent, and to be completely shut down given the lives they are leading in the bowels of the hell realm of our society, our prisons. And yet. They transform. One of them glows in the dark, I swear. Reading the book gave me hope.”

Duana Welch, PhD, author of 'Love Factually: 10 Proven Steps from I Wish to I Do' stated, “This powerful book takes any of us from a life of 'me' to 'we,' from isolation to connection and love. In a world where kindness is so needed yet so little understood, How Love Wins is a must-read.”

Doug Carnine is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below, or by email at dcarnine@uoregon.edu. Both books are available at online retail book outlets. More information is available at his website at http://feedkindness.com.

About Douglas Carnine:

Douglas Carnine, a professor emeritus from the University of Oregon, began his pursuit of scientific research, instructional design, Buddhism and martial arts when he was 21. His academic career focused on teaching at-risk students and led to him receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.

After retiring, working with men convicted of murder and serving as a hospice volunteer made him curious about the importance of kindness. After reviewing the research on kindness, he decided to devote his writing and his advocacy to making the importance of mindful kindness more prominent. The resulting project is his website, Feedkindness.com, along with his books, ‘How Love Wins’ and ‘Saint Badass.’

Contact:

Douglas Carnine
dcarnine@uoregon.edu
http://feedkindness.com

Leia Mais…

Dalai Lama, Kirin Bedi, And Award Winning Author Doug Carnine Agree That Mindfulness and Meditation Dramatically Affect Prisoner's Lives

Carnine's book relates the stories of four prisoners who achieve transcendence using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness.

In a recent news article on the OneIndia website, the Dalai Lama praised Kiran Bedi, BJP's chief ministerial candidate, for the introduction of a program of meditation in Tihar jail. While this may seem to be somewhat unconventional, it is in fact a powerful strategy for making improvements in the lives of prisoners. Nearly all of us are aware of the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, but we seldom think of them in the context of how they can help people in the correctional system.

Doug Carnine, PhD, author of 'Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Max Hell,' has witnessed the life-changing benefits meditation and mindfulness produce for everyone, including those who are incarcerated in jails and prisons. 'Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Max Hell' is a story spanning seven years’ worth of letters and Carnine’s growing friendships between Roy Tester and three other prisoners.

In their own words, the prisoners describe the crises they face including disabling illness, a brain tumor, a prison gang attack, family betrayal, medical abuse and harsh punishments for mild offenses.  Each prisoner in his own way achieves transcendence through his crisis using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness. Readers are stunned to see the destructive forces of an abusive childhood, a criminal adulthood, and a life without parole in prison result in their incongruously continuous acts of kindness. Their voices are raw and honest, and at times inspiring.

" My prisoner friends used mindfulness to move past their guilt and anger and begin to focus on how to be kind to others," Carnine stated. "Roy Tester, whom I have been writing about mindful  kindness for almost 9 years, was sexually abused by his father and a friend of his father, with the full knowledge of his mother. In spite of his hate of child molesters, his kindness practice lead him to risk his life to save a child molester from being murdered by two other prisoners. Combining mindfulness and kindness has brought about unbelievable changes in the murderers featured in my book."

Another of Carnine’s books, 'How Love Wins: The Power of Mindful Kindness', follows in the same vein. Most of us recognize that being kinder and more present would not only improve our own lives and the lives of our loved ones, but also strengthen our communities. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that both living mindfully and being kind to others offer a host of benefits -- from stronger relationships to longer life. Yet even if we truly care and are motivated to change, we find that old habits keep us from achieving our goal of increasing our kindness and improving our relationships.

In 'How Love Wins', Carnine offers another path. In this simple but powerful guide, leading the reader through a 12-step process of transformation, opening a toolbox of skills and techniques that anyone can use to live more fully in the moment and be more kind to themselves and others. A lay Buddhist minister who has worked with prisoners and hospice patients, Carnine provides a clear path that will enable almost anyone to build a mindfully kind life -- and make it stick.

