Justin von Bujdoss, Buddhist Chaplain at Rikers Island
Justin von Bujdoss, the first staff chaplain for NYC's Department of Corrections, discusses his journey from hospice chaplaincy to teaching meditation at Rikers Island. He highlights the democratic nature of suffering and the importance of creating safe spaces for vulnerability among both inmates and correctional officers.
Deep Dive Analysis
11 Topic Outline
Introduction to Justin von Bujdoss and his work
Early meditation journey and spiritual development in India
Transition to chaplaincy and 'right livelihood'
Experiences as a hospice chaplain
Volunteering at Rikers Island with inmates
Becoming the first staff chaplain for corrections officers
Officer engagement and program development
Benefits of meditation for corrections officers
Personal challenges and meditation's role in intense environments
Description of his personal meditation practice
Justin's current work and resources
4 Key Concepts
Transcendental Meditation (TM)
A style of meditation developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi that involves silently reciting a mantra, which is usually a Sanskrit syllable or sound, and returning one's awareness to it when distracted.
Right Livelihood
A concept in the Buddhist tradition referring to a way of earning a living that is in harmony with one's spiritual practice, allowing one to combine their work with their meditation practice.
Visualization practices (Tibetan tradition)
A meditation technique that involves visualizing oneself as a particular Buddha and reciting a mantra, which is a collection of sounds, to focus and stabilize the mind.
Non-conceptual meditation
A style of meditation, similar to that found in the Zen tradition, where the practitioner focuses on maintaining awareness of what is happening in the mind—thoughts and emotions—without getting caught up in them, often described as watching clouds or setting up a 'spy cam' in the mind.
5 Questions Answered
He was introduced to Transcendental Meditation by his parents in middle school and later developed an interest in Eastern thought and Tibetan Buddhism through art and reading.
He found peace in being able to be with people and help support them during the difficult process of letting go of their lives or loved ones, providing calm amidst terminal agitation.
The administration recognized the need for more support for the officer population and wanted someone who could offer programming around meditation, beyond just traditional religious support.
No, meditation increases awareness, which can enhance situational awareness in closed, fast-paced jail settings, allowing officers to be less stuck in their heads and more attuned to their surroundings. While it fosters compassion, it doesn't mean they can't do their job effectively.
By settling the mind, often using the breath or mantra, and allowing everything to stop and the mind to rest naturally. It's not forceful repression but letting thoughts exhaust themselves, recognizing the constant change and 'space' in the mind.
18 Actionable Insights
1. Engage with Mortality for Peace
Contemplate the dying process and our shared mortality to gain perspective and find peace, as it helps in letting go of life’s stories and fears, putting you in touch with an unshakable reality.
2. Cultivate Right Livelihood
Strive to align your profession with your personal practice, such as meditation, to create a livelihood that is in harmony with your spiritual or ethical values.
3. Acknowledge Universal Suffering
Recognize that suffering is a democratic experience, transcending wealth or location, as understanding this can foster empathy and put your own challenges into perspective.
4. Meditate for Stress Reduction
Engage in meditation to reduce stress, which directly benefits your physical health by counteracting the negative bodily effects of anxiety, overwork, and poor self-care.
5. Boost Situational Awareness via Meditation
Practice meditation to increase your general and situational awareness, which can help you be less stuck in your head, more attuned to your surroundings, and able to put down irritation in fast-paced or challenging environments.
6. Use Meditation in Crisis
Utilize meditation to manage anxiety and intense situations, as it can help you chill out, slow down, and even out your emotional responses, enabling you to act effectively amidst crisis.
7. Connect by Meeting People Where They Are
Approach interactions by understanding and acknowledging people’s current state and experiences, which helps build relationships and allows them to feel safe enough to be vulnerable.
8. Create Safe Spaces for Vulnerability
When facilitating groups or discussions, intentionally create an environment where individuals feel safe to express emotions and vulnerabilities, and allow for an ‘on-ramp’ period before they return to demanding roles.
9. Practice Non-Conceptual Meditation
Engage in meditation by using your breath or a mantra to stabilize the mind, then objectively watch thoughts and emotions come and go without getting caught up in them, aiming to rest naturally in awareness.
10. Combine Visualization & Non-Conceptual Meditation
Integrate visualization practices, such as visualizing a Buddha or reciting a mantra to focus the mind, with non-conceptual meditation that focuses on maintaining objective awareness of thoughts and emotions.
11. Practice Transcendental Meditation
Recite a mantra silently in your head, and when you notice your awareness has drifted, gently bring it back to the mantra and the present moment.
12. Introduce Meditation to Skeptics
When introducing meditation to those who are hesitant, frame it in relatable terms like finding peace or rest, suggest trying it for a short duration (e.g., two minutes), and enlist allies by connecting it to concepts like focus in warrior cultures or sports figures.
13. Re-examine Personal Identity
Periodically re-evaluate deeply held identities or self-perceptions, especially when they might hinder your ability to benefit others or adapt to new roles, recognizing that external appearances may not define your purpose.
14. Appreciate Mind’s Changing Nature
Recognize that the mind is constantly changing, meaning that agitation and difficult thoughts are impermanent, and this inherent change creates space for new experiences and perspectives.
15. Rest Your Mind Like a Workman
Take short moments to intentionally settle your mind, similar to how a workman rests after a hard day, allowing thoughts and agitation to exhaust themselves naturally without forceful repression.
16. Practice Minute-Long Meditations
Incorporate very short meditation breaks, even just one minute, into your daily routine to touch moments of stillness and awareness without requiring extended periods of practice.
17. Approach Meditation as Art
Adopt a mindset for meditation that is less about willful ‘doing’ and more about relaxing into an experience, similar to how a painter approaches their canvas, fostering creativity and ease.
18. Explore Eastern Thought via Art
Engage with Eastern philosophical and spiritual traditions by exploring their art, as this can provide a natural and comforting entry point for understanding complex concepts.
5 Key Quotes
I tend to bristle at how intellectual American Buddhism is, and that a lot of the—it functions in these circles that are very academic.
Justin von Bujdoss
It's really how you can connect to people has a lot to do with how you're walking into the situation and presenting yourself.
Justin von Bujdoss
Meditation increases awareness, right? And awareness can actually connect to situational awareness, which is really important, especially in jail settings because they're, they're closed areas, right? There's not a lot of room.
Justin von Bujdoss
It's very easy to say that meditation makes you soft. It makes you light. It makes you compassionate. And it does, right? But that doesn't mean that you can't, uh, do the job that you need to do.
Justin von Bujdoss
The mind is always changing. And this is the thing that I enjoy telling the COs is, you know, if we just had the same thought over and over again, we would go insane.
Justin von Bujdoss