Prison PT

Prison style

Yoga is no stranger within these prison walls.

James Foxx started the Prison Yoga Project and brought it to this prison in 2002. And he’s still teaching here weekly, along with some of his facilitators. Many of my patients are taking their weekly classes.

I met him one day at the prison and he gave me a copy of the book he wrote. This book has been freely distributed to more than 36,000 incarcerated individuals across the world…..for free. If you’re in prison anywhere in the world, and you want a copy, all you have to do is write to him and it’s yours.

I leave my copy out on the counter every day. To spark inquiry. To see who might be interested without feeling pushy.

I’ve never felt pushy about bringing in yoga into a PT session. Because it’s so easy to meld it in as therapy. And it doesn’t need to be called yoga at all.

Some of my patients have even remarked, “are you a yoga lady or something”? This is without even saying that we’re doing yoga. “It’s just the way your words flow and your mindset.”

Those on the condemned (formerly death row) teach each other yoga. They take turns teaching since there isn’t a formal yoga program permitted there. I have a feeling this is purely an asana (posture) practice. But nonetheless, they are engaging in the physical aspects which are beneficial, as we know.

So many of the general population patients tell me they watch the “yoga lady” on PBS in the morning. I ask if they’re just watching or are they doing? I know their cells are too small to do all the poses she’s probably doing. But I encourage them to try them when they get outside (if they go there at all–some don’t like going to the yard).

And I’m ever encouraging that yoga is more than the poses themselves. I caution them when they show me some of the poses they are shown in their yoga classes that might cause pain……”you don’t have to do those, and actually this one isn’t good for what’s going on with your body.” Yoga is about showing restraint too and finding what works for you in any given moment—finding the effort in the ease, as I say.

The Prison Yoga Project book brings up some of the ways of practicing yoga besides the poses, ie the yamas and niyamas, meditation and how to manage repetitive thoughts using these tools. So when they ask about the book, I make sure to note that they don’t skip over the “non-poses” portions because that’s where the bread and butter are.

I’ve written about yoga being more than just postures in other spaces. It’s “Yoga off the mat.” And the premise might just look like a way to be in the world…..and it is. These show up in the koshic model, (koshas = sheaths). Layers of ourselves that intersect and thus become ways to bring in a therapeutic modality or thought. It melds very well with the Biopsychosocial-spiritual model that is now more well known in some medical models.

And these are some things I try to instill in my inmate patients in subtle ways.

• It’s about your physical presence and taking care of the vessel that you were born with (physical body or annamaya-kosha)
• It’s about the way we show up energetically in every day life. As a positive force of compassion and gratitude, or perhaps in some other way that tends toward fear and negativity ( energetic body or pranamaya-kosha)
• It’s the maturation of our ability to act versus react. The ability to quiet the mind and focus on the here and now (mind or manomaya-kosha)
• It’s our willingness to continue to learn and be open and curious–about self, about others, about our connection to each other (intellect or vijnanamaya-kosha)
• It’s about connecting to something/someone beyond ourselves. You might find this with prayer, with service to others, to spiritual practice that expands you, beyond you (bliss body or anandamaya-kosha)

Some ways yoga therapy via the koshas shows up in my sessions:

1. Breath practices  (pranamaya-kosha) are probably the easiest way to bring it in. And applicable to those with persistent pain and musculoskeletal issues. These are the most accessible that I introduce: Abdominal-diaphragmatic breath (belly breathing); Paced breath, 6 count in, 6 count out; Alternate nostril breath (nadi shodhana). And so many ask about the breathing and if they’re doing it right. I try to get them to be curious about how it feels in their body when they breathe a certain way versus saying one way is right or wrong. So many of them have lost their agency to think for themselves and decide what’s best for them.
2. Mindful eating (annamaya-kosha) shows up often and crosses a lot of bases. Many of them have constipation. There could be many folds in this topic: from medications they’re on, to the food they access or are unable to access, to stress. And they’re never truly going to the bathroom in private. Even in the cell, sounds and smells pervade the cell bars. So, mindful eating is something I suggest, along with chewing their food slowly. Slow, paced breathing and relaxing while in the toilet as much as possible and a self “I love you” abdominal massage are some other tips I provide. And many ask about supplements. They ask because they know they’re not getting the best diet and are truly concerned that this may be affecting their health.
3. Mindful movement (annamaya-kosha)) is paramount because so much of the movement I see in the yard is not done mindfully. We do some of the yoga asanas (poses) in the office with and without props, as I know I need to offer them movements they can do on their own. They also tell me they’re going to do my exercises while they’re on their tablets. They just got tablets where they can listen to music, watch movies, text, email and make phone calls. Some have never experienced this technology before, so there is a novelty there. The awareness is starting to build that they need to create time limits to be on them, otherwise they get sucked in. We on the outside are already well versed at the mindless scroll. I really encourage them not to do anything but the exercises so they can be present with their body as they do them. And I encourage moving with the breath. They are particularly keen to do this and want to know the “right” way to breathe. This is no different than I would offer a patient on the outside.
4. Meditations to help foster sleep (manomaya-kosha). So many of them already meditate. It’s something they’ve found to be necessary to get through their existence in the prison. Counting, or breath practices or mantra/prayer repetition (japa).
5. Intellectual aspects taken from the yamas and niyamas are sprinkled in as well to get curious about how they can be better humans (vijnanamaya-kosha). Ahimsa is of course a big part….being kind to not only others but towards oneself. Self learning (svadyhaha) to get curious about what’s important to them—many are already doing this work and share it proudly. And practicing contentment (santosha) with whatever state they are experiencing in their physical ailments at this moment, knowing there is possibility for change with practice (tapas).
6. Finding connection to something beyond themselves (ishvara pranidhana) is something will often inquire about –many of them share their spiritual or religious beliefs or ask me about mine (anandamaya-kosha). I do sense that with many of them, as with many of us on the outside…..it’s what keeps them going.

I know yoga is not new to this prison. But I hope to be a living demonstration of how yoga shows up beyond the pose within these guarded walls. The pose is just one vehicle towards the self and as I often say to them…..”to being a better human.”

Because they’re listening….sometimes to every word, often bringing up what was said in a session 3-4 weeks ago–something I don’t even really recall saying. I’ve got to stop being surprised by this….and recognize it as a virtue, something to use towards their advantage. I know I’m not the only interaction they have with medical–we’ve got great staff here that instill them with helpful information. I’d like to be part of that tree, helping to plant seeds from yoga therapy that have helped me grow too.

*just to note, I’ll be leaving out the name of the institution that I work at. It’s a state prison for reference. Images are not from the prison as no devices are allowed in.

caring for the incarcerated

Prison PT