Freedom Inside?

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An estimated forty million people in the U.S. practice yoga, generating over nine billion dollars annually, largely due to its promise of mental and physical self-improvement. Yoga is also prevalent in prisons across all fifty states, where it is used as a rehabilitation tool. Critics argue that these practices may have disempowering effects, emphasizing acceptance and non-reaction, which can reduce issues like mass incarceration to mere mental states rather than addressing systemic injustices. Conversely, proponents believe yoga can enhance awareness of structural violence, racism, and inequity. Historical figures like M.K. Gandhi and Thich Nhat Hanh linked their activism to yogic traditions. While yoga and meditation provide essential respite for incarcerated individuals, questions arise about their political implications. Do they reinforce neoliberal ideologies that focus on individual choices, or can they empower marginalized communities? Farah Godrej explores these themes through collaborations with incarcerated practitioners and fieldwork with organizations offering classes in prisons. She examines how yoga can help resist the dehumanization of incarceration and raise awareness of institutional racism. Godrej argues that while these practices may unintentionally perpetuate inequities, they also serve as vital resources for challenging injustice, both internally and externally. This work combines ethnography and political