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Overview
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Mindfulness in everyday life.

Joy Jordan
September 4, 2025
Prison Stories

Hug the Wounded Kid Inside You

Joy Jordan
September 4, 2025
Prison Stories
Hug the Wounded Kid Inside You

A new person, T, joined the prison mindfulness group last week. Our discussion—and meditation practice—centered on painful feelings. Here’s what happened…

Tagged: emotion, self-compassion, mindfulness, prisonstories

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Joy Jordan
August 15, 2025
Prison Stories

Keep Doing the Work

Joy Jordan
August 15, 2025
Prison Stories
Keep Doing the Work

We often minimize our own goodness.

We assume others are more creative, more compassionate, more wise.

Recently, during a pastoral visit in prison, I sat with J—as I’ve done many times before. His life story is the hardest I’ve ever heard: relentless abuse, trauma, and loss. Yet somehow, he’s emerged transformed.

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Joy Jordan
August 7, 2025
Prison Stories

Don't Wait

Joy Jordan
August 7, 2025
Prison Stories
Don't Wait

On Monday, I went to Oshkosh Correctional for pastoral visits.

My third 1:1 was with C, who lost his mom a year ago. Losing a loved one is even more painful when incarcerated. You feel helpless, disconnected, and ashamed.

Tagged: grief, mindfulness, prisonstories

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Joy Jordan
July 25, 2025
Prison Stories

The Interplay of Grief and Joy

Joy Jordan
July 25, 2025
Prison Stories
The Interplay of Grief and Joy

In 2016, four months after my mom died, I started volunteering prison.

R, a big guy with a soft heart, shared a powerful story about healing.

Tagged: prisonstories, grief, mindfulness

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Joy Jordan
July 15, 2025
Prison Stories

You Make a Difference

Joy Jordan
July 15, 2025
Prison Stories
You Make a Difference

I feel enraged, helpless, and deeply sad about the relentless harm our government propagates. There’s nothing I can say to make things better.

Instead, I’ll post hopeful stories from Oshkosh Correctional.

Tagged: prisonstories, compassion, kindness

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All writing and photography by Joy Jordan, © 2013-2025