18 Oct 2026 11:00
Vedic Meditation in Prison: Joh Jarvis and The Light Inside. Part 2
What can Vedic Meditation offer in a place most people only imagine from the outside? In Part Two of this two-part series, Thom Knoles and Joh Jarvis trace Joh's work teaching meditation in prisons, from her early efforts in New York to The Light Inside's programs with incarcerated people and corrections officers in prisons and jails across the United States.
Joh reflects on the challenges people face inside and after release, and on why this work matters to the wider community. If you haven't heard Part One, start with Part One, then listen to or watch this conversation.
Episode Highlights
[00:45] What Drew Joh to Prison Work
[05:16] Getting In: Goulburn Gaol and Brooklyn Jail
[10:48] Rikers Island: Remand and First Impressions
[17:57] Teaching the First Students
[22:17] The First Course in 2020
[26:23] Joh Finds Herself in North Dakota
[32:36] Jamestown and James River
[37:07] After Prison
[40:48] Research on Wellbeing and Sleep
[46:00] How to Support The Light Inside
[49:31] Working with Prison Officers
[55:47] Old Colleagues and Friends React
[58:11] Thom's View of the Future of Vedic Meditation in the Prison System
Useful LinksYou can find out more about The Light Inside here:https://the-lightinside.org
[email protected] And you can find out more about Joh Jarvis at https://johjarvis.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles
https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoles
