The dharma and karma of teaching Vedic meditation in prisons with Joh Jarvis from The Light Inside

In this episode Laura Poole speaks with her colleague and friend Joh Jarvis from The Light Inside - a not-for-profit foundation which takes meditation into prisons and jails across the United States. The Vedic perspective is that all change in life begins with a shift in consciousness. This is why meditation is the foundation for bringing us into right action. But those who really need meditation may not have access. This is why Joh and The Light Inside exist.

What we talk about.

• Joh’s journey of coming to teach Vedic meditation in prisons at age 54
• How did she get there? What is it like?
• What stories of transformation has she witnessed?
• What challenges has she faced?
• The living of dharma and seva (self-less service)
• How to live in alignment with your true Self
• Trust and surrender
• The huge shift that takes place when you let go and allow life to move through you

It’s not every day you end up teaching Vedic meditation at age 54 in prisons. We hope her story will resonate beyond the specifics into what’s possible at any age, the dharma and purpose we can find, and the joy that comes from being of service to our humanity.

Resources.

Follow Joh @thelightinsidemeditation

Subscribe to The Light Inside newsletters for stories of transformation

Donate to The Light Inside to support the teaching of Vedic meditation in prisons

Watch online

• The Project on Channel 10 interviewing Joh on The Light Inside's meditation program in the North Dakota State Penitentiary
• Joh named New Yorker of the Week March 2024 for The Light Inside's program in Rikers Island jail (camera work was very restricted in Rikers Island)
• Dhamma Bros - Meditation program in Donaldson prison, Alabama
• Doing Time, Doing Vipassana - Meditation program in New Delhi's Tihar prison
• The Work - Set in Folsom State Prison, incarcerated men and men from outside prison together undergo four days of intensive group therapy, revealing an intimate and powerful portrait of authentic human transformation that transcends what we think of as rehabilitation
• Unlocked: A Jail Experiment - A social experiment where incarcerated men are given increased autonomy in hopes of creating a community-driven atmosphere and deterring future criminal behaviour
• God Save Texas: Hometown prison - Richard Linklater documentary
• Step Inside the Circle - Those who experience the Compassion Trauma Circle and learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences and the symptoms of trauma, feel a sense of relief, self-forgiveness and community support

Read People Magazine Article - Only in New York: Australian Writer Becomes Dog Sitter for New York Inmate. Joh’s story of meeting her dog the first week she moved to New York.

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