"Do not close your eyes before suffering. Find ways to be with those who are suffering by all means, including personal contacts and visits, images and sounds. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world."
—Guatama Buddha
As Buddhist spiritual practice finds an increasing presence within American society and science, there is both an opportunity and a need to train people in Buddhist practices to serve as contemplative caregivers. The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care now offers three year long training programs to provide: an introduction to contemplative care skills from a Buddhist perspective, a contemplative care training for certified yoga teachers, and an advanced professional training for those wishing to train and/or certify as chaplains. These are unique opportunities to study Buddhist principles and practices relevant to contemplative caregiving, as well as an introduction to the psychological, social, and ethical issues related to caregiving.
Our comprehensive contemplative care training can begin in one of our Foundations Programs. In our Foundations in Buddhist Contemplative Caregiving Training Program, students enrolled in this Training conduct their clinical hours at facilities like Beth Israel Medical Center, Visiting Nurse Service Hospice of New York, or places in your community (one third of our students have come from out of state or out of the country). This Training teaches people who are already caregivers and those interested in caregiving to integrate contemplative practices with their caregiving. You can receive six graduate seminary credits, from our partnership with the Institute of Buddhist Studies, for this Training.
Our second Foundations Training is our Contemplative Care Training for Yoga Teachers. The Co-Founders of the NYZCCC, along with the Founder and Director of Teacher Development of OM yoga, collaborate to bring you a year of rich training in contemplative care for those facing suffering, old age, sickness and death. This innovative new program is designed for yoga teachers who are inspired to integrate contemplative care with yoga teaching skills in order to help people in hospices, hospitals, mental care facilities, private clients or any place where spiritual care is needed.
Those wishing either to be come certified chaplains or who simply wish to deepen the integration of Buddhist teachings and practices into their caregiving avocation can continue training through our advanced CPE courses. In partnership with HealthCare Chaplaincy, New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care is the first Buddhist organization to offer a fully accredited ACPE Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Buddhist Chaplaincy Training course, training students in spiritual and educational skills from a Buddhist perspective.
