At the Parliament of World Religions, Sequoia Samanvaya was able to offer two booklets to the "world" gathered there: From the Darkness: the prison industrial complex, climate change, family histories and divine encounters, by Sara Jolena Wolcott and Dharma Unplugged: ethics of everyday life among people un-aggregated by Ramasubramanian, director of Samanvaya Social Ventures, the organization which has recently launched the Dharma Institute in India.
Both booklets were very popular. People were fascinated with their titles. Since I drew the images used on the front cover of each, I like to think that people were fascinated with the covers, too.
Dharma Unplugged arises from Ram's 20 years of experience enabling sustainable economies at the local level in south India. Instead of focusing on what gurus say about Dharma, he here brings out how Dharma might be understood from the perspective of everyday people, and the ancient institutions at the local level that have enabled thousands of years of sustainable development.
The book was launched at the Parliament.
From the Darkness arises from the year I spent as a chaplain on Rikers Island, one of the most notorious jails in the United States. I entered as an eco-theologian wondering how the prison industrial complex intersected with the ongoing onslaught against our mother earth. This creative non fiction piece is my exploration of that question.
Both books are still available for sale at $10/each.