Every book I've ever written has taught me something about the quiet corners of the human spirit, but this one-The Prison Monk - Light Behind Bars-has changed me in ways I did not anticipate.

The story you are about to read is not merely a narrative about crime, punishment, or justice. It is a story about awakening. About what happens when light walks willingly into the darkest of places-and chooses not to flinch.

Guru Shivram, the central figure of this story, came to me one evening as I was reflecting on how faith and grace often find us in the most unlikely environments. I imagined a monk-not a mythic hero, but a simple spiritual seeker-travelling far from the temples and mountains of India to the complex, restless landscapes of America. I imagined him speaking about compassion, stillness, love, and the ancient teachings of Lord Ram. And then I placed him in the last place anyone would expect: a maximum-security prison.

What followed was not merely a story of one man's life, but the story of many-criminals hardened by circumstance, broken by their pasts, and forgotten by society. I found myself asking questions that I hope this book leads you to ask as well:

• Is redemption ever out of reach?
• Can a single presence transform an entire environment?
• What truly makes a person free?

Through Guru Shivram's journey, I wanted to explore the extraordinary truth that light does not need perfect surroundings to shine. It can illuminate even the most wounded souls. In fact, it often shines brightest there.

This book is a tribute to the invisible battles people fight behind bars-battles of guilt, regret, identity, and hope. It is also a tribute to the power of spiritual wisdom that refuses to discriminate, judge, or abandon. And above all, it is a tribute to every human being who has ever wondered whether their story can be rewritten.

As you turn these pages, I invite you to pause, reflect, and allow yourself to feel the deep humanity in every character you meet. Their struggles, though extreme, mirror the emotional prisons all of us have walked through at some point in our lives.

May this story remind you that grace can find anyone.
That transformation does not require perfect conditions.
And that sometimes, the person who is "locked away" is the one who ends up freeing everyone else.

Thank you for choosing this book and allowing me to share this journey with you. May it inspire, heal, and accompany you long after the final Chapter ends.

With gratitude,
Peter Parker