By Kenny Johnson
Founder, This Sacred Space
It was very challenging trying to figure out the best way to create a program for men and women who were incarcerated and going home soon. I had not done anything like this before. As a matter of fact, it had not been long that I was out of the joint myself. While there, I did not take college courses on business administration or the like. As a matter of course, my entire bit in state and federal joints was spent reading spiritual and mythical material.
After my release in 1997, I was going back into San Quentin State prison and San Bruno County jail, (and much later the San Francisco County Jail for Women) talking to my fellow brothers and sisters. I talked about changing their thought processes which would improve their self-esteem and keep them out of prison; both the prison of the mind and the prison of the body.
“What can I teach?” was the question that dogged me for at least six months. I took my friend, a psychotherapist, in and wanted her to analyze them and put a report on my desk. That did not go over too well. The men said, “Kenny we want just you to come in and work with us.” Then I found a book on dreams and I threw a few concepts together and off I went to the jails again armed with a new idea. Again the men voiced their opinions. “Kenny, I don’t remember my dreams.”
Each week was becoming more and more difficult for me and the men I had in my class.
Then one day I came in and just started talking. I also asked the men to sit in a circle and let us get the desks out of the way. For the first five to 10 minutes we sat in silence. Then I would speak about what my life had been like since the last time I was in the prison with them. Then I asked each participant to share their experience. Ah, this was the answer, to be real and talk about our experiences.
Each week we would come and create our Sacred Space to share our most intimate thoughts and feelings with each other. In the last four years This Sacred Space project has seen hundreds of men, women, and teens come to our programs to sit, cry, laugh, and argue. But at the end of the meetings when we stand hold hands and look each other in the eye and hug. We all leave happy and grateful for opportunity to be human for at least two hours a week. For me, it has always been amazing to see how much I get out of the program each week as the facilitator.
A Little History
What was and is the driving force behind This Sacred Space? In the old days, I realized I had created a prison for myself through my habitual thinking: “I am a thief, robber and hustler.” These thoughts produced a lifestyle of repeatedly going in and out of jail, and using every drug known to mankind. My life kept getting worse. I had served too much time in jail. I was getting older and doing time was getting harder. Deep down inside of me, my spirit was groaning and urging me to find a new way of thinking. My old criminal ways of thinking were not working for me anymore.
This was when I went deep into all sorts of books: religious, metaphysical, philosophical, positive thinking, and biographies of people who overcame some hard times in their lives and survived. It was reading something uplifting and spiritual that changed my life and prepared me to hear the message of freedom in a prison program. The Gangaji Prison Project was very instrumental in helping me get out of jail. How? It was in a small group meeting that I asked Gangaji a question, about Christianity. “Gangaji, it is my understanding that I must die before I can receive Gods grace?” She looked me in the eye and said, “Kenny, God’s grace is here now.”
My life changed on the spot, and I no longer wanted to be a thief or hustler. I wanted to be in this new found peace that was welling up in my heart as I sat and listened to her talk the remainder of the meeting. It has been some time since our meeting in September of 1994. I have not been back to jail since my final release in 1997, except as a visitor and facilitator of programs.
My Dream
It is my dream that each of you who come to our meetings will expand your consciousness, through prayer, reading, meditating, and contemplating new ideas, and drop the old thoughts that have kept you in the prison of your mind. I hope these newsletters bring you hope and inspiration. Please write back and we will try to make comments back to you. May you all entertain new possibilities for yourselves and your fellow brothers and sisters. I shall take leave here and wish you all much peace.
Kenneth Johnson is the founder of This Sacred Space. Kenny spent over twenty years in prison and has been out of prison since 1997. He is a spiritual teacher and consultant to families and to those who have been out of prison and may be going to jail. He also just finished his soon to be released book chronicling his years as a criminal and how he was transformed while incarcerated. Kenny has one passion and that is sharing the message that “God’s Grace Is Here Now.”
