Paradigms and prisons: a narrative of translation and transformation : my hero's journey from "at-risk" youth to teacher/learner in a jail setting /

All life is suffering. Life is the pursuit ofhappiness. These are two foundational Buddhist dictums that, in their simplicity, I have entirely misunderstood regarding their depth, misreading them as contradictory. Indeed, my superficial interpretations led me to Thoreau's life ofquiet desperation and deep depression. We come to know and bring understanding to our lives by storying them. My own Hero's Journey, the path from my egoic selftoward the universal Self, can be understood as the resultant translations and transformations. Inevitably each of us is involved in such a story, though most are unaware of the stages along our own Hero's journey. ' Narrative honours writing as a means of knowing. The contemplative reflection allows insight into our imprisoning paradigms, beliefs, behaviours, and blind spots. My research revisits and explores nodal experiences along my Hero's Journey through 4 categories: self, society, soil, and Self. While the value of this process of narrative inquiry lay in its ability to come to know and understand one's self, perhaps its greater value is of a more universal nature. My inquiry, while adding to the body of academic educational narrative literature, may also illuminate a path to educators, students, and all interested, encouraging a response to the call of their own Hero's journey. I am a teacher/learner in a jail setting, working with youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who have committed crimes such as armed robbery, assault, rape, and murder. As this thesis follows my continual development from egoic self/teacher/learner to universal Self/Teacher/Learner, it also enables me to both consciously and unconsciously open the ways in which I expand my care, compassion, and love to work with at-risk youth.

HG 249.40-249.55 Thin Section

Coarse grained sample with clasts ranging from small to medium. Clast shape ranges from angular to sub-angular. Lineations and rotation structures seen. Clay material and fine grained domains (darker colour) also seen.

HG 276.80-276.95 Thin Section

Coarse grained sample, with grains ranging from small to large in size. Shapes range from angular to rounded. This sample is abundant in lineations, and rotation structures can also be seen around larger aggregates. Many large grains are fractured and minor grain stacking can also be seen.

HG 362.70-362.80

Multiple domains are present. Clasts range from small to large in size and sub-angular to sub-rounded in shape. The fine grained domain is dark brown with some lineations and organic material. The coarse grained domain is grey in colour and contains mainly lineations and rotation structures. Some comet structures can also be seen.

HG 421.50-421.60

Light brown sediment with clasts that range from small to large in size. The clast shape ranges from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Lineations and rotation structures are abundant in this sample. Edge-to-edge grain crushing is present as well. There are areas of light and dark sediment throughout the sample. A few comet structures can also be seen.

HG 456.70-456.80

Dark brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large in size. Clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Lineations are common throughout the sample. A few comet structures and rotation structures are also visible throughout the sample.

HG 484.65-484.80

Brown sediment with multiple domains. Grains range from small to large in size, and angular to sub-rounded in shape. Large amounts of grain crushing can be seen in the coarser domains. The sample is mainly dominated with grain crushing. The finer grained domains contain some clay rich material. Some lineations and rotation structures can also be seen throughout the different domains.

HG 498.20-498.35

Coarse grained sample with clasts ranging from small to medium in size. Clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Lineations and rotation structures are common in this sample. Grain crushing and comet structures are also present in minor amounts.

HG 3.75-3.85

Dark brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large. The clasts range from angular to sub-rounded in shape. The sample mainly contains edge-to-edge grain crushing and rotation structures. Many grains are fractured and a few necking structures can also be seen.

HG 18.50-18.55

This sample contains grains that range from small to large in size. The clast shape ranges from angular to rounded. Many grains are fractured and grain crushing is commonly seen. A few necking structures and rotation structures can also be seen.

HG 29.60-29.80

Brown sediment with clasts that range from small to large. The clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. The sample is abundant in necking and rotation structures. Minor edge-to-edge grain crushing can also be seen.

HG 35.0-35.10

Brown sediment with clasts that range from small to medium in size. The grain shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Lineations and rotation structures were the most common throughout the sample. Grain crushing/stacking and a few comet structures were also present. Clay material was also dispersed throughout the sample.

HG 77.35-77.45

Brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to medium in size. The clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Lineations are the most abundant in this sample, along with grain crushing. A few comet structures and rotation structures can also be seen throughout the sample.

HG 78.45-78.55

Coarse sediment with grains ranging from small to large . Clast shape ranges from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Grain crushing is common throughout the sample, with many grains being crushed into one another. A few lineations and rotation structures can also be seen throughout.

HG 109.60-109.70

Dark brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to medium in size. Clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Lineations and comet structures are abundant. Some grain crushing and rotation structures can also be seen.