Life-Shifting Epiphanies in the Chaos of a Maximum-Security Facility
By Victor Reyes, Board Member & Facilitator, Prison Yoga Project; Colorado District Judge – Retired Life-shifting epiphanies in the chaos of a maximum-security facility seem unfathomable. An environment where every human being, employees and incarcerated individuals alike, exists largely in fight, flight, or freeze is not the most fertile ground for deep reflection. Having facilitated […]
From Incarceration To Leadership: Nicole B’s Journey With Prison Yoga Project
By Nicole Belonga, East Coast Regional Coordinator, Prison Yoga Project Last fall, I found myself standing beside Jen Lindgren who teaches yoga inside the prison where I was once incarcerated. We were at a public luncheon, representing Prison Yoga Project, answering questions about a program that had quite literally changed the trajectory of my life. […]
Clarity, Community, and the Refusal to Look Away
By Jen Lindgren, Training Manager, Prison Yoga Project As of last week, Prison Yoga Project’s 10th cohort of Yoga, Social Justice, and Leadership—our 200-hour virtual yoga teacher training—is officially underway. Our first live session took place on Thursday, January 15, marking the beginning of our largest cohort to date. This cohort brings together participants from […]
Yoga as a Path to Freedom: The Journey of Tien Nguyen
Photo: Anna Proctor, Tien Nguyen, and Jeff Kohler, representing Yoga Bridge, Prison Yoga Project, and the Omer G. Voss Family Foundation. By Tien Nguyen, Prison Yoga Project Facilitator and Family Bridges Instructor I often say that yoga found me when I needed it most. My name is Tien Nguyen, and I am a yoga facilitator […]
At Pendleton, Yoga Is Community
By Betsie Davis, Prison Yoga Project Facilitator and Operations Coordinator When people hear “Prison Yoga Project,” they often imagine straightforward yoga classes in prisons. But for those of us facilitating these sessions, the reality is far more profound. I began volunteering with PYP in 2019 at Indiana State Prison, one of the country’s oldest facilities. […]
Healing the Body, Healing the Heart: Lessons from Yoga and Restorative Circles in Mexican Prisons
Prison Yoga Project is deeply grateful for the leadership and vision of Luisa Pérez, who has guided PYP–Mexico for the past eight years. As she steps down from her role, Luisa shares—in her own words—the journey, challenges, and profound impact of bringing yoga behind bars in Mexico. I write this article in the final month of […]
From Inner War to Inner Peace: Yoga for Men in Norrköping, Sweden
Prison Officer. Space Holder. Healer.
By Nicole Hellthaler, Executive Director, Prison Yoga Project Author’s note: I usually use the term “incarcerated people” when referring to those behind bars, as it centers their humanity. In this piece, you’ll also see the word “prisoner,” which reflects the language more commonly used in the UK and in my conversation with Oana. Language, like […]
What Prison Taught Me About Hope
By Jacque Crockford, PYP Facilitator Where Do You Find Hope? I have been teaching trauma-informed yoga with Prison Yoga Project (PYP) at Richard J. Donovan (RJD) Correctional Facility for the past eight years. Week after week, since 2017, I’ve sat in circles, stood in yards, moved through breath, and shared stillness alongside men who are […]