Oneika Mays

I LOVED chatting with Vincent, host of Paths to Practice. Repost from @pathsofpractice
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Episode 145!

Oneika Mays is a yoga and meditation teacher, author, and former Mindfulness Coach at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, where she taught for over a decade. Her debut book Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation (HarperOne, March 2026) explores metta practice as a tool for personal and collective liberation. With deep roots in Buddhist and yogic teachings, Oneika specializes in making mindfulness accessible to marginalized and excluded communities.

For more information about Oneika and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links:

https://www.oneikamays.com/

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/sit-with-me-oneika-mays?variant=43876134387746

https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/changemakers-2026/

https://www.youtube.com/@OneikaMays

We discussed:

*Extending unconditional love to all, accountability, and the lessons of metta (lovingkindness) in Stevie Wonder’s song “As”

*Understanding meditation and yoga as trauma-informed practices, keeping your eyes on your own test, and the experience of teaching mindfulness and meditation to people that are incarcerated

*Agency, identifying as Buddhish, and the practical and timeless teachings of the Buddha

*And the importance of recognizing that anything can be your teacher and to root your practice in a safe space with safe teachers

See link in bio for YouTube channel!

#pathsofpractice #metta #steviewonder #buddhish #buddhism