Prison Angel

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Prison Angel

“Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” ~ Albert Einstein

Circle of Life: The Meeting – Friday, March 29

“You are right on time,” she says to me, grinning ear-to-ear and gazing at me with amazement. I had arrived to discuss the possibility of introducing a Yoga and Mindfulness program to the Athens-Clarke Co. jail. The synchronicity of the moment, and the days leading up to this, had me vibrating head to toe. I had run into Daniel maybe about a month ago, one morning at the gas station after dropping the kids off at school. It was early, I was sleepy and not expecting anything out of the ordinary that day. He looked at me with surprise. “Hey! I was just thinking about you last night!” “You were?” I said grinning. “You in need of some Yoga?” “Well, as a matter of fact,” he continues, “I was wondering how you would feel about teaching Yoga in the prison.” … Yoga in the prison??!! I thought… A resounding, passionate “YES!!” flew out of my mouth like a bolt of lightning before I even had a chance to think. “Yes! I would love to. I have always wanted to do something like that!” “Great,” he says, “I will talk to the Chief and we will find out what the next step is.” We agreed to be in contact and moved back out into our day. That whole day, I was obsessed with thoughts and visions of bringing Yoga and the Breath, offering a moment of peace and light to people who are suffering with such chaos and despair. I knew in my heart and soul a door had just opened and I was ready and willing to walk through.

The weeks following, there was some discussion amongst my director, Lacy, at the Samaritan Center for Counseling and Wellness and Daniel and his superiors, as to how or if I would get paid for my time. Lacy, being sensitive to my need to make a living wanted to find a way to compensate me. Perhaps we could write a grant. Everyone agreed that might be the avenue to take. But grants take time…. and the clock continues to tick. I found myself thinking about it often; very aware of the stirring in my heart since that first meeting with Daniel that morning a month ago. The pull was powerful. I could feel the people at the jail, waiting…. not even aware of what they were waiting for, but I knew… and I couldn’t wait any longer.

Lacy and I meet every Thursday. So the very next Thursday, I told her that I couldn’t wait for a grant; that I can’t allow any more time to pass and I don’t care if I get paid. “I HAVE to do this,” I said. “I can’t stop thinking about it. The door is open NOW and I’m afraid if we wait for money, the door will be closed and the opportunity, gone. I feel called to do this, I can’t let this go.” “Then go,” she says.

So here I am, Friday morning, driving to the Athens Clarke Co. jail, with chills all over my body and a shit-eating grin on my face, full of emotion and curiosity, my heart full of joy. I observed my reaction with wonder, fully aware of how incredibly happy I felt and still not sure what to expect from this meeting.

I was prepared to sell myself; to talk about empirical evidence and scientific proof about how Yoga changes lives, heals pain, dissolves trauma, and improves overall health and well-being. According to some studies, 96% of women inmates are suffering from PTSD. And I have no doubt that the same goes for the men. I was ready to convince whomever needed convincing now that I was in the door.

I met Daniel at the gate and he excitedly escorted me in, explaining who I would meet and not entirely sure what to expect from this meeting, either. I was feeling very confident and energetically charged, open to possibility and full of gratitude. We entered a small trailer and Daniel introduced me to Sgt. McAllister. She shook my hand with an air of respect and her eyes glittered as she welcomed me to sit down.

“You are right on time,” she says. I laugh a little, smiling, “Really?”, glancing over at Daniel to see his equally surprised and pleased reaction. “Yep!” she says, “You are right on time.”

Wow!! I’m thinking in my head. Heart beating, breathing calmly, “What do you mean?” I ask. She goes on to explain how Crpl. Taylor had been wanting to lead a group of women inmates in a sharing discussion group, where they could safely express their feelings, frustrations, hopes and fears. “She wanted to do some, you know, some stretching and breathing and things, you know, like Yoga. But she didn’t know how. She was looking stuff up. Trying to work it out. Then you came along. We got an email from the Chief that Daniel had us a Yoga teacher,” she smiles. I stare back at her with amazement. Daniel and I look at each other and laugh excitedly. The explosion of joy in my heart rippled through my body. “This is amazing,” is all I managed to say.

Crpl. Taylor enters the room as we soak in the moment, looks at me and turns to Sgt. McAllister, “Is this her? Is this my new partner?” … Partner?… “Yes! This is her! This is your Yoga teacher. Michelle Arington, meet Crpl. Taylor.” We meet eyes and shake hands and sit. Astonished, she looks at me and says, “You are right on time.” Waves of tears welled up in me as Daniel explains how it was “kizmit”, “a God-thing” when we met at the gas station and how I just jumped in and volunteered to teach, but we had no idea where it would lead. Crpl. Taylor explains how she was researching Yoga and breathing and relaxation exercises but didn’t know how she was going to do it  when she received an email that said she had a Yoga teacher. “It was like an angel had just landed,” she says, looking at me with curiosity and wonderment, smiling.

“So when do I start?” I asked. “Can you start next Tuesday morning at 9:00 am?”

“Yes!” I cheer “I actually traditionally have Tuesdays mornings free. “You’re kidding….” I hear Daniel utter behind me in amazement.

Before I knew it, I was signing papers, getting my picture taken for my I.D., touring the jail and getting instructions on how to enter the jail on Tuesday mornings. They each humbly thanked me, shaking my hand. When I left, Crpl. Taylor hugged me as if we had always been friends.

I floated out of there and drove home, overwhelmed with joy and gratitude as if I had won a million dollars. Feeling like the angel that had landed wasn’t me at all, but the mysterious force that has gathered our lives together at this moment.

My husband calls me Jail Bird now. My hope is to help these women prisoners set themselves free, no matter where they lay there head at night; to shine a light in the darkness and offer them a new path, a new choice, and maybe even perhaps, a new life.

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