Inmates Relax with Yoga at Cook County Jail

Convicted felons sentenced in Cook County Jail face day-after-day of a military type schedule. So, the jail is now offering ways for the inmates to relax their minds as well has their bodies–with yoga classes. The participants are in the Vocational Rehabilitation Impact Center and find the sessions a welcome release. “Just kind of let all those bottled up emotions, and it’s positive, and you can let it go,” said inmate Cliff Manning.  “I was thinking [yoga] was something girls just do.” The program is called Prison Yoga Chicago. Instructors guide the men though a “trauma-informed” approach, which includes sitting in a circle instead of traditional prison-style rows. The participants are encouraged to be loud and allow them to release any frustrations. “We do that really to humanize ourselves and remind the students that we are equal to them,” said Sasha Papazafeiropoulos, president of Prison Yoga…

To read more of this article by Lauren Victory for CBS 2 Chicago, click here!