Justin Stone Speaks to Inmates at Folsom Prison

Noël Altman, San Rafael, CA

“In my mind, every man in this room is my equal,” Justin Stone stated to a packed room of about 75 inmates and other observers at Folsom Prison on Monday, May 4 during a talk he gave in conjunction with the first-ever T’ai Chi Chih teacher accreditation course given inside prison walls.

“I don’t think you’re better than I am, but I don’t think I’m better than you are,” he continued. “Every life is of equal value. We all, really, from the Eastern standpoint, have the same life…and that goes for an ant. It goes for a cat or dog. It goes for any of us…There isn’t anybody who doesn’t make mistakes, and there isn’t anybody who (doesn’t) look back and say, ‘Well, I wish I had said something different to this person or to that person or done something different’…” he explained.

He described how one of his Indian teachers, Ramurti Mishra, once wanted him to give a lecture to the disciples and Justin responded that he had made so many mistakes that, “Why would you want somebody like me (to do it)?” The teacher’s reply was, “Those were not your mistakes.”

“Well, that felt good to hear, but it had a deep meaning to it, a very deep meaning to it…From his standpoint — ‘Those were not your mistakes; — it’s possible to leave it behind you, and that’s important, and go on,” he said.

What he is most grateful for in this life, he said, is “knowing the people that I have met.” He mentioned that while in India the Zen writer Paul Reps once wrote to him that India was full of “saints and aints,” with the implication being that there were more “aints” than “saints.” Justin said that he met both while there. “I am grateful for what I learned with the Yogis, with the Zen monks, and so forth, and perhaps it gave me an outlook that enabled me to handle things as they came along,” he explained. . . .

Turning to the topic of T’ai Chi Chih, Justin explained that Inmate James Hecker was going to be accredited that week by Ed Altman, the Appointed Head of T’ai Chi Chih, and would then be able to teach it to them. James had been prepared for accreditation by Accredited Instructor Tara Stiles who has been teaching at Folsom Prison.

Justin demonstrated a single repetition of a couple of the movements to give them an idea of what it looked like. He stated that he has no “angle” in encouraging them to learn T’ai Chi Chih. . .

“The only thing (about which) I’ve ever in my life said, ‘You should do it’ is T’ai Chi Chih,” he stated, explaining, “I feel if enough people in the world learn it, we may have a peaceful world…But the main reason to do it, as far as I’m concerned, is the fact that it feels good.”

“Yeah it does,” agreed one of the inmates, smiling.

After Justin finished his talk, he offered to answer any questions or hear any statements that the inmates might have.

“How young has T’ai Chi (Chih) made you feel?” asked one inmate.

. . . “Well,” Justin answered, “It is not always best to feel real young. Maybe it’s good to feel a little mature at times.” He continued, “There are times when we get at peace with ourselves and we feel mature. (We) say, ‘I’m past 50 now and this is the best part of my life.’ From my standpoint, my eighties are the best part of my life, but I look forward to later on being better.”

. . . “What country did (T’ai Chi Chih) originate from?” asked another inmate.

“T’ai Chi Chih originated here,” Justin said, pointing to his head. “In 1974, I originated it. . . .”

After more questions and answers, Justin said, “I’ll tell you what my definition of ‘love’ is.” He then described that in Albuquerque there is an aerial tramway that ascends to 11,000 feet. As the tram ascends, the terrain below changes. As it approaches the top, there is really nothing but rock below —no soil.

“But then suddenly I look and sprouting from a rock is a little plant,” he described. The life force is so great that that plant has manifested, he explained, continuing. “This plant is manifesting life by coming out of the rock under all kinds of handicaps. To me, that is love, a great love. And I can feel for that little plant. I would like to help it in some way. And the reason that I feel it, and I know that you, inside, feel it is because we are sharing the same life. It has nothing to do with religion or doctrine or anything. The plant is alive and I am alive and we’re sharing that same life. And when you look at things that way, I think you will have great feeling for all beings.”

Justin said he would like to “go around and talk to each fella and get to know him a little bit,” but that that wouldn’t be possible because he would need to leave soon to catch his plane. “I would like to meet with all of you at some time…and get to know your life story. I’ve told you a little about my life, but you haven’t told me about your lives, and some of you must have had very interesting lives…I sure wish the same thing to all of you that I wish to this little plant growing out of the rock and I think I can be a little help to you if I can get you to do T’ai Chi Chih,” he concluded.

James Hecker announced that the inmates now had a 15-minute break to go outside, but would they please stay seated until Justin got to the back of the room.

As Justin made his way down one row, an inmate stood up as Justin approached. “Thank you for your time, sir,” the man said, extending his hand. Justin stopped and put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Thank you for your time,” the inmate repeated, shaking Justin’s hand.

“Thank YOU,” Justin replied. “What’s your name?” he asked.

“Juan. And I’m 73-years-old,” the inmate answered.

. . . “Oh, that sounds young to me,” Justin laughed.

As he made his way to the back of the room, inmate after inmate extended his hand to shake Justin’s. At the back of the room, Justin was surrounded by inmates wanting to speak to him. There were two exits out of the room. Almost every inmate made his way to the back so he could thank Justin and shake his hand on the way out.

One inmate said he couldn’t believe Justin’s age. “You sure look powerful young,” he said, shaking Justin’s hand. Another tall, muscular man dropped to his knees when he shook Justin’s hand, pretending he was forced to the floor.

“You’re a very good actor!” Justin laughed, shaking his hand firmly. The man cracked a smile on his way out the door. . . .

When the inmates came back from their break, Ed Altman led the other accredited teachers in attendance in a short demonstration of T’ai Chi Chih. Tara Stiles, Doug Harned and I went to the front of the room and performed Rocking Motion, Bass Drum, Pulling Taffy, Passing Clouds and, at Tara’s suggestion, The Six Healing Sounds.

Ed said later that the inmate seated in front of him looked like he was about to cry at the completion of The Six Healing Sounds.

Justin’s talk was videotaped by prison employees and a copy was furnished to him for his archives.