AudioDharma

Students of Buddhism and contemplative practice routinely encounter wisdom teachings about emptiness, including of the “self”, and the trainings that cultivate ethical conduct and boundless good qualities compassionately focused on others. It can be jarring then to step out of a dharma context and into Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), where there is a disorienting focus on “I” and “my” identity and issues. In this talk, we will explore how Buddhists might uniquely relate to and find value in clinical and pastoral care concepts and tools such as right use of self, meaning making, personal histories, social locations, and understanding our emotional reactions. Our personal experiences can both hamper our capacity to serve, when we have undigested struggles or blindspots, and can fortify our insight, empathy, and capacity when we have learned from challenge and inspiration in our lives. We can embody our practice in service. Our self-knowledge, combined with dharma study and contemplative practice, and professional theory and skills, together, are the foundation of robust spiritual formation for chaplaincy or spiritual caregiving.