CARL JENSEN is a chaplain in the Spiritual Care department at Providence Portland Medical Center. Carl says his Maitripa College education and his Buddhist practice are the ground from which he engages in his work.
As a chaplain, he said, his work is “informed by my practice on a daily basis. The opportunity to develop a meditation practice with Yangsi Rinpoche is the foundation for engaging with the situations I encounter, and is what sustains me in doing this work.”
Carl is continuing to work toward becoming a board certified chaplain, but is already serving as a clinical partner and educator for clinical pastoral education residents, and offering continuing education training about Buddhism for spiritual care providers and other caregivers in the hospital context. In the past year, Carl has also been an important part of the Maitripa College community, participating in the new student orientation, teaching the Discovering Buddhism program, and leading meditation and ceremonies for the community.
When Carl thinks of his time as a student at Maitripa College, he recalls classes with Dr. Jim Blumenthal:
He was such a brilliant man, with a huge heart, and love for Buddhism and the Dharma, his teachers and the community. How he modeled all of that, in such a lovely way, was something I learned from on so many levels. He made such a difference for me.”
Carl feels his Maitripa College education gave him the “opportunity to develop the mind and heart in profound ways that are modeled by our teachers.” >Read an interview with Carl including more on his experience at Maitripa College and advice for prospective students
Click below to listen to a podcast with Carl!
