09/22 - 11/24 (10 Mondays from 4pm to 6pm Eastern Time)

An Introduction to Chaplaincy: From Zen Practice to Compassionate Service

Taught by Marta Dabis

This foundational course guides experienced Zen practitioners in translating their established practice into effective spiritual care. Drawing upon the rich tradition of our lineages and contemporary chaplaincy methodologies, this course explores how solid Zen practice becomes the foundation for serving others across diverse settings including hospitals, hospices, prisons, and educational organizations.

What You'll Learn:

  • Foundations of Buddhist Chaplaincy: Historical development, contemporary applications, and how Zen practice uniquely contributes to spiritual care

  • From Zazen to Presence: Translating meditation experience into therapeutic presence with those who suffer

  • Ethics and Boundaries: Professional standards, confidentiality, and appropriate relationship dynamics in chaplaincy

  • Sustainable Service: Integrating chaplaincy work with lifelong Zen practice

Flipped-Class Structure: 

Pre-class preparation includes readings, video lectures, podcasts, and reflection exercises. Each 2-hour online session begins with a 5-minute content summary, followed by discussion, role-play scenarios, skill practice, and case study analysis. Every class concludes with a group self-care practice tailored to the week's topic.

Who Should Enroll:

  • Zen Buddhist priests called to expand their service capacity within their sangha 

  • Zen practitioners with established meditation practice exploring chaplaincy as a vocation 

  • Those seeking MDiv credit or auditing for personal development

Prerequisites: 

Established Zen meditation practice and familiarity with basic Buddhist teachings. Open heart and willingness to explore the depths of human suffering and healing.

Anticipated Workload:

  • MDiv Credit Students (3 credits): 2-4 hours/week including focused pre-class preparation, 2-hour online sessions, brief weekly reflections (200-300 words), and final integration paper (8-10 pages)

  • Audit Students: 1-2 hours/week including streamlined pre-class preparation, 2-hour online sessions, and participation in group discussions

  • This course is designed for part time students and uses a distributed learning approach across four courses to make chaplaincy training accessible without overwhelming time commitments.

  • This course serves as the foundation for a comprehensive four-course chaplaincy introduction series, preparing students for future clinical pastoral care (CPE) application, and further professional specialization.

Tuition:

Self-directed sliding scale from $300 to $600

How to enroll:

Email registrar@shogakuzen.org