My Nonprofit Reviews

I first experienced Freedom to Choose when I volunteered just 2 months after graduating from the University of Santa Monica's Spiritual Psychology program, having been touched by the then newly released award-winning documentary. I felt compelled to experience it for myself.
At the end of the project I flew from Fresno to San Francisco, a path directly over Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW), where I'd just spent 3 days transforming my own life - while supporting female inmates in their processes of creating inner freedom. (Who knew I would heal my own hurts more powerfully in 3 days of Freedom to Choose than 2 years at USM?)
As my plane flew over VSPW, I entered into a meditative, dream-like state in which I envisioned some 70 heart-centered volunteers entering VSPW. I could feel the loving energy in my heart while simultaneously sensing its presence filling the prison. The image evolved into streams of loving energy leaving the prison - through letters and phone calls, visitors coming and going, and ultimately people leaving healed and whole... I saw the fibers of Love creating a Web of Loving that circled the globe, touching and healing everyone, everything...
Since that first project some five years ago, I've only missed two. During the times I missed, I awoke at 5 am every morning wondering why I had chosen to not be there. I can not think of another thing I would rather do! Now, women have been released from VSPW (so many "found suitable"... Of course they are!) VSPW has become just VSP - Valley State Prison - and it houses men. Men who heard about Freedom to Choose and wanted it too! And are committed to using it as a pathway to their own freedom.
What makes this particular nonprofit so special and successful? I don't know all of the reasons... but what comes to me are these:
- a large pool of dedicated, heart-centered volunteers who are willing to heal themselves and work together in one accord to create a safe and loving environment for others to experience the kind of vulnerability that opens the heart and the mind
- a curriculum that uses science to affirm the power of the heart and mind
- facilitated experiential learning exercises that harmonize and heal the heart and mind
- a spiritual perspective that recognizes the divinity of all beings beyond the limitations of religion; using affirming, accepting language of "God/Spirit/your Higher Power" to create an invitation to experience Life as more than what we might have been taught
- a prayerful leadership style that allows for inspiration and flexibility
- a respect for Life and ALL Life experiences
- a Safe environment in which to reconsider everything we've learned and decide through an inner knowing what's really true... and then to practice living in this heart-centered space together.