WELCOME TO THE JULY NEWSLETTER
The northern hemisphere is tilting towards the height of summer. June was a wonderful month of celebrations. We are so proud of our Buddhist Chaplains in CPE and our Foundations students. Both of these groups received certificates of completion this month. Below you will find a piece written by one of our Foundations Graduates who is continuing with us in CPE. The generosity of our donors, has enabled us to hire Rev. Trudi Jinpu Hirsch Abramson as our full time ACPE Supervisor.
Also, you will find news about Chodo’s upcoming trip to Zimbabwe. We begin our search for: transcribers of our Dharma Talks, donation of meditation cushions and the search for a space for our growing programs.
Wishing you ease and joy,
Koshin + Chodo
Co-Founders
New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care Graduates Our Buddhist Chaplains in our 2009/10 Clinical Pastoral Education Units
On June 16, NYZCCC graduated 13 students in the Clinical Pastoral Education Program, lead by Trudi Jinpu Hirsch Abramson, Koshin Paley Ellison, and Robert Chodo Campbell. The CPE students attended classes over 10 months and conducted their clinical work at Beth Israel Medical Center as part of its Chaplaincy team. By the end of the program, the students had completed 1 unit of CPE, and most are continuing on for their next CPE unit, starting in September.
The students touched numerous lives with their contemplative work. By the end of the program:
- Over 4,238 hours of compassionate care have been given by our volunteer chaplains
- Over 7,132 individuals received contemplative care in the face of death, cancer, AIDS, and other illnesses
- Over 1,999 family members, couples, and friends received contemplative care as they dealt with grief, mourning, and loss
- Over 1714 staff people in hospitals, hospices, and prisons received spiritual care, including doctors, nurses, social workers, and officers
- Over 730 total groups, including more than 3,570 individuals attending, joined us for meditation and contemplative exercise.
We are proud of our 2009-2010 CPE students! It is wonderful to see the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care sangha flourishing.
To learn more about our education programs, go to www.zencare.org.
NYZCCC Foundations Class Graduates
On June 5, NYZCCC graduated 28 students from our Foundations in Buddhist Contemplative Care Training Program. During the 10-month training, the students attended monthly classes and monthly clinical supervision, while also doing clinical volunteer work in hospitals and hospices all over the country. The students came from diverse professional backgrounds, such as social work, nursing, artistry, professional education, and counseling, with ages ranging from 27 to 71.
The students touched numerous lives with their contemplative work. By the end of the program:
- Over 2,700 hours of compassionate care have been given by our volunteer contemplative caregivers
- Over 5,000 individuals received contemplative care in the face of death, cancer, AIDS, and other illnesses
- Over 1,200 family members, couples, and friends received contemplative care as they dealt with grief, mourning, and loss
- Over 900 staff people in hospitals, hospices, and prisons received spiritual care, including doctors, nurses, social workers, and officers
We bow to our students as they are the best teachers.
Rev. Trudi Jinpu Hirsch Abramson, ACPE Supervisor Joins NYZCCC Full Time
Thanks to many of you, we have been able to secure the financial support to hire Jinpu full time. We are delighted to have her as a part of the team. Jinpu taught the art of chaplaincy through HealthCare Chaplaincy for the past 15 years, and we are delighted to have her on board. Jinpu was the second Buddhist Board Certified Chaplain, and the first Buddhist to hold the title ACPE Supervisor. Her invaluable clinical experience as a chaplain and teacher can now benefit the next generation of Buddhist Chaplains and Supervisors. This is a crucial step for NYZCCC’s growth towards an independently accredited center of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education.
TRIP TO HOSPICES IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ZIMBABWE
Chodo has been invited to work with the staff of Island Hospice Service in Harare, Zimbabwe during the last 2 weeks of September. Island Hospice, Africa's first hospice, is currently engaged in a national effort to expand hospice care to thousands of Zimbabweans in need. Over 1,200 people mostly women and children, are dying in Zimbabwe every week from HIV/AIDS. In addition, there is a significant disease burden from cancer and other life threatening illnesses.