Carnine was recently named one of 50 great writers you should be reading in the ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’ Book Awards'. He was chosen from a field of hundreds of authors through a public voting process.

Readers and reviewers have praised his work. Geri Larkin, Founding Teacher of Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple and author of 'Stumbling Toward Enlightenment' said, “Saint Badass isn’t simply about the transformative power of sincere spiritual practice. It demonstrates the impact of our practice on our environment and the people around us. These men have many reasons to be filled with hate, to be violent, and to be completely shut down given the lives they are leading in the bowels of the hell realm of our society, our prisons. And yet. They transform. One of them glows in the dark, I swear. Reading the book gave me hope.”

Duana Welch, PhD, author of 'Love Factually: 10 Proven Steps from I Wish to I Do' stated, “This powerful book takes any of us from a life of 'me' to 'we,' from isolation to connection and love. In a world where kindness is so needed yet so little understood, How Love Wins is a must-read.”

Doug Carnine is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below, or by email at dcarnine@uoregon.edu. Both books are available at online retail book outlets. More information is available at his website at http://feedkindness.com.

About Douglas Carnine:
Douglas Carnine, a professor emeritus from the University of Oregon, began his pursuit of scientific research, instructional design, Buddhism and martial arts when he was 21. His academic career focused on teaching at-risk students and led to him receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.

After retiring, working with men convicted of murder and serving as a hospice volunteer made him curious about the importance of kindness. After reviewing the research on kindness, he decided to devote his writing and his advocacy to making the importance of mindful kindness more prominent. The resulting project is his website, Feedkindness.com, along with his books, ‘How Love Wins’ and ‘Saint Badass.’

Contact:

Douglas Carnine
dcarnine@uoregon.edu
http://feedkindness.com

Leia Mais…

Award-Winning Author Doug Carnine's Latest Book Proves That Mindfulness And Meditation Can Transform The Lives Of Prisoners

Carnine's book relates the stories of four prisoners who achieve transcendence using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness.

An article on the PsychCentral website by Janice Wood, entitled "Meditation Can Foster Transformation In Prisoners," presented some sobering facts. According to the article over 80% of those incarcerated have been the victim of some form of crime or suffered some kind of abuse. Trauma also plays a key role in higher rates of recidivism and is associated with adverse mental and health conditions.

These findings clearly demonstrates the need for effective ways to reduce the effect of trauma on this segment of the population.

According to the same article, a study published in 'The Permanente Journal' demonstrated that prisoners who used a transcendental meditation technique for just four months had "a 47 percent reduction in total trauma symptoms over the course of the study."

Doug Carnine, PhD, author of 'Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Max Hell,' has witnessed the life-changing benefits meditation and mindfulness produce for everyone, including those who are incarcerated in jails and prisons. 'Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Max Hell' is a story spanning seven years’ worth of letters and Carnine’s growing friendships between Roy Tester and three other prisoners. .

In their own words, the prisoners describe the crises they face including disabling illness, a brain tumor, a prison gang attack, family betrayal, medical abuse and harsh punishments for mild offenses.  Each prisoner in his own way achieves transcendence through his crisis using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness. Readers are stunned to see the destructive forces of an abusive childhood, a criminal adulthood, and a life without parole in prison result in their incongruously continuous acts of kindness. Their voices are raw and honest, and at times inspiring.

"What surprised me was how the kindness of the prisoners triggered kindness in the prison guards and nurses," Carnine stated. "I’d flown from Oregon to Arkansas and was talking to Roy through a four-inch bullet proof glass when a burley, tough crew-cut sargent walked up and asked me to try to get Roy to eat more because he was wasting away. Roy’s kindness lead a nurse to resign in protest over a doctor’s cruel treatment of Roy. Society does not realize  how much guards and nurses benefit them being more kind. For example bolstering the resilience of guards might reduce their suicide rate, which is 39% higher than the average for other occupations."

