The Feed Kindness, Starve Harm project focuses on why and how to fuse mindfulness, meditation and kindness into everyday living. It grew out of initial correspondence between Doug Carnine, a professor emeritus from the University of Oregon and Roy Tester, an inmate in a maximum security prison. Roy wanted to know more about Buddhism and meditation. Roy admited to his crimes of retaliation against abusive parents and sought ways to transcend the prison experience with mindful kindness through Doug’s supportive friendship. Doug’s four-decade personal practice of mindfulness, meditation, and loving kindness through Buddhism was the original springboard in connecting with Roy and later to three other prisoners. Through the growing friendships via letters, phone conversations and a visit to the Arkansas prison, Doug served as not only a mentor but a learner. Doug participated in and aided the development of a partnership to spread mindful kindness in the prison. In the two books he has written and the development of this web site, Doug shares what he and his prison friends are learning about the power of fusing mindfulness, meditation and kindness.

A grandfather’s advice to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, “Let me tell you a story. I too, have felt a great hate for those that have taken too much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, it is like taking the poison you wish upon your enemy. I have struggled with this many times.” He continued, “It’s as if there are two wolves inside me. One is good; he lives in harmony; and rarely takes offense. He will only fight for the right causes in the right way. But the other wolf is full of anger. The littlest thing will set off his temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think clearly because his anger and hate are so great. It is a helpless anger that changes nothing. Sometimes, it’s hard living with these two wolves inside me, as both try to dominate my spirit.” The boy looked intently into his grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins?” The grandfather smiled and quietly said, “The one I feed.”