By Lo Patt, Community Engagement Manager and Yoga Facilitator
This Veterans Day, we honor the sacrifices of those who have served our country. We would also like to introduce you to a very special U.S. Navy Veteran in the Prison Yoga Project community: Jared Schulte.
Jared is a PYP facilitator, ambassador, and organizer who draws on his personal experience of healing after incarceration to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Jared’s path has not been easy.
“I really was lost growing up and got exposed to a lot that not many people are at a young age.”
At 17, Jared joined the military, hoping to create a better life for himself.
During his time in the Navy, he rose to the rank of petty officer and earned the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification while serving as an Operations Specialist. His service took him to more than 15 countries, introducing him to new cultures, a sense of brotherhood, and a purpose he had never known before.
Unfortunately, a devastating motorcycle accident changed the course of his life.
Jared lost much of his physical mobility, along with the sense of purpose his military service had given him. He spent more than a year in the hospital, used a wheelchair, and underwent six surgeries. During his recovery, he developed a dependence on opioids.
“I am a veteran of the military and the drug war,” he says.
The loss of purpose and brotherhood is something many veterans experience after leaving military service. For Jared, this grief was compounded by his physical limitations and the emotional toll of his recovery journey in the distance. The effects of his trauma contributed to a cycle of addiction that ultimately led to incarceration.
But that was not the end of his story.
Jared credits gaining full custody of his two sons, Onyx, 9, and Orion, 8, with giving him a new reason to live. His commitment to being a reliable, caring father became especially meaningful when he learned that Onyx is autistic and nonverbal. New challenges ahead. One’s he’s facing sober and committed to a familiar, deep personal purpose.
“It gave me a new brotherhood to fight for.” His kids were two and three when he found yoga. Another new passion, purpose, and philosophy to follow.
Jared’s experience invites us to consider the complex relationship between pain, trauma, substance use, and the systems people encounter while seeking relief.
Today, Jared is a proud father, a mentor to veterans participating in a treatment court program, and a beloved member of the PYP community. In 2025, he completed PYP’s 200-hour yoga teacher training (YTT) program and continues to embrace yoga as a way of life.
We had the joy of reuniting with Jared during our most recent in-person training in Colorado, where he helped connect our community with his own. The training took place at the American Legion, an important gathering place for veterans.
With Jared’s heartfelt support, our first evening of the training weekend was a joyous community night. He invited members of his networks at Recovery Cafe, CorePower Yoga, Harmony Recovery Center, Porch Light Health, and Aesthetics and Medical Lasers of Colorado to meet our trainees, build relationships, and extend community partnerships.
Over that weekend, I witnessed Jared demonstrate extraordinary leadership rooted in personal resilience. He brought a rare combination of hope, determination, humor, and generosity to those around him. When he spoke in our circle, it was powerful and inspirational, grounded in his experience.
Today and every day, thank you, Jared, for your commitment to walking the path of healing—and for helping others find their way along it.
For mentoring, wellness coaching, and private yoga lessons, please visit: www.yogabyjared.com.