Another of Carnine’s books, 'How Love Wins: The Power of Mindful Kindness', follows in the same vein. Most of us recognize that being kinder and more present would not only improve our own lives and the lives of our loved ones, but also strengthen our communities. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that both living mindfully and being kind to others offer a host of benefits -- from stronger relationships to longer life. Yet even if we truly care and are motivated to change, we find that old habits keep us from achieving our goal of increasing our kindness and improving our relationships.

In 'How Love Wins', Carnine offers another path. In this simple but powerful guide, leading the reader through a 12-step process of transformation, opening a toolbox of skills and techniques that anyone can use to live more fully in the moment and be more kind to themselves and others. A lay Buddhist minister who has worked with prisoners and hospice patients, Carnine provides a clear path that will enable almost anyone to build a mindfully kind life -- and make it stick.

Carnine was recently named one of 50 great writers you should be reading in the ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’ Book Awards'. He was chosen from a field of hundreds of authors through a public voting process.

Readers and reviewers have praised his work. Geri Larkin, Founding Teacher of Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple and author of 'Stumbling Toward Enlightenment' said, “Saint Badass isn’t simply about the transformative power of sincere spiritual practice. It demonstrates the impact of our practice on our environment and the people around us. These men have many reasons to be filled with hate, to be violent, and to be completely shut down given the lives they are leading in the bowels of the hell realm of our society, our prisons. And yet. They transform. One of them glows in the dark, I swear. Reading the book gave me hope.”

Duana Welch, PhD, author of 'Love Factually: 10 Proven Steps from I Wish to I Do' stated, “This powerful book takes any of us from a life of 'me' to 'we,' from isolation to connection and love. In a world where kindness is so needed yet so little understood, How Love Wins is a must-read.”

Doug Carnine is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below, or by email at dcarnine@uoregon.edu. Both books are available at online retail book outlets. More information is available at his website at http://feedkindness.com.

About Douglas Carnine:

Douglas Carnine, a professor emeritus from the University of Oregon, began his pursuit of scientific research, instructional design, Buddhism and martial arts when he was 21. His academic career focused on teaching at-risk students and led to him receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.

After retiring, working with men convicted of murder and serving as a hospice volunteer made him curious about the importance of kindness. After reviewing the research on kindness, he decided to devote his writing and his advocacy to making the importance of mindful kindness more prominent. The resulting project is his website, Feedkindness.com, along with his books, ‘How Love Wins’ and ‘Saint Badass.’

Contact:

Douglas Carnine
dcarnine@uoregon.edu
http://feedkindness.com

Leia Mais…

Meditation And Mindfulness Can Dramatically Help Prisoners Improve Mental Health And Wellbeing Says Author Doug Carnine

Carnine's latest book relates the stories of four prisoners who achieve transcendence using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness.

An article in the British newspaper The Telegraph by Sophie Jamieson described how mindfulness and meditation training helped prisoners and prison guards control anger and reduce depression and anxiety. The same article also described how almost 200 MPs, peers, and staff received similar training following Labour MP Chris Ruane and Lord Richard Layard setting up a program in Westminster that called for.“…the role of mindfulness and mental wellbeing to be officially recognised and reflected in policy, including in healthcare, education and criminal justice."

Doug Carnine, PhD., author of 'Saint Badass - Personal Transcendence In Tucker Max Hell,' is well aware of the life changing benefits meditation and mindfulness can produce for everyone, including those who are incarcerated in jails and prisons.

“Mindfulness improves our lives," Carnine stated. "Adding kindness to mindfulness transforms our lives. Scientists have found that being kind is as important to the well being of your body and mind as what you eat and how much you exercise. Moreover kindness, found in all religions, is also one of our four basic instincts, along with survival, success and reproduction. Modern society promotes success and sex. But how much do we hear about kindness? My job is to get the word out about the power of combining mindfulness and  kindness.”

