For the Returning Citizen, adopting a heroic, transformational script for the reentry journey:creates a space for working at a deep psychological level, that of the archetypal world of the hero; brings about essential existential meaning keys; establishes a significant and far reaching connection with constructing societal well being; and, and offers a portal into becoming the hero in his or her own life.

1. Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD
www.epic-spirit.com

2. Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD
2

3. Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 3

4. It has been found that a condemnation script
often underlies recidivism
“I characterize the narrative of persistent offenders
as a condemnation script.
The condemned person is the narrator
(although he or she reserves plenty of blame for society as well).
Active offenders… largely saw their life scripts
as having been written for them a long time ago”
Maruna, S. (2002),
Making Good: How Ex-Convicts Reform and Rebuild their Lives
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 4

5. Opposite to a condemnation script
is the redemption script.
“… most consistent characteristics of reformed ex-offender self-narratives
include a tendency to find some meaning in one’s experiences of crime and
imprisonment, a desire to give something back
(especially to the next generation of young people in trouble),
and a sense of hope and control over one’s future.”
Maruna, S., et al (2006) Why God Is Often Found Behind Bars:
Prison Conversions and the Crisis of Self-Narrative
RESEARCH IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, 3(2&3), 161–184
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 5

6. Beyond Redemption, there can be a Heroic Self-Transformation
While redemption highlights repairing the harm done,
a more powerful script for the future
would be about unleashing the returning citizen’s potential
and in which the role of a hero / heroine is undertaken
as a person in service to humankind.
Such a returning citizen adopts a
“Mythogenic Transformational Script”.
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 6

7. Having a ”mythogenic” ability
relates to the capacity for constructing a myth (legends) about self
which becomes an answer to the question:
“What myth do I intend to live by?”
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 7
"Myths are clues to the spiritual potentialities of the human life,"
Joseph Campbell
The Power of Myth
PBS series with Bill Moyers (1988)

8. Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 8

9. A returning citizen’s purposeful transformational journey
coincides with Joseph Campbell´s monomyth,
The Hero´s Journey:
A hero is anyone who leaves the world of everyday life
to undergo a journey to a special world
where challenges and fears are overcome to secure a reward
which is then shared with others in the community.
Adapted from Campbell, J. (1973),
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
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11. The Hero’s Journey is a universal pattern, an archetype
as conceptualized by Carl G. Jung:
A recurring pattern of images, situations, or symbols
found in the mythology, religion, art, and dreams of
cultures around the world.
Carl Jung
11Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD

12. … “The hero, therefore, is the man or woman who
has been able to battle past his personal and local
historical limitations to the generally valid,
normally human forms”.
Campbell, J. (1973),
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 12

13. Joseph Campbell utilized Jung’s idea of the archetype
to establish the heroic pattern of transformation.
The Hero’s Journey archetypical cycle
goes through three parts:
• Departure/Preparation,
• Initiation/Passage/Transformation and,
• Return/Celebration.
Joseph Campbell
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 13

14. It might vary every time for every person, society and time frame:
the overall pattern is what is significant.
Each of the three parts of the hero’s journey pattern might encompass
several steps or stages. Campbell included some 17 possible stages.
The Hero’s Journey Is a Descriptive Pattern –Not a Prescriptive One
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 14

15. Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 15
Patterning the Returning Citizen’s
Heroic Journey Script

16. The World as Usual
The Call to Adventure
T h e Jo u r n e y
• Departure/Preparation Stages
‐ Departure
‐ The Gate Keeper
• Initiation/Passage
/Transformation Stages
‐ Endurance Trials
‐ Abyss – Supreme Challenge
‐ Claiming the Treasure
‐ Convergence with the True Self
• Return/Celebration Stages
‐ Preparing to Return
‐ Arrival & Celebration
The Expanded World as Usual
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 16
An eight-stage variation of the Campbell’s pattern
that underscores the inner transformation
will be used here for structuring the script
for the Returning Citizen’s Journey

17. THE
WORLD
AS USUAL
THE CALL TO ADVENTURE
• Becoming aware of the potential within:
Awakening to the possibility of materializing the true self
in spite of any past history.
• Visualizing a positive future for self.
• Hanna’s precursors to change are present:*
₋ Mindsets: sense of necessity, readiness to experience
anxiety or difficulty, hope.
₋ Meta-cognitions: Awareness, confronting the
problem, effort or will toward change.
₋ Broad, Confiding Social Support
THE WORLD AS USUAL
• This is the mental place where things that are known well,
including self image, reputation, skills, habits and so forth.
• It is also not being aware, not believing in the possibility or not
having the intention to change, to self-transform.
• The locus of control is likely external, accompanied by a
reactive attitude product of a belief of a destiny-defined future.
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 17
* Hanna, F. J. (2002). Therapy with difficult clients: Using the precursors model to awaken change.
American Psychological Association.

