Scholarships for Prison Yoga in VT

Jim Dunn and I have been teaching yoga at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility for a few years. Previously, Jim taught at other facilities and trained with James Fox, founder of the Prison Yoga Project (PYP). Research supports the practice of yoga to ameliorate the effects of trauma, addiction, and in general, negative thought and behavioral patterns. This is why yoga is such an effective practice for inmates - 90% of whom will be released and re-enter their communities. Whether your heart overflows with compassion, pragmatism, or a bit of both, providing a practice such as yoga to incarcerated people has the potential to improve success on the outside. Last summer, Jim and I formed a Vermont Chapter of the Prison Yoga Project. Those of us who teach in the VT prisons (and as part of the chapter) do so as volunteers, but proper training is imperative. On January 28 and 29, Anneke Lucas, founder of the Prison Liberation Project, will be offering a training at Laughing River Yoga in Burlington, VT, and in April, James Fox will be offering a two-day Prison Yoga Project training at Sangha Studio in Burlington. As a VT chapter of the PYP, we want yoga teachers to step up and volunteer to teach in prisons, yet many struggle to pay for the cost of training. For this reason, Jim and I are asking you to donate what you can to support this vital work. As a small business owner, I will donate the first $200. Give what you can, because small sums do add up. It is common to feel overwhelmed at this time of year, particularly in these times, but remember that each small "right" action does indeed benefit everyone.