Yoga Inside the Prison

Michelle Miller

Have you ever wondered what goes on in prison for real?  Well Michelle Miller gets to be right in the middle of the action as a yoga instructor in the prison.  Michelle talks about how her students work really hard, enjoy her coming, and that some of the prisoners enjoy the music and for some it just a place to get away.  Although Michelle teaches yoga at a prison that's not all she does,  she also teaches yoga and biology at Blue Mountain Community College, and teaches yoga for kids at the Pendleton Yoga and Dance Studio.

Michelle previously taught biology at the prison but quit. She still wants to volunteer, and the people are great so she decided that she would continue teaching yoga at the prison.  There are about 12 to 20 prisoners that go to Michelle’s Saturday classes from 9-10:30.  Michelle really enjoys the people that she teaches because they are very grateful that she takes time every Saturday for them.

Michelle feels very safe at the prison because of the tight security, but before she even began to teach she had to go through training.  Before she goes to her room she has to go into a small room with a door on each side, but both doors can not be opened at the same time.  Before she can go through the next door she has to put all her personal belongings in her locker.  Michelle can bring in a yoga mat, speaker, and an ipod with no camera.  All of the prisoners made their own mats out of upholstery.  There is always a guard outside the door and a camera watching her.

I really learned a lot about a prison and the people in there.   I learned that even though the prisoners are in jail does not make them totally horrible people.  After talking to MIchelle she really made me want to volunteer in the future.  And to really get to know people for who they are, and just for what the did.