Going Om

In 2009, a guilty plea to a misdemeanor landed Mike Huggins a nine-month prison sentence. As he marked the slow passage of time within the confines of prison, Mike struggled to cope mentally, physically, and emotionally. Surprisingly, the yoga he had practiced and taught some years before became his salvation. With this new understanding of the power of mindfulness-based yoga, Mike began a grassroots effort that evolved into a comprehensive yoga program within the prison. Upon his release in 2012, Mike founded the Transformation Yoga Project to bring yoga to people facing difficult circumstances. The Project has expanded to training others to bring the meditative practice of yoga to those struggling with addiction or caught in the justice system. Mike's mission is to provide helpful tools for dealing with stress, tension, addiction, and anxiety to those who would otherwise have no access to yoga. He has dedicated his time and passion to demystifying yoga by breaking down the powerful and positive aspects of the practice in a straightforward manner to which at-risk populations can relate. Mike remains active in teaching yoga in addiction recovery facilities, prisons, and hospitals, and he has been featured in the Huffington Post and on PBS, ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC news affiliates. He is the author of Going Om: A CEO's Journey from a Prison Facility to Spiritual Tranquility.