What If You Could Rewire Your Mind for Success?
Prison strips away many freedoms, but one thing it cannot take from you is your mind—unless you let it. You still have the power to train your thinking, improve your self-discipline, and develop habits that can transform your life, not only while incarcerated but far beyond.
We’ve all seen it: guys in here who’ve spent 10, 15, 20 years doing nothing but counting days. But we’ve also seen others emerge as leaders, mentors, writers, craftsmen, entrepreneurs. What’s the difference? It starts with the mind.
José Silva, the founder of the Silva Mind Control Method, believed that mental training is just as powerful as physical training—and maybe even more so. His program, created over 60 years ago, was designed to help ordinary people use more of their brain’s potential: to focus better, to make better decisions, and to reprogram negative thinking into disciplined, creative, empowered action.
This article is your entry point into a Silva-style mind training program tailored for prison life. Whether you’re on a noisy dorm floor, in a cellblock with a hard bunk, or in a transitional center, you can learn this system. We’ve adapted it so you can follow it without needing technology or even total silence. All you need is a little space, a notebook, and your willingness to grow.
And the results? They can be subtle at first—but transformative. You’ll begin to feel calmer under stress. More in control of your impulses. Better able to focus. Able to stop and choose your reaction instead of exploding or shutting down. It’s the same kind of change described in this recent piece from The Marshall Project, where an incarcerated man quit drinking soda—and discovered it was the key to mastering his impulses and reshaping his daily discipline 1.
That’s what the Silva Method is about at its core:
Learning to control your inner world so the outer world no longer controls you.
The Philosophy Behind the Method
Silva believed that we spend most of our lives in reactive mode—letting habits, fears, stress, and old programming run the show. The key to changing your life is learning how to enter a relaxed state of mind, called the alpha level, where you can rewire your thoughts and set new mental patterns.
This idea isn’t new. It reflects centuries of Eastern practice:
- In Zen Buddhism, monks use breath and silence to calm the mind and see clearly.
- In Taoist philosophy, flow and mental discipline come from yielding and centering.
- In Stoicism, Roman philosophers like Marcus Aurelius emphasized daily mental training to become unshakable.
Silva merged these timeless insights with brain science. He taught students how to drop into alpha level, visualize success, and rewrite internal scripts. His students reported everything from better memory and focus to quitting bad habits and improving relationships.
Getting Started in Prison
You don’t need candles or incense. You don’t need a yoga mat or a guru. All you need is:
- A quiet(er) time of day: mornings before chow, lockdown periods, late at night.
- A place to sit or lie down where you can be still for 10–20 minutes.
- Earplugs (if available) to help you tune out noise. Over time, you’ll learn to tune it out mentally.
- A notebook and pen to record your progress.
Part 1: Entering the Alpha State (The Foundation)
Practice this for 7–14 days before moving on.
1. Find a time and space where you can sit or lie quietly. Use earplugs if needed.
2. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths.
3. Begin a slow mental countdown: “100… 99… 98…” all the way to 1. Breathe naturally as you do.
- If this takes too long, you can start from 50 or 25.
4. When you reach 1, say mentally: “I am now at the alpha level of my mind. I am relaxed, focused, and in control.”
5. Sit in that state. Don’t force thoughts. Just breathe. If you get distracted, gently return to your breath.
6. After 5–15 minutes, count up slowly: “1… 2… 3… wide awake, feeling fine, healthy and alert.”
7. Open your eyes.
Do this twice a day. This builds the core skill: relaxing into alpha.
Part 2: Creating Mental Scripts (Positive Programming)
Once you’ve practiced Part 1 for at least a week, you can begin using affirmations and visualization while in alpha. This is where the real transformation happens.
1. Enter alpha (as above).
2. Once relaxed, repeat a positive statement to yourself, like:
- “I am calm and in control.”
- “I speak with wisdom and listen with care.”
- “I treat others with respect and receive respect in return.”
- “I use my time wisely.”
3. Say it slowly and with feeling. Picture yourself living it.
- For example: If your goal is to control anger, visualize yourself handling a stressful moment calmly.
Repeat the same affirmation for 3–7 days, then change it based on what you want to work on.
Write your affirmation in your notebook and reflect on how you applied it each day.
Part 3: Daily Practice and Reprogramming Habits
After 2–3 weeks of daily alpha practice, you’re ready to go deeper:
- Choose a goal: quitting a habit, being more focused, controlling your temper, sleeping better.
- Use your alpha time to rehearse that outcome.
- Example: You’re tempted to argue. In alpha, visualize the moment: someone insults you. You feel the anger rise—but then you breathe, you pause, and you respond with clarity and calm.
- This is called mental rehearsal—and athletes, entrepreneurs, and leaders use it to prepare for success.
In your cell, you can use even 10 minutes before bed to rehearse the next day.
Track your growth:
Keep a journal: “How did I do today? What did I do better? Where can I improve tomorrow?”
Part 4: Leveling Up – Advanced Uses
Once you’ve built a steady practice, you can use the alpha level to:
- Solve problems: Bring a challenge into alpha and imagine multiple solutions.
- Strengthen relationships: Visualize peaceful conversations with family or officers.
- Improve health: Imagine your body healing, breathing deeply, releasing stress.
- Prepare for release: Picture your first job interview, your first day home, how you will carry yourself.
Silva taught that your mind is a tool. If you feed it images of chaos, it will give you chaos. If you feed it images of strength and clarity, it will build that in you.
Doing This With Family
Want to stay connected to a loved one? Invite them to read The Silva Mind Control Method too. Then:
- Both of you do the alpha practice.
- Write each other about what affirmations you’re using.
- Share how your self-discipline is growing.
- Reflect together: “This week I kept my cool during an argument.”
This creates a powerful shared journey.
Your growth supports theirs. Their progress supports you.
Final Thoughts: A Mind That Is Free
You don’t need to wait until you’re released to change. You can begin today. Every time you quiet your mind and enter the alpha state, you reclaim a part of yourself. Every positive statement you repeat becomes a seed. Over time, you grow.
You don’t need to believe in magic. You just need to practice.
If this program speaks to you, consider ordering or asking a family member to send you one of José Silva’s books:
- The Silva Mind Control Method by José Silva
- You the Healer by José Silva and Dr. Robert B. Stone
- Sales Power: The Silva Mind Method for Sales Professionals
- The Silva Mind Control Method for Business Managers
These books go deeper into the science, stories, and techniques of the Silva Method.
They are available on Amazon, eBay, or online bookstores. Ask your family to check used copies or bookfinder.com for affordable options.
You can also find these books available for download from Anna’s Archive here. You might also check Z-Library.
Freedom starts in the mind. Let yours lead the way.
About Pathways to Success and Georgia Prisoners Speak (GPS)
At Georgia Prisoners Speak (GPS), we believe that education is one of the most powerful tools for breaking cycles of incarceration and building a better future. That’s why we created the Pathways to Success program—a dedicated initiative providing educational resources, skill-building guides, and financial literacy tools tailored specifically for prisoners and their families.
GPS is a prison reform advocacy platform focused on exposing systemic injustices, pushing for policy change, and empowering incarcerated individuals with the knowledge they need to successfully re-enter society. Our educational articles are part of this mission, ensuring that those impacted by incarceration have access to practical guidance that can help them build stability, opportunity, and financial independence.
To explore more resources, visit Pathways to Success.
