Prisoners considering the relationship between mind, body and inner peace cannot take a review of James Fox and his concept of yoga lightly. Numerous studies show that the breathing techniques utilized by yoga help with relaxation and curb stress and negative impulses.
“I’ve given away about 10,000 of these,” Fox said as he handed me his book Yoga: A Path for Healing and Recovery.
An Oxford University study cited by Douglas Quan of Postmedia News found that inmates who went through a 10-week yoga program had moods that are more positive, “were less stressed and performed better on a computer test of their impulse control.”
“We’re not saying that yoga will replace standard treatment of mental health conditions in prison. But what we do see are indications that this relatively cheap, simple option might have multiple benefits for prisoners’ well-being and possibly aid in managing the burden of mental health problems in prisons,” said Amy Bilderbeck, one of the Oxford study’s lead researchers, in Quan’s article.
“Yoga offers an alternative way of being with yourself and the world. It represents a personal support system that if practiced regularly can provide you with an ongoing sense of balance, connectedness and inner peace. To heal the pain and suffering in the world requires us to heal our own pain and suffering, so we no longer unconsciously inflict pain and suffering on others,” writes Fox in the introduction of Yoga: A Path For Healing and Recovery.
Fox teaches four yoga classes at San Quentin, one in H-Unit, one for veterans and two for the mainline. There is currently a waiting list for mainline participation. “If I had more room, I’d open a new class tomorrow,” Fox said.
All types of men come to Fox’s weekly yoga classes at San Quentin. “Muslim, Christian, Native American, macho, mellow, buff, skinny, tattooed … What they have in common are personal histories marked by trauma, substance abuse and violence, and — thanks to Fox — a commitment to yoga as a path of personal transformation,” writes Valerie Reiss for Yoga Journal.
Fox’s guide is easy to understand and all its terminology is written clearly, using plain everyday language. Additionally, each pose is illustrated with instructions.
Many inspirational quotes from prisoners are included in the book.
One person said, “When I do yoga, I feel like I am surrounded by this field of positive energy and protected from the negative vibes of prison life.” Another person wrote, “There are many ways that I have betrayed, harmed or abandoned myself through thought, word or deed, knowingly or unknowingly.”
Readers of Fox’s book get a practical course of action that will help him or her understand the nature of pain and the advantage of healing the mind and body through yoga.