18. DEPARTURE:
• Committing to self-transformation.
• Envisaging a positive purpose in life.
• Searching for guidance & advice.
• Identifying probable challenges to overcome.
• The strongest aide would come from self knowledge; the worse
opponent emerges from the inner “shadow”.
KEY: Know Thyself.`
Preparation Stages
THE GATE KEEPER:
• Clarifying the personal vision & recommitting to materialize it.
• Dealing with fears and facing concerns & doubts.
• Understanding and acceptance of those concerns.
• Identifying keys for the journey ahead.
KEY: Only those who dream can create realities.
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19. 1ST THRESHOLD:
Leaving the world as usual –
Entering the extraordinary world of healing & transformation.
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20. ENDURANCE TRIALS:
• Knowing that at some level, every obstacle is FOR the best.
• Resolving to utilize everything to learn, grow & advance.
• Developing pro-social values & attitude.
• Going past inner blockades and external difficulties.
KEY: “The event is not important,
the response to the event is everything.” (I Ching)
Passage Stages
ABYSS – SUPREME CHALLENGE:
• Overcoming the Greatest Fear: Death and Rebirth.
• Acknowledging that "Our deepest fear is not that we are
Inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond
measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.”
Williamson, M. (1992) A Return to Love
KEY: You have being preparing yourself for this all along.
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21. CLAIMING THE TREASURE:
• Thriving in discovery & fulfillment.
• Experiencing the true self and thus realizing that all rewards
from the healing and transformation are just its reflections.
KEY: Inner rich & abundance is a consciousness,
not a material scorecard.
CONVERGENCE WITH THE TRUE SELF:
• Building a consciousness of Inner Alignment.
• Attaining balances between pairs of opposites: Inner - Outer,
Material – Spiritual, Temporal-Eternal.
• Treading the pathway to at-onement:
Acceptance, cooperation, understanding and enthusiasm.
KEY: Manifesting the true self is a sign of True Mastery.
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 21
Passage Stages (Cont.)

22. 2nd THRESHOLD:
Leaving the extraordinary world of healing & transformation
and proceeding to reenter society.
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 22

