Dan Millstein

-- Story and photo by Coral Wilson

In Dan Millstein’s Japanese rock garden, each pebble could

represent a thought, an idea or even a person. By raking them into

patterns, the attempt is to take all of the individuals and create

some sense of order out of the whole.

Millstein relates this to prisoners.

“Their thoughts are disorderly,” he said. “Isn’t that why we

imprison them and try to contain them in a small space so we can feel

safe?”

Millstein is the founder of Visions for Prisons, a nonprofit

organization in which volunteers teach stress management, parenting,

art, meditation and re-entry skills to prisoners, offering them the

possibility of changing their lives and helping them stay connected

to society.

Starting in Costa Mesa in 1988, Visions for Prisons has gone

international, with Millstein spreading his vision of peace to more

than 20 countries. During the Bosnian war, Millstein was there

guiding the Serbs and Croatians to come to peace and identify their

oneness.

“It is ridiculous to think that you and I have different goals,”

Millstein said.

Volunteers have also found healing through Millstein’s techniques

in meditation and attitudinal healing. After the murder of his wife,

volunteer Richard Gayton was destroyed emotionally. Now he conducts

anger management workshops for convicted murderers. He teaches about

loss, grief and forgiveness.

Raising support and contributions has always been a challenge.

Most people don’t have much sympathy for prisoners. But Millstein

believes strongly in the power of giving.

“If we only take from them -- their freedom, their families, their

possessions,” Millstein said, “they will only know how to be takers.”

And there is hope. Imagine a room full of strong, free-thinking

men touching their fingers to their thumbs and shouting, “I am

light.” It happens and Millstein sees it all of the time.

“It is all about love and forgiveness. The rest is just details,”

he said.