During our recent visit to the U.S. the Santa Clara County Department for Alcohol and Drugs Service arranged some incredible opportunities for us to see the Three Principles being taught and in action. 

Juvenile Hall was as secure a lock-up for young people as you could imagine. Once passed the security clearance, corridors lead to self-contained wings, each with video entry systems. Inside was a large, echoey space with cells on two levels, very clean, very modern, but still cells. The class we met were all young men, about 17 years old and all in prison tracksuits. Despite this oppressive environment, most were really interested to find out why two visitors from England were there and the first part of the session was just chatting about this. Gabriela led the conversation around to favorite food then into how you think about things you don't like or have never tried. Talking to young men in detention about their favourite food may seem a little insensitive, unkind even, but this worked really well to draw everyone in and once started enabled her to link the Three Principles into the conversation. Talking about Thought and the power this has to determine your emotions and feelings was a lively discussion. Some of the young men had a pretty good understanding and used this to put into their own words how the Three Principles affect everyone all of the time. Overall, what the class did for us was to show how a group of young men in difficult circumstances could gain some insights that will surely help them to get through their current experience - and once freed to make wiser and more productive choices in the future. 

The Regimented Correctional Programme was for adult offenders, all of whom had been in prison but had been given early release on condition they attend the centre 8am - 4pm, five days a week. The centre, to all intents and purpose was prison and about sixty men and women filed in and when told to do so, sat down in rows. This was a really interesting audience; young and older, men and women, many with prison or gang tattoos, many looking tired and resentful. Again Gabriela started the class by introducing us and inviting us to explain why we were there and answer questions from the audience. The ice broken, the class continued by asking some questions about the Three Principles and whilst some people were new, others had a good understanding and shared in discussions. There were some challenging moments talking about how they felt about being there but these were overcome with some real words of wisdom, not just from Gabriela but also from people in the audience. The class was a great experience and clear evidence of just how effectively Santa Clara County are using the Three Principles to change lives.