-- UPAYA INSTITUTE/ZEN CENTER UPAYA BUDDHIST CHAPLAINCY TRAINING PROGRAM
Upaya is offering a two-year Certificated Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program in Prison, End-of-Life-Care, Peacemaking, Women’s and Environmental Ministry. The training is open to those who wish to be ordained as Buddhist Chaplain Priests, Lay Chaplains, and also those who wish to deepen their understanding of service from the Buddhist and systems perspective.
Directors: Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Fleet Maull Co-ordinator: Jean Wilkins Faculty: Roshi Bernie Glassman, Sharon Salzberg, Sensei Fleet Maull, Roshi Joan Halifax, Roshi Enkyo O’Hara, Jean Wilkins, Frank Ostaseki, Troy Fernandez, Jim Gollin, Merle Lefkoff, Gigi Coyle, William DeBuys, Marty Peale, Sensei Norman Fisher, Stephen Fulder, among others Mentors: Jean Wilkins, Troy Fernandez, Gretta Thomas, Ray Olson, Susan Benjamin, Beate Stolte, Yushin Heillman, Jisen McFarland, Marty Peale
Introduction The Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Training is a visionary and comprehensive program for a new kind of chaplaincy based in serving not only individuals and communities, but also the environment and the world. It is a program that focuses on altruistic and compassionate service, and as well on social transformation from a system’s perspective. The intention of the training is to prepare people in best practices for transforming all forms of suffering, including suffering induced by structural violence.
The training is based in a systems approach, with the premise that those doing ministerial work are endeavoring to serve and heal not only individuals, but environments and social systems as well. Thus, chaplaincy is conceived as compassionate service from the point of view of systems change, from intrapsychic and interpersonal to environmental and global. This approach, based on complexity and systems theory and Buddhist philosophy, is radically innovative and is the theoretical, practical, and compassionate basis of the training program.
Over the last 20 years, we have seen a huge growth in the presence of Buddhism in the West and what it has to offer as a way of life and a means for transforming suffering in the world. Buddhism addresses suffering in the first teaching of the Buddha on the Four Ennobling Truths. During the two years of our training program, faculty and students will study suffering, its causes, the end of suffering, and the way that suffering can be transformed. Our studies, practices, processes, and projects are all based in the profound motivation to end suffering in the world and in our lives. The “how” of this altruistic intention is the heart of our training.
Areas of Training: • Theoretical and Practical Bases of Service • Introduction to systems and complexity theory. • A new model of service: Living systems and trans-local perspectives • Exploration of emergence and robustness • How to intervene in a system for social change • Buddhist philosophy and psychology of social and environmental responsibility • Buddhist perspectives on the relevance of interdependence, causality, and impermanence in terms of social service
• Engaged Buddhism • Introduction to history, ethics, vision of service and social action, and the function of a chaplain in our changing world • The Five Buddha Family Mandala as a systems model for chaplaincy training • Essentials of Buddha Dharma and chaplain practice • Ritual process and rites of passage • Meditation practices as a base of chaplaincy
• Transforming Suffering • Exploration of direct and structural violence, social service and social action • Exploring issues related to moral and spiritual pain • Training in recognizing compassion fatigue and working with secondary trauma • Practices for care of others and self care, including identifying the signs of stress • Perspectives on care of the environment and the creation of sane environmental policies • Fostering ecological sustainability as a basis of compassion
• Ethics, Relationship and Communication • The creation of networks and communities of practice • Buddhist ethics and pitfalls on the path • Relationship-centered care • Exploring communication skills for use in complex situations • Mediation skills • Council training • Cultural competency in a multi-cultural world
• Defining Ministries • Compassionate end-of-life care • Prison ministry • Environmental ministry • Peacemakers • Interfaith and multi-faith ministry • Women’s and Youth ministry • Systems ministry
• Applications • Creating and sustaining global and local chaplaincy programs • Fundraising for chaplaincy programs and projects
• Fulfillment and Confirmation • Receiving Jukai (lay vows) and Tokudo (Novice Priest Ordination) • Presentation of Project Demonstrating Excellence • Formal presentation by Upaya Institute/Zen Center of Certificate of Completion and ordination documents.
Training Programs and Retreats: 2008 2009 Program will include Training in Prison Ministry (*The asterisked programs are required)
February 21 - 24 Council Training: Gigi Coyle.
