CPE : becoming «Zen» and a chaplain in training.

Instead of pushing that pain away, just let it be. You are not the pain. That pain is something that doesn’t have to be who you are. Just let your breath take that pain away from you. Beautiful

An American Buddhist monk is speaking to Audrey, who has multiple diseases of the spinal cord and is in constant pain. If I was Audrey, I am not sure how I would feel about someone teaching me to «let the pain be». Unless I acknowledged a special authority from this man in his black kimono who belongs to Zen Buddhism and allow him to teach my mind some discipline?

This episode of Religions& Ethics Newsweekly titled “Zen hospital chaplains”[1]
caught my eye probably because I am finally filling the forms for CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) in other words the internship in a hospital as a chaplain. This should take place next winter or spring depending on availability. It lasts three months if you do it full time.

Those forms ask you a little bit more than your address and your email address. They require you write down “a reasonably full account of your life” where you should include the important persons and events especially as they have impacted or continue to impact your personal growth and development.

And also «a description of your spiritual growth and development» describing your faith heritage and any subsequent personal conversion and religious experience.

And a description of your work history with a statement about your current employment and work relationships.

And also the account of a «helping incident» in which you were the person who provided the help. You should include your assessment of the issues at hand, and a commentary on what you did and how you believe you were able to help.

So I am in the process of composing a “reasonably full” account of my life on those various aspects – with a “Zen” and focused mind of course. This is so me.


[1] http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/november-12-2010/zen-hospital-chaplains/7471/