[To read the full story, click here.]
KOSHIN + CHODO GIVE DHARMA TALKS AT VILLAGE ZENDO
Join the Co-Founders for Dharma Talks at the Village Zendo.
Sunday, July 11: Chodo will talk on Love and Commitment
For more information, click here.
Thursday, July 18: Koshin will talk on Values in the Spiritual Life
For more information, click here.
NYZCCC SANGHA
We meet weekly on Monday evenings, from 6 to 7:30 pm for meditation, Dharma talks, council and conversation. All are welcome. For more info, click here. July 12th will be the last summer Sangha gathering until September 13.
Friday August 13th
Engaged Buddhist Symposium
Roshi, Koshin and Chodo Speak on Compassionate Care at the First Symposium for Western Socially Engaged Buddhism
for more information click here.
Shattered
By Gale Delaney, 2010 Foundations Graduate; 2010/11 CPE Student
Every month in the Foundations Program we reflect on a different precept. At the hospital, I have noticed that the precept colors my month, sheds a particular light on it. Sometimes it feels as if the patients I encounter emerge out of the precepts themselves and I feel like I am experiencing the wisdom for the first time.
This encounter took place during the month of the “Not Misusing Sex Precept,” a precept that, in my infinite wisdom, I thought held little meaning for me.
[To read the full story, click here.]
Make a tax deductible donation to support our work helping others. You can do that here.
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DEDICATED TRAINING SPACE NEEDED
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The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care is actively looking for a new location. We have outgrown our present space at 80 East 11th Street and our rented spaces for our training programs. In the Fall, we are expanding our offerings to four year-long training programs in caregiving, as well as our regular weekly programs, retreats and public talks. At the moment, all our workshops, public education and trainings are held at various rental locations. Our administration and consultations are held in a separate office suite. While we are looking to realize our vision of a permanent home for the Center--including the end-of -life guest house--we need an interim space where we could expand our offerings, provide more direct care, train more people and increase our public education programs. Ideally, we are looking for 3,000 + square feet in the Union Square/Flatiron/Greenwhich Village/Soho areas—centrally located to public transportation and near our partner Beth Israel Medical Center. We are hoping for a donated or subsidized loft space. This new space will enable us to offer a 60 seat (or greater) meditation room, two/three consulting rooms, office, library, classroom, kitchen and multi-purpose common area. In an effort to better serve the needs of our caregivers and the New York City community, we ask for your support. All offers and/or leads are welcome.
Please contact us at: info@zencare.org.
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WAYS TO GIVING TO THE CENTER
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Use Your Birthday to Raise Money on FACEBOOK for the New York Zen Center For Contemplative Care!
How It Works:
As a supporter you can “donate” your birthday to New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. Anyone can make a
Birthday Wish and ask friends to give money to your cause.
We need 10 black zabutons and 20 zafus for our weekly caregivers sitting group. If you can offer this generous gift, please email us at info@zencare.org
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Volunteer Transcribers Needed
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If you like listening to Dharma Talks on contemplative care and would like to offer your skill, we need you. We are looking to transcribe all of our core teachers’ Dharma Talks. If you can, please email Mary @ mary@zencare.org.
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Make a Donation to New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care
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Our mission is to make accessible, the wisdom, compassion and equanimity of the Buddha both locally and globally by: Creating and operating an end-of-life care residence within a larger Dharma center. To mindfully and compassionately serve people approaching death. To support the dying, their family and friends. To train volunteers, staff, monastics and medical professionals the ways of attending to the sick and dying from a Buddhist perspective. Attending to residents physical, emotional and spiritual needs cognizant of the fact that death is an integral experience of life. To provide the larger community, educational programs with a foundation in Buddhist teachings. To offer daily meditation practice, workshops and teachings from visiting Dharma teachers and Healthcare professionals. Your tax deductible donation will go toward making our vision a reality. |