23. Return Stages
PREPARING TO RETURN:
• Owning the healing & pursuing further transformation.
• Being grateful for the journey undertaken.
• Visualizing the reentry steps & challenges to overcome.
• Re-Assessing the original journey motives.
KEY: Self Acknowledge and Reconnect to Society.
ARRIVAL & CELEBRATION:
• Enjoying being free from fear, letting love lead Life.
• Being aware of having become a master of two worlds:
the ordinary and the extraordinary.
• Sharing the learning and contributing to societal wellbeing.
KEY: It is time to reciprocate.
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24. Back to the Community - The E x p a n d e d World as Usual
THE
EXPANDED
WORLD
AS USUAL
• The experience of going through the journey of
transformation, healing and re-entry results in an
expanded comfort zone.
• Having mastered the ordinary and the extraordinary
worlds makes the Returning Citizen a person
with an unusual potential for contributing to society.
• Such potential empowers the returning citizen to
pursue further journeys and thus creating a myth
about self, a heroic myth.
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25. THE
WORLD
AS
USUAL
CALL TO ADVENTURE
Awakening, Awareness, Envisioning, Readiness.
DEPARTURE:
Commitment, sense of purpose in life,
guidance & advice, aides & opponents,
and challenges to overcome
THE GATE KEEPER:
Dealing with fears & concerns.
Re-commitment to the vision of Self.
ENDURANCE TRIALS:
Utilizing everything to learn,
grow & advance.
Pro-social values & attitude.
ABYSS – SUPREME CHALLENGE:
Death & Rebirth. Overcoming the greatest fear:
Acknowledging that what most frightens us is our inner light.”
CLAIMING THE TREASURE:
Thriving in discovery & fulfillment.
Experiencing the true self reflecting
in the rewards from healing and transformation.
CONVERGENCE WITH THE TRUE SELF:
Inner Alignment & Balance. At-onement:
Acceptance, cooperation, understanding
and enthusiasm.
PREPARING TO RETURN:
Owning the journey. Gratefulness:
Giving & receiving. Preparing for reentry.
Recovering from inner wounds.
ARRIVAL & CELEBRATION:
Freedom from Fear, Letting Love Lead Life.
Master of Two Worlds.
Sharing the learning
and contributing to society.
1st THRESHOLD
Leaving the world as usual - Entering the
extraordinary world of healing & transformation.
2nd THRESHOLD
Leaving the extraordinary world
& Proceeding to reentry society.
Summary of the Heroic Returning Citizen’s Journey Script
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26. The Heroic Archetypes
C. S. Pearson, Awakening the Heroes Within (1991)
•The Innocent
•The Orphan
•The Warrior
•The Altruist
•The Explorer
•The Destroyer
•The Lover
•The Creator
•The Ruler
•The Magician
•The Sage
•The Jester
THE
WORLD
AS
USUAL
Several specific heroic archetypes are at play along the hero’s journey.
They can bring support along the journey as favorable “aides”.
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27. C. S. Pearson, Awakening the Heroes Within (1991)
Pearson’s archetypes informs inner companions and aides for the script for the
journey, promoting attitudes and keys to go past the challenges at each stage.
Major Parts
in The Hero’s Journey
Heroic Archetypes
& Their Behavior
Departure / Preparation
Sense of self-confidence.
 Innocent: spontaneity and trust - optimism to take the journey.
 Orphan: Informs that everyone matters. Teaches empathy.
 Warrior: Sets and achieves goals. Teaches fearlessness.
 Altruist: Drives to help others. Teaches compassion.
Initiation / Passage
/ Transformation
Transformational momentum.
 Seeker: Self-inquiries leading to insights. Brings courage.
 Destroyer: Supports in detaching. Brings renewal.
 Lover: Creates relationships & enthusiasm. Teaches passion.
 Creator: Manifests beauty and innovates. Impels expression.
Return / Celebration
Awareness of self-renewal and of making a difference in the world.
 Ruler: Strives for inner alignment. Teaches purpose.
 Magician: Transforms obstacles into opportunities. Teaches wonder.
 Sage: Cultivates wisdom, brings freedom. Fosters learning.
 Jester: Prompts enjoyment and fun. Brings lightness.
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28.  They are measurable:
• Heroic Myth Index (HMI)
C. S. Pearson, Awakening the Heroes Within
(1991)
• Pearson-Marr Archetype Index (PMAI)
C. S. Pearson, Ph.D. and H. K. Marr Ph.D.
(2011) Introduction to Archetypes & PMAI™
 And they can serve as the basis
for evidence based practices
The Heroic Archetypes are observable psychological patterns:
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Becoming Mindful of the Hero / Heroine Within

30.  Self-enquiring about the re-entry journey to be undertaken
allows for self-appropriating and for energizing it.
 Developing mindfulness sets a stage for self-enquiring
the hero / heroine and the journey within.
Mindfulness consists of deliberately and non-judgmentally heeding attention
either to one's emotions, thoughts and sensations presently occurring
or to external objects.
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31. Meditation is needed in developing mental qualities.
The mind is definitely something that can be transformed,
and meditation is a means to transform it.
Meditation is the activity of familiarizing your mind with
something new. Basically, it means getting used to the object on
which you are meditating.
H.H. Dalai Lama, (2000)
The Meaning of Life Wisdom Publications
Meditation is a widely practiced contemplative
discipline that provides an avenue to mindfulness.
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32. Meditation is of two types-analytical and stabilizing. First, an object is
analyzed, after which the mind is set one-pointedly on the same object in
stabilizing meditation. Within analytical meditation, there are also two
types:
1. Something, such as impermanence, is taken as the object of the
mind and is meditated upon;
2. A mental attitude is cultivated through meditation, as in cultivating
love, in which case the mind becomes of the nature of that mental
attitude.
H.H. Dalai Lama, (2000)
The Meaning of Life Wisdom Publications
H.H. Dalai Lama describes two types of meditation
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33. The Practice of Meditation Can Support Transformation by:
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 33
Developing Calmness
Being Self-Aware
Observing Non-Judgmentally
Heeding Centered Attention
Heeding Open Attention
Being Contemplative
Motivation Awareness
Participating
Developing Oneness
Developing Values
Observing Future Life Path
Principled Actuating

