Bo Lozoff
Encyclopedia
Bo Lozoff is an American writer, musician, and interfaith
humanitarian.
with Ram Dass
in 1973. The Prison-Ashram Project (operated by Human Kindness Foundation) sends free interfaith books, compact disc
s, and correspondence to prisoners around the world, and has over 40,000 inmates on its active mailing list
. Lozoff speaks widely on spiritual issues, including talks in prisons, public talks, sermons, and musical performances.
and creating jobs for ex-con
s. Lozoff's music sales and performances supported Carolina Biodiesel, along with donations, including a large bequest from Fred Rogers. Benefit concerts and a newspaper article about Lozoff generated a great deal of interest in the biodiesel movement in the Raleigh/Durham area. Carolina Biodiesel is still operating in Durham.
Paul Harvey
received an overwhelming response when he read Bo's "An Impatient Letter To All Of Us From God" on his radio program in 1998. In this "Letter," Lozoff writes about his radically interfaith spiritual views in a down-to-earth, humorous way typical of his style.
. In 1994, Bo and Sita Lozoff were awarded The Temple Award for Creative Altruism from the Institute of Noetic Sciences
for their lifelong work in the fields of peace and justice. “For their longstanding contribution toward bridging the principles of all major faiths” Bo and Sita were honored with the “Partners With God” award in 2003, by New York’s One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. Additionally, their compassionate service work has drawn the attention of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
; in 2007 the Lozoff’s work received the Art of Living Foundation award "for uplifting human values."
Lozoff has drawn fans as diverse as His Holiness the Dalai Lama
, who wrote forewords to two of his books, We're All Doing Time, and It's a Meaningful Life; it just takes practice, to Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, who in his final interview in Pittsburgh Magazine named Bo Lozoff, along with Mahatma Gandhi
and Albert Schweitzer
, as one of his personal heroes.
Interfaith
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...
humanitarian.
Human Kindness Foundation
Lozoff, with his wife Sita Lozoff, founded the Human Kindness Foundation. He started the Prison-Ashram ProjectPrison-Ashram Project
"The focus of the Prison-Ashram Project is to help prisoners and prison staff throughout the world turn inward and use their harsh environments to develop wisdom and compassion."...
with Ram Dass
Ram Dass
Ram Dass is an American contemporary spiritual teacher and the author of the seminal 1971 book Be Here Now. He is known for his personal and professional associations with Timothy Leary at Harvard University in the early 1960s, for his travels to India and his relationship with the Hindu guru Neem...
in 1973. The Prison-Ashram Project (operated by Human Kindness Foundation) sends free interfaith books, compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s, and correspondence to prisoners around the world, and has over 40,000 inmates on its active mailing list
Mailing list
A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients. The term is often extended to include the people subscribed to such a list, so the group of subscribers is referred to as "the mailing list", or simply "the...
. Lozoff speaks widely on spiritual issues, including talks in prisons, public talks, sermons, and musical performances.
Carolina Biodiesel
Lozoff also founded an environmental non-profit, Carolina Biodiesel, for the dual purposes of promoting biodieselBiodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
and creating jobs for ex-con
Ex-Con
"Ex-Con" is a song by Smog, released as his only single from his 1997-album Red Apple Falls. "Duckpond Blues" is an instrumental version of the song "Red Apple Falls" from the Red Apple Falls LP. "Little Girl Shoes" later appeared on the rarities comiplation Accumulation: None.-CD...
s. Lozoff's music sales and performances supported Carolina Biodiesel, along with donations, including a large bequest from Fred Rogers. Benefit concerts and a newspaper article about Lozoff generated a great deal of interest in the biodiesel movement in the Raleigh/Durham area. Carolina Biodiesel is still operating in Durham.
Writings
Lozoff is the author of We're All Doing Time, It's a Meaningful Life: It Just Takes Practice, and other books, including a children's book, The Wonderful Life of a Fly Who Couldn't Fly. Lozoff is also a singer/songwriter with several CDs, who performs throughout the U.S.Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey Aurandt , better known as Paul Harvey, was an American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks. He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous The Rest of the Story segments. His listening audience was estimated, at...
received an overwhelming response when he read Bo's "An Impatient Letter To All Of Us From God" on his radio program in 1998. In this "Letter," Lozoff writes about his radically interfaith spiritual views in a down-to-earth, humorous way typical of his style.
Personal life
Lozoff has an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the Chicago Theological SeminaryChicago Theological Seminary
The Chicago Theological Seminary is a seminary of the United Church of Christ. It prepares women and men for leadership in the church and society through Master of Divinity , Master of Arts in Religious Studies , Master of Sacred Theology , Doctor of Ministry , and Doctor of Philosophy programs...
. In 1994, Bo and Sita Lozoff were awarded The Temple Award for Creative Altruism from the Institute of Noetic Sciences
for their lifelong work in the fields of peace and justice. “For their longstanding contribution toward bridging the principles of all major faiths” Bo and Sita were honored with the “Partners With God” award in 2003, by New York’s One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. Additionally, their compassionate service work has drawn the attention of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar usually known as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, born Ravi Shankar Ratnam, born 13 May 1956) is a spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation , which aims at relieving individual stress, societal problems and violence. It is an NGO with UNESCO consultative status...
; in 2007 the Lozoff’s work received the Art of Living Foundation award "for uplifting human values."
Lozoff has drawn fans as diverse as His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
, who wrote forewords to two of his books, We're All Doing Time, and It's a Meaningful Life; it just takes practice, to Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, who in his final interview in Pittsburgh Magazine named Bo Lozoff, along with Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
and Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer OM was a German theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary. He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire...
, as one of his personal heroes.