Applications for the 2008/9 Training Program are being accepted.

September 2008 to June 2009

As Buddhist spiritual practice finds an increasing presence within American society, there is both an opportunity and a need to train Buddhist practitioners to serve as spiritual caregivers and chaplains. The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care is offering a yearlong training program to provide an introduction to spiritual care skills from a Buddhist perspective. This is a unique opportunity to study Buddhist principles and practices relevant to spiritual caregiving, as well as an introduction to the psychological, social, and ethical issues related to chaplaincy.

The program is designed to meet the needs of people in a variety of ways:

  • Beginning training for those interested in becoming volunteer or professional chaplains in hospitals, hospices, jails, and other places where spiritual care is needed.
  • Basic training in spiritual care: attending the sick and dying, performing memorials and other ceremonies, and offering spiritual direction for interested Buddhist clergy and lay practitioners.

Program Components

  • Ten monthly Trainings.
  • Monthly support groups.
  • Individual supervision with a core faculty member.
  • One hundred hours of volunteer chaplaincy.
  • Assigned reading and written assignments.

Areas of Training:

  • History of Spiritual Care: applications and settings for spiritual care, engaged Buddhism.
  • Spiritual Care Skills I: purpose and functioning of a chaplain, establishing spiritual care relationships, listening, spiritual counseling, verbal and nonverbal communication.
  • Spiritual Care Skills II: spiritual assessment, ritual, collaboration with other professionals and disciplines.
  • Buddhist practices related to spiritual care.
  • Cultural competency in a multicultural world.
  • Verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Use of Self; when to disclose and when not to, boundaries and ethics of conduct; personal safety; sexual feelings in spiritual care relationships.
  • Interfaith and multi-faith ministry, religious directives.
  • Creating and Leading Rituals: memorials, rites of passage, practice rituals.
  • Ministry to death and dying, grief and loss.
  • Critical Incidents: trauma, addiction, suicide, homicide, domestic violence.

Elective Study

To complement the training program, the New York Zen Center offers public talks, retreats, workshops, and other training programs. To view upcoming events, click here.

Location

Classes will be held at Village Zendo, 588 Broadway, Suite 1108, in New York City. The Zendo is centrally located in Soho between Houston and Prince Streets.

Scheduled Dates:

Trainings are held primarily on Saturdays, and occasionally on both Friday and Saturdays, September 2008 through June 2009.

2008/9 Training Dates:

2008: September 6th, October 4th, November 1st, December 5th and 6th; 2009: January 10th, February 7th, March 6th, March 7th, April 4th, May 2nd, June 5th, and June 6th.

Criteria for enrollment

The training program is designed for people who have a committed and ongoing involvement with Buddhist practice, teachings, and way of life. With this in mind, the requirements for entering the program are the following:

  • Letter of recommendation from a Buddhist teacher.
  • Regular and committed Buddhist practice and study for at least two years (or previous chaplaincy training).
  • Two Buddhist retreats of one week or longer or the equivalent.
  • Statement of purpose.
  • An in-person interview.

Tuition

  • The cost for the ten-month program is $1,750.
  • A limited number of partial work-exchange scholarships may be available.
  • Space is limited. Applications will be reviewed as they are sent in. The deadline is May 31, 2008.
  • Download the Application Here

Gratitude

We are grateful to Jennifer Block, of the Zen Hospice Project; Gil Fronsdal, Zen priest and Vipassana teacher; and Paul Haller, abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center for their dana.


© 2007 NEW YORK ZEN CENTER FOR CONTEMPLATIVE CARE