34. Meditation can be directed to develop mindfulness
about one’s transformational journey which in turn,
will bring into light its script as follows:
1. The attention is concentrated on the hero or heroine
and the journey within.
2. An inner image of self and the journey within is
enlivened through imagination and is made to become
lively.
3. The image is allowed to dissolve and the attention
becomes wide, without any attachment. Inspiration
and insight arise naturally.
4. Intuition arises spontaneously and intimacy the hero
or heroine and the journey within develops.
Adapted from Zajonc, A. (2009),
Meditation as Contemplative Inquiry - When Knowing Becomes Love
Lindisfarne Books
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 34

35. If adopted as a personal life pattern,
the Hero’s Journey can serve as an guidance device
that allows one to re-frame one’s life path into an epic perspective:
seeing where one is currently,
where one has come from, where one is headed,
what challenges and rewards are involved,
and the transcendental meaning of the path.
Such a device can be used to understand further the personal
becoming, much as we use a navigational device when traveling.
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36. The Hero’s Journey cycle offers a subjective map
to move ahead toward greatness along the whole life.
In Joseph Campbell’s words,
“… A good life is one hero journey after another.
Over and over again,
you are called into the realm of adventure,
you are called to new horizons.
Each time, there is the same problem: Do I dare?
And then if you do dare, the dangers are there,
and the help also, and the fulfillment or the fiasco.
There is always the possibility of a fiasco.
But there's also the possibility of bliss. “
Excerpt from Campbell, J. (2004) Pathways to Bliss
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37. Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 37
Scaffolding the Returning Citizen’s
Heroic Transformational Journey
Depends Heavily
on the Quality of Interpersonal Connection

38. Healing, transformation & reentry is a process that can take years
to complete by the returning citizen. Or it might occur through a
relatively short period of time. What is important is that at its
center is the purposeful transformation of the person.
This being an inner transformation, involves a shift in self-
perception and in the worldview been held within, which
encompasses the returning citizen’s participation in society.
Naturally, that will only happen as a result of the returning
citizen’s choice and commitment.
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 38
A Returning Citizen’s Heroic Script for the Journey of Self-Transformation
Operates at Deep Levels of Personal Change

39. Expanding the interviewer’s capability includes:
 Being mindful of the own heroic journey.
 Being consciously aware of and cultivating
an appropriate inner state through
contemplative practices.
 Becoming consciously aware and entrained
with the Returning Citizen’s journey.
The scaffolder’s state of mind & heart will affect
the returning citizen’s state and journey script.
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40. “Like the commission of a crime, the reintegration of the former outcast
back into society represents a challenge to the moral order,
a delicate transition fraught with danger and possibility.
However, unlike punishment, reintegration is not a process characterized
by well-orchestrated and familiar rituals. This lack might explain the
failings of prisoner reentry in contemporary society. “
Maruna, S. (2011) Reentry as a Rite of Passage
Punishment & Society 13(1) 3-28
Going beyond the conventional stages of change into adopting myth
about self portrayed through a heroic narrative of the Journey of Change
establishes a starting point
for constructing a personal, mythogenic script for the future.
This will help fill the current lack of rites of reentry.
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 40

41. Observing & coaching the unfolding of the Returning Citizen’s transformational
script allows the scaffolder synchronization with her journey.
Emphasis is placed on the hero’s journey’s milestones:
• Heeding to the call to adventure
• Going past the 1st threshold
• Going past the 2nd threshold
• Expansion of the world as usual
The scaffolding process
will undertake at least a full cycle
for attaining each of these milestones
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42. The fundamental requirement for supporting the returning citizen
is that the scaffolder will come from a place of understanding,
appreciation and compassion in order to enter and maintain a
productive collaboration with, and guidance to the journeying citizen.
42
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD

43. For the Returning Citizen,
adopting a heroic, transformational script for the reentry journey:
 creates a space for working at a deep psychological level,
that of the archetypical world of the hero;
 brings about essential existential meaning keys;
 establishes a significant and far reaching connection
with constructing societal wellbeing; and,
 and offers a portal into becoming the hero in his or her own life.
SUMMARY
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 43

44. The ultimate freedom
lies in choosing to be the true being
you are,
in love, wisdom, beauty, and joy…
and in that light,
inspire others to choose likewise.
Arturo J. Bencosme
Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD 44