'Saint Badass - Personal Transcendence In Tucker Max Hell' is a story spanning seven years worth of letters and growing friendships between four prisoners and Carnine. Each prisoner faces various crises in prison including disabling illness, a brain tumor, a prison gang attack, family betrayal, medical abuse and harsh punishments for mild offenses.  Each prisoner in his own way achieves transcendence through his crisis using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness. Readers are stunned to see  the destructive forces of an abusive childhood, a criminal adulthood, and a life without parole in prison result in their incongruously continuous acts of kindness. Their voices are raw and honest, and at times inspiring.

Another of his books, 'How Love Wins', follows in the same vein. Most of us recognize that being kinder and more present would not only improve our own lives and the lives of our loved ones, but also strengthen our communities. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that both living mindfully and being kind to others offer a host of benefits -- from stronger relationships to longer life. Yet even if we truly care and are motivated to change, we find that old habits keep us from achieving our goal of increasing our kindness and improving our relationships.

In 'How Love Wins', Carnine offers another path. In this simple but powerful guide, he leads the reader through a 12-step process of transformation, opening a toolbox of skills and techniques that anyone can use to live more fully in the moment and be more kind to themselves and others. A lay Buddhist minister who has worked with prisoners and hospice patients, Carnine provides a clear path that will enable almost everyone to build a mindfully kind life -- and make it stick.

Carnine was recently chosen as a finalist in the ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’ Book Awards Contest. He was chosen from a field of hundreds of authors through a public voting process.

Readers and reviewers have praised his work. Geri Larkin, Founding Teacher of Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple and author of 'Stumbling Toward Enlightenment' said, “Saint Badass isn’t simply about the transformative power of sincere spiritual practice. It demonstrates the impact of our practice on our environment and the people around us. These men have many reasons to be filled with hate, to be violent, and to be completely shut down given the lives they are leading in the bowels of the hell realm of our society, our prisons. And yet. They transform. One of them glows in the dark, I swear. Reading the book gave me hope.”

Duana Welch, PhD, author of 'Love Factually: 10 Proven Steps from I Wish to I Do' stated, “This powerful book takes any of us from a life of 'me' to 'we,' from isolation to connection and love. In a world where kindness is so needed yet so little understood, How Love Wins is a must-read.”

Doug Carnine is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below, or by email at dcarnine@uoregon.edu. Both books are available at online retail book outlets. More information is available at his website at http://feedkindness.com

About Douglas Carnine:

Douglas Carnine, a professor emeritus from the University of Oregon, began his pursuit of scientific research, instructional design, Buddhism and martial arts when he was 21. His academic career focused on teaching at-risk students  and lead to him receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.

After retiring, working with men convicted of murder and serving as a hospice volunteer made him curious about the importance of kindness. After reviewing the research on kindness, he decided to devote his writing and his advocacy to making the importance of mindful kindness more prominent. The resulting project is his website Feedkindness.com along with his books ‘How Love Wins’ and ‘Saint Badass.’

Contact:

Douglas Carnine
dcarnine@uoregon.edu
http://feedkindness.com

Leia Mais…

Author Doug Carnine Named As Finalist In ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’ Book Awards

Doug Carnine was picked from a field of hundreds of authors who appeared on The Authors Show.

Doug Carnine, author of ‘Saint Badass’ and 'How Love Wins' has been named as a finalist in the ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’ Book Awards Contest. His honor came as a result of his appearance on The Authors Show. Carnine was chosen as a finalist from a field of hundreds of authors through a public voting process.

“Being a finalist gives me the opportunity to share with readers the wide range of  life-changing benefits available through mindful kindness. For example, scientists reported that physical wounds healed faster in couplers who were kinder to each other. In a large corporation, employees who were trained to act with more kindness and the employeess who received the kindness were happier and more satisfied with their jobs and lives. Mindfulness is needed to get out of our self absorption, so we can be aware of when and how to be kind, to ourselves and others. After 11 year-old Keyara listened to one of my podcasts, she summed up my work, ‘You could have kept the project to yourself, but you thought it was important to let others know about the mindful kindness work so that others could do what you did to spread kindness.’"

