Alex Crenshaw is the founder of the Zen Institute. At the age of 28 years old, he quit his job as a corporate accountant and began his semi-monastic training for seven years at the Rochester Zen Center in Upstate New York. He then returned to the corporate world in Charlotte, NC where he worked in a petrochemical company for six years. While living in Charlotte, he completed his MBA from Wake Forest University. To better understand the problems affecting society, Alex volunteered for 2 years with homeless children with the organization A Child’s Place based in Charlotte, NC.
After completing his MBA, Alex decided to quit his corporate job and moved to California to continue his Zen training and to deepen his understanding of the subconscious as a result of his experiences during meditation. He trained at the San Francisco Zen Center for six months. After moving to Sacramento, CA he began an in-depth study of the subconscious by exploring tools such as the Enneagram applied to individuals and businesses, Human Design, and the Gene Keys -which is a new interpretation of the ancient I-Ching system.
Inspired by the teachings of the greatest Zen Masters to contribute to society, Alex volunteered for two years at the Sacramento Children’s Home, where he helped abused children. For a period of three years, he taught Zen practice and meditation at the Folsom State Prison – one of the oldest prisons in the United States. During this time Alex witnessed the positive transformation of the inmates as a result of their meditation practice amid the most difficult conditions. After moving to Mt. Shasta, CA, Alex became a CASA volunteer, where he mentors children and teenagers at risk and became an Officer of the Court for the State of California.
Following the example of the ancient Zen Masters, Alex decided to create the Zen Institute to address the challenges and problems affecting society by sharing the wisdom of the Zen tradition with individuals, families, and businesses.
Alex collaborates every week on radio and television by sharing his knowledge of human potential, and by sharing topics related to mindfulness, children, women's rights, how the subconscious mind works, and business.
MEDITACIÓN EN LA PRISIÓN DE FOLSOM
Nosotros como sociedad enfrentamos muchos problemas; uno de ellos es la delincuencia, que afecta a todos los ámbitos de nuestra vida. Siempre me ha interesado comprender el comportamiento humano y lo que motiva a un ser humano a comportarse de cierta manera.
La ira, el miedo, la codicia, los patrones familiares disfuncionales y los problemas económicos son algunos de los principales factores detrás de un crimen.
Durante mi tiempo como voluntario con niños de acogida y niños sin hogar, aprendí que la mayoría de ellos terminan en prisión a menos que tengan la suerte de ser guiados positivamente durante sus primeros años.
Nosotros, como individuos, tenemos la responsabilidad común de prevenir el delito en cualquier forma que sea más adecuada en nuestras vidas. Me sentí motivado a ser voluntario en el sistema penitenciario para profundizar mi comprensión del comportamiento humano y, lo que es más importante, para apoyar a estos humanos en su proceso de transformación y recuperación.
Es muy inspirador y humillante presenciar la transformación de estos seres humanos que tienen un compromiso sincero de superar sus limitaciones y circunstancias internas y externas, y encontrar la paz dentro de sí mismos en medio de situaciones muy difíciles.
