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Upaya Zen Center's Buddhist Chaplaincy Training program - a visionary program for imperiled world

The Buddhist Channel, August 5, 2008

SANTA FE, New Mexico -- The Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Training is a comprehensive two-year certificate program for a new kind of chaplaincy intended to serve individuals, communities, the environment and the world. The program, launched in 2008, is now accepting applications for 2009.

The Upaya Chaplaincy Program is open to those who wish to be ordained as Buddhist chaplain priests and lay chaplains, as well as those who wish to deepen their understanding of service from a Buddhist and systems thinking perspective. The training is intended to prepare students to have the skillful means to transform all forms of suffering, including suffering induced by structural violence.

Over the last 20 years, there has been a huge growth of Buddhism in the West. Upaya’s Chaplaincy program focuses on altruistic and compassionate applications of Buddhism in settings such as health care, hospices, prisons, jails and the environment. The program is based on the premise that those doing ministerial work are endeavoring to serve and heal not only individuals, but also environments and social systems. This approach, based on complexity and systems theory and Buddhist philosophy, is radically innovative and is the theoretical and practical basis of the training.

The Chaplaincy Program is part of the Zen Peacemaker Order, a leader in integrating spiritual practice with social action.

Upaya’s Chaplaincy Program Faculty represents some of the leading Buddhist teachers and thinkers of our time, including Roshi Joan Halifax, Fleet Maull, Margaret Wheatley, Alan Wallace, Joanna Macy, Daniel Siegel, Richard Davidson, Stephen Batchelor, Sharon Salzberg, Frank Ostaseski, Alan Senauke and many more.

Training paths for students include End-of-Life Care, Prison Ministry, Peacemaking, Environmental Ministry, Interfaith and Multifaith Ministry, and Women’s Ministry.

WHAT: Upaya Zen Center's Buddhist Chaplaincy Program: A visionary program for our imperiled world.

WHEN: The next training cohort begins February 27, 2009. Applications are now being accepted.

WHERE: Upaya Zen Center, 1404 Cerro Gordo Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501

COST: $5,400 per year (two-year program), includes 26 learning days at Upaya each year, mentoring and support materials.

INFO: www.upaya.org; 505-986-8518; chaplaincy@upaya.org

ABOUT UPAYA: The Upaya Zen Center is one of the most renowned and respected Buddhist centers in the world doing socially relevant programming, making it possible for new and seasoned practitioners to explore how the contemplative life forms a base for social action and service.

Interviews available upon request.

Jennifer Marshall Tel: 505-231-1776 Email: jennifer@jmarshallplan.com www.jmarshallplan.com

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