'Saint Badass - Personal Transcendence In Tucker Max Hell' is a story spanning six years worth of letters and growing friendships between four prisoners in an Arkansas maximum security prison and author Doug Carnine. Each prisoner faces various crises in prison including disabling illness, a brain tumor, a prison gang attack, family betrayal, medical abuse and harsh punishments for mild offenses.  Each prisoner in his own way achieves transcendence through his crisis using mindfulness, meditation and the blessings of kindness. The abusive childhoods, criminal adulthoods, and lifes without parole stand in stark contrast to  their incongruously continuous acts of kindness. The book contrasts the horror of the prisoners’ upbringings- with their growing concern for the wellbeing of others. Their voices are raw and honest, and at times inspiring. The book trailer is available at http://feedkindness.com/about/.

'How Love Wins': Most of us recognize that being kinder and more present would not only improve our own lives and the lives of our loved ones, but also strengthen our communities. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that both living mindfully and being kind to others offer a host of benefits -- from stronger relationships to longer life. Yet even if we truly care and are motivated to change, we find that old habits keep us from achieving our goal of increasing our kindness and improving our relationships.
With his book 'How Love Wins', Carnine offers another path. In this simple but powerful guide, he leads the reader through a 12-step process of transformation, opening a toolbox of skills and techniques that anyone can use to live more fully in the moment and be more kind to themselves and others. A lay Buddhist minister who has worked with hospice patients and prisoners, Carnine provides a clear path that will enable everyone to build a mindfully kind life -- and make it stick. The book trailer is available at http://feedkindness.com/about/.

Readers and reviewers have praised Carnine’s work. Kirkus Reviews wrote this about ‘Saint Badass’: “…absorbing…often palpable…well-written…An illuminating and hopeful account of inmate rehabilitation through Buddhist teachings.” Geri Larkin, Founding Teacher of Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple and author of 'Stumbling Toward Enlightenment' said, “Saint Badass isn’t simply about the transformative power of sincere spiritual practice. It demonstrates the impact of our practice on our environment and the people around us. These men have many reasons to be filled with hate, to be violent, and to be completely shut down given the lives they are leading in the bowels of the hell realm of our society, our prisons. And yet. They transform. One of them glows in the dark, I swear. Reading the book gave me hope.”

Kirkus Reviews wrote this about ‘How Love Wins’: “… as the author points out, the concept of kindness is as basic as concepts get, however elusive it often is in practice—and thus, the book’s suggestions and strategies will likely find universal application. A mind-opening guide to self-improvement.” Duana Welch, PhD, author of 'Love Factually: 10 Proven Steps from I Wish to I Do' stated, “This powerful book takes any of us from a life of 'me' to 'we,' from isolation to connection and love. In a world where kindness is so needed yet so little understood, How Love Wins is a must-read.”

Members of the public who want to vote for Carnine in the ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’ Book Awards can vote at The Authors Show site at http://www.TheAuthorsShow.com.

Doug Carnine is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below, or by email at dcarnine@uoregon.edu. Both books are available at online retail book outlets. More information is available at his website at http://feedkindness.com.

About Douglas Carnine:

Douglas Carnine, a professor emeritus from the University of Oregon, began his pursuit of scientific research, instructional design, Buddhism and martial arts when he was 21. His academic career focused on failure-to-thrive children and lead to him receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.

After retiring, he became curious about the importance of kindness from working with men convicted of murder and serving as a hospice volunteer. After reviewing the research on kindness, he decided to devote his writing and his advocacy to making the importance of mindful kindness more prominent. The resulting project is his website Feedkindness.com along with the books ‘How Love Wins’ and ‘Saint Badass.’

Contact:

Douglas Carnine
dcarnine@uoregon.edu
http://feedkindness.com

Leia Mais…