Powerful Days, a program designed to teach the science and power of self-forgiveness, taught San Quentin residents that forgiving oneself is the first step to achieve true freedom.
Powerful Days hosted an event in Protestant Chapel B geared towards emotional intelligence training. The guest speakers were Charles Myles, Miesha Myles, Clarence Jackson and Roderick Allen.
The event also introduced the programs of the Flintridge Center and the executive director of the center Joshua McCurry was in attendance. Flintridge Center, located in Pasadena, CA, supports community members exiting incarceration by offering services free of charge such as the apprenticeship preparation program, reintegration services and record change support.
First to share his story was formerly incarcerated resident Clarence Jackson.
“There was a time when all I knew was the hood and gang banging,” said Jackson. “Upon my release the Flintridge Center helped me get a job as an electrician making $31 dollars an hour. If I can do it, so can you.”
Charles Myles, lead motivational trainer for Powerful Days shared stories of his youth and his battles with controlling his violent streak. He spoke about how his toxic mindset led to him having actual physical issues with his health.
“What the mind conceives, the body starts to believe,” said Myles.
He described the psychological factors that lead to the physiological ailments in an individual. Myles used a quote from Buddha to lend foundation to his point, telling residents that “we are shaped by our thoughts and we become what we think.”
Miesha Myles, wife and co-trainer with Charles, offered strategies to residents on how to practice self-forgiveness. She spoke about some of the difficulties males have sharing their innermost feelings with others and suggested that residents practice journaling as means to emptying out unresolved feelings on to paper. Miesha described the positive aspects of journaling, being raw and completely honest with oneself.
Before the conclusion of the event the Powerful Days crew displayed the dictionary and religious definition of forgiveness. Then the crew shared the Powerful Days definition of forgiveness, which stated that forgiveness is giving up on the hope of a better past to move forward with your life.
“As a Muslim, I’ve always equated forgiveness to my faith,” said resident Hamed Ali. “But this workshop really personalized forgiveness in a way that shows me that I need to forgive myself first.”
