Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu is a Sanskrit mantra which means: “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.”

Oklahomans have always faced unique challenges.

Our state became a home to many first Americans forcibly removed from their native lands; those that survived the Trail of Tears. Nearly a hundred years ago, thirty-five city blocks of the Greenwood district burned down during the Tulsa Race Massacre, erasing the wealth of Black Wall Street. This state welcomed back migrant Okies families who left to find work, returning after the Dust Bowl dust settled. Currently, our state’s largest employer is the Department of Defense and many of our brave veterans choose to stay or relocate to Oklahoma after service.

Today, Oklahoma’s unique and complex history combine to create a state where Oklahomans suffer from trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACES) at unprecedented rates.

Now, Oklahomans face the current crisis of living in the world’s prison capital.

In the U.S., incarceration extends beyond prisons and local jails to include other systems of confinement. The U.S. and state incarceration rates in this graph include people held by these other parts of the justice system, so they may be slightly higher than the commonly reported incarceration rates that only include prisons and jails. Details on the data are available in States of Incarceration: The Global Context. We also have a version of this graph focusing on the incarceration of women.

The Humble Warrior Collective offers the practice of yoga & mindfulness as tools to imprisoned youth and adults. Yoga and mindfulness work at an individual level, offering the necessary embodiment that creates connection and expands awareness to build resilience and hope.

Our trauma-informed instructors serve with incarcerated Oklahomans who suffer from complex and chronic trauma. Research has demonstrated the power that yoga, mindfulness, and meditation offer clients during this critical period of reflection, recovery and transformation.

When people receive the resources and tools to effectively manage trauma and stress, they are less likely to return to prison.

The Humble Warrior Collective seeks to empower individuals, one breath at a time, one person at a time. Our unique program curriculums touch on vital themes aimed at growth and self-inquiry while treating each person as a valuable individual with a meaningful purpose. We choose to walk in the space between, going behind bars to meet members of our community in spaces of conflict with dignity and humanity. These practices offer each client the ability to do the work, readying themselves with the resilience to rebuild their lives and rejoin their community.

We believe everyone has the right to be happy, healthy, and free. This work honors our values and acts in service to the community

We are all humble warriors. We believe in a happier, healthier, freer Oklahoma.