*March 5-7: A Revolutionary Vision of Compassionate Service: Introduction to Buddhist Chaplaincy: Roshi Joan Halifax
March 7-9: Fundraising from the Heart: Lynne Twist
*April 8-10: Novice Priest and Jukai Training for Chaplain Candidates I: Making a Rakusu and Okesa: Jean Wilkins, Jisen McFarland
*April 10-13: Thinking Like a System: How to Intervene in a System for Social Change: Merle Lefkoff, John Goerner
*April 13-15: Novice Priest and Jaukai Training for Chaplain Candidates: II Kirigami: Jean Wilkins, Jisen McFarland
April 25-May 2: Being with Dying: Professional Training Program on Compassionate End-of-Life-Care: Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Fleet Maull, Ted Heffernan, MD, Gary Pasternak, MD, Barbara Dossey, RN, PhD, Cynda Rushton, RN, PhD, Troy Fernandez, MSW, Jean Wilkins, MSW, Susan Benjamin, MA, Mary Taylor, Tussi Kluge, Claudia Luisi- Flueckiger, Fleur Green
May 5 – 11: Buddhism and Bioregions: Roshi Joan Halifax, Roshi Enkyo O’Hara
July 10-13: Compassion and Wisdom at the End of Life: Practices and Perspectives: Frank Ostaseki, Roshi Joan Halifax
July 16 – 20: In the Shelter of Each Other Women’s Retreat: Roshi Joan Halifax, Mayumi Odo, Zuleika, Diane Huag, Tessa Beielecki, Cynthia West, and others
July 22-27: The Death Lodge of Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Exploring Wilderness and End-of-Life Issues: Meredith Little, Scott Eberle
August 6-31: Summer Practice Period: Essence of Engaged Buddhism: Roshi Joan Halifax, Fleet Maull, Roshi Bernie Glassman, Kazuaki Tanahashi, Jean Wilkins, Jisen McFarland
*August 6 - 10: Engaged Buddhism Retreat: History and Foundational Practices of the Five Buddha Families: Fleet Maull, Roshi Joan Halifax
*August 12-15: Priest and Lay Studies III: Precept Practice and Engaged Buddhism: Roshi Joan Halifax, Jisen McFarland, Jean Wilkins
August 15-17: Practice of Peacemaking: Roshi Bernie Glassman
*August 21: Jukai Ceremony for Chaplains and Students
August 22 – 28: Sesshin: Buddhism and Compassion: Transforming the Self Transforming the World: Koans for Social Action, using Dogen’s 300 Koan Shobogenzo: Roshi Joan Halifax, Kasuaki Tanahashi
August 29-31: Calligraphy: Breakthrogh with the Brush: Art and Social Action: Kazuaki Tanahashi
September 4 - 14: Wilderness Fast for Social Activists: Buddhism and Bioregion: Roshi Joan Halifax
October 1-5: Presence and Compassion: An Introduction to Contemplative End of Life Care : Sensei Fleet Maull, Cynda Rushton, RN, PhD, Jonna Goulding, MD, Jean Wilkins, MSW
October 10 -11: Big Mind: Voices of Compassion: Genpo Roshi
October 27 – 30: Sesshin: Norman Zoketsu Fisher, Beate Stolte-Overheil, Jean Wilkins
October 31-Nov 2: Sailing Home: The Spiritual Odyssey: Norman Zoketsu Fisher
November 3-6: Politics and Compassion Election Retreat: The Buddhist Perspective of Democracy. Roshi Joan Halifax.
November 7-9: Essence of Compassion: Recognizing and Transforming Compassion Fatigue and Secondary Trauma: Sharon Salzberg, Roshi Joan Halifax
The Training Path includes: (Students create their Training Path with faculty advisors)
• Participating in the core UBCT training programs • Twenty Upaya learning/practice days a year • Seven days of novice priest/jukai training a year • Four conference call meetings a year with the core learners • Four telephone meetings a year with a Upaya mentor and/or Roshi Joan or Jean Wilkins • An eighteen-month learning project, with plan, mentorship, and fulfillment/presentation • One hundred hours of volunteer chaplaincy over a two-year period with documentation • Completion of assigned readings • Four written assignments a year • Field trips to hospitals, hospices, prisons, and other service centers with written reports of visits. • Training in and then reception of lay vows (Jukai) during the first year, and for those for whom it is appropriate, novice priest ordination or lay chaplain ordination in the second year
Criteria for acceptance into the training The aim of this training is to invite people who have a commitment to Buddhist practice and teachings, along with an ongoing involvement in engaging with Buddhist practice and teachings in daily life in service to others, to participate in a training program that will prepare them to be Buddhist chaplains within the prison system, in end-of-life care, the environment, service to women, and peacemaking. To facilitate this, participants will receive Jukai (lay vows) from Roshi Joan Halifax. Those wishing to receive Novice Priest ordination will be supported and trained to do so.
Requirements for acceptance into the training: The number of places in the training is limited; applications will be considered as they are received, with a deadline of November 1 Please send: • If not a student of Joan Halifax Roshi, a letter of recommendation from your current Buddhist teacher is required. Experience required: • Having engaged in a regular and committed Buddhist practice and related study for at least 4 years. • Previous chaplaincy training will be taken into account on an individual basis. • Having attended at least four Buddhist retreats, of one week or longer. A written report covering the following: • Your reasons for engaging in this training at this time. • How your life/work experience will support this training? • What are your plans for engaging in this work following the completion of the training? An interview either in person or by telephone.
Program Cost: 2008/9 is the first time this unique training will be offered. Those who register for this program by 31 December 2007 are eligible to pay the discounted tuition of $4950 a year. This includes tuition, food, lodging (on a dorm basis), program costs, mentoring, and conference calls. Students who wish to engaged in more programs than the 20 learning days may do so for a 20% discount on tuition and lodging. More information can be found on the website at www.upaya.org or by contacting Jean Wilkins at [email protected] Faculty Biographies:
Upaya Institute and Zen Center Upaya is a residential Zen Buddhist practice and social service community, serving many people each year through our retreats and social action projects. Our vision focuses on the integration of practice and social action, bringing together wisdom and compassion. Upaya provides a context for community practice and education in Buddhism and social service in the areas of death and dying, prison work, the environment, women’s rights, and peace- work. It endeavors to fulfill the vision of the Five Buddha Family Mandala by understanding the integration of all of its functions from a systems theory perspective. The Five Buddha Family Mandala is based on the Five Meditation Buddhas of traditional Buddhism from India. It is a vision of Buddhism that is integrated, interconnected, and process-oriented and is based on the integration of our spirituality, education, livelihood, service, and community into a whole cloth.
Location The Training Program will be held at Upaya Zen Center, 1404 Cerro Gordo, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501. Directions can be found on the website at www.Upaya.org.
Upaya Zen Centre 1404 Cerro Gordo Santa Fe New Mexico 87501
Telephone: 505 986-8518