Charles Halpern exemplifies cultivating inner resources for working in justice and social transformation. His contributions to education, law, and social movements have been facilitated by his inner work around wisdom and mindfulness. In this interview, Halpern describes how his practice grounds him while working to transform the criminal justice system. He explains, “We shouldn’t respond when we’re driven by rage, but instead when we’re driven by a sense of possibility — a possibility that we can open new dialogues in this country, and back off from the intense polarization that’s characterized American decision making processes over vitally important matters for decades. How can we come together in a place of dialogue, mutual respect and interconnection?…I think that can only be done by people who have done some inner work and be the leaders of that conversational process.
