2026-04-14T00:00:00-07:00
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A Weekend of Learning, Practice, and Community

Join us for a transformative symposium exploring the inseparable union of wisdom and compassion in Buddhist spiritual care and chaplaincy at Maitripa College in Portland, Oregon on March 28–29, 2026.

This symposium brings together scholars, educators, researchers, and practitioners to explore Buddhism’s vast resources of compassion and wisdom for the benefit of those who provide and receive spiritual care. We explore what compassion research offers Buddhist professional spiritual care, how the wisdom of emptiness might reshape educators’ and chaplains’ presence and skillful means, and what connections working spiritual caregivers trace between their dharma study and practice and their clinical experiences in the field. We are so glad you have joined us for this important conversation.

Buddhist spiritual care and chaplaincy have long been recognized for their contributions of mindful presence, contemplative practice, and compassion—especially in hospital, hospice, and healthcare settings. Current and emerging research validates that compassion training strengthens caregiver wellbeing and informs effective interventions for patients and staff. In Buddhist communities, compassion is cultivated alongside the many dimensions of vast and skillful methods, including lovingkindness, equanimity, joy, generosity, and ethics‚ all of which powerfully resource spiritual care in Buddhist and non-Buddhist contexts.

At the same time, Buddhist lineages have traditionally equally emphasized the complementary training in wisdom, as insight into the nature of reality, interdependence, non-self, and emptiness. How wisdom teachings and practices might also – alongside compassion cultivation – contribute to spiritual and professional formation of spiritual caregivers is less commonly named and invites our consideration. What becomes possible and skillful when we train in both dimensions?


SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM

The program for the weekend is a dynamic blend of learning from key presentations, experiential contemplative meditations, chaplain’s stories and insights, and space to digest and apply what we are taking in with fellow participants. We hope this fosters deepening engagements with professional learning, spiritual formation, and community, in both stimulating and grounding, intentional programming. Please find the details of each session in the program schedule by following the link at the top of this page.


ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

We are honored by the participation of an incredible roster of chaplains, clinical and graduate educators, meditation teachers, and researchers sharing their experience and knowledge with us. Please read their brief introductions to learn more about them by following the link at the top of this page.


OUR GRATITUDE

Maitripa College expresses gratitude to our colleagues in the Buddhist Spiritual Care Educators of North America (BSCENA), and for the support of the Buddhist Ministry Initiative at Harvard Divinity School and the Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation, without whom this gathering would not have been possible. We also whole heartedly thank all of you for joining us and being interested in this work.


Next Steps to Learn More and Stay Connected

Now that we have found common interest in these themes, we invite you to stay connected. To learn more about Buddhist chaplaincy and education for spiritual care careers, please visit the resources, FAQs, and information on our website.

To speak with us about your aspirations, interests, and whether Maitripa College’s low residency educational pathways might be a good fit for you, please attend our next monthly open house online, May 21 (to register: maitripa.org/events/prospective-student-info-session/2026-05-21/) , or email admissions@maitripa.org to talk with one of us.

For a wealth of resources related to BSCENA member programs and chaplaincy nationwide, BSCENA recommends visiting the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab (chaplaincyinnovation.org). To engage with the American Academy of Religion as a scholar or professional, follow the Innovations in Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Unit (papers.aarweb.org/group/15555).

If you are looking for connection with other Buddhist or contemplative spiritual care providers, have ideas for continuing to build community, or are willing to provide feedback about this gathering, please complete a short survey with the QR code below.

Symposium Highlights

  • Engaging presentations and conversations featuring nationally recognized scholars, educators, chaplains, researchers, and contemplative practitioners
  • Diverse perspectives from multiple Buddhist and wisdom lineages—Tibetan, Zen, Theravada, and others—on the meaning and application of wisdom and compassion
  • Research insights on compassion-based training for caregivers, patients, and healthcare systems
  • Contemplative practices guided by renowned senior meditation instructors
  • Case-based learning bridging classical Buddhist teachings with contemporary caregiving
  • Community connection with Maitripa College faculty, chaplaincy educators, clinical practitioners, and fellow practitioners committed to skillful, sustainable service in world that needs our compassion and wisdom to transmute suffering

     

Distinguished Speakers and Contemplative Practice Leaders Include:

  • John Makransky, PhD, is Associate Professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology at Boston College, developer of Sustainable Compassion Training, meditation teacher, and co-author of How Compassion Works: A Step-By-Step Guide to Cultivating Well-Being, Love, and Wisdom.
  • Maureen Jenci Shelton, MDiv, ACPE Educator, is a Senior CBCT Certified Instructor for Spiritual Health, System Director of Education, Emory Spiritual Health; and the lead author of Compassion Centered Spiritual Health
  • Henry Shiu PhD, is the Shi Wu De Professor of Chinese Buddhist Studies, Emmanuel College, and author of The Heart Sutra: Revisiting Its Texts, History, and Meaning (2025).
  • Jampa Lifeng Wang, MA, BCC, ACPE Certified Educator, is a graduate of Maitripa College, one of the first Buddhists to become an ACPE Certified Educator, and has been a chaplain and educator in CT, NY, and VA for a decade.
  • Nancy G. Lin, PhD, is the Noboru and Yaeko Hanyu Professor of Buddhist Chaplaincy, Tibetan and South Asian Studies, and Program advisor, Certificate in Buddhist Chaplaincy, at the Institute of Buddhist Studies.
  • Rev. Mary Myoku Remington, is a Buddhist Chaplain, and Director of the Buddhist Chaplaincy Program at Upaya Zen Center.
  • Venerable Priya-Rhakitt Sraman, MDiv, is the Buddhist Chaplain at Emory University, and a Theravadan monk.
  • Charles Raison, MD, is Professor of Human Ecology and Psychiatry in the School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI, and Director of Research on Spiritual Health for Emory Healthcare. *Zoom only

Perfect For:

  • Graduate students and faculty in chaplaincy, pastoral care, and Buddhist studies programs
  • Practicing chaplains, spiritual caregivers, nurses, and caregivers in healthcare, hospice, prison, military, and community and family settings
  • Chaplaincy educators and CPE supervisors
  • Researchers in contemplative science and Buddhist psychology
  • Anyone interested in Buddhism, spiritual care, and contemplative approaches to serving others with wisdom and compassion

Co-Hosted By:

Maitripa College

Maitripa College is a Buddhist institution of higher learning founded in 2005 in Portland, Oregon by Yangsi Rinpoche. We offer a Master of Arts in Applied Buddhist Studies, a Master of Divinity Degree, Continuing Education courses, and community programming. Founded upon the three pillars of scholarship, meditation, and service, Maitripa’s curriculum combines Western academic education with traditional Tibetan Buddhist disciplines, empowering graduates to become agents of positive change in the world.

Buddhist Spiritual Care Educators of North America (BSCENA)

BSCENA is a collaborative network of Buddhist educators co-creating the fields of Buddhist spiritual care, leadership, and service. Our vision is to educate spiritual caregivers and leaders through Buddhist teachings to recognize suffering and meet it with wisdom and compassion. Incorporated as a non-profit in 2025, we develop and share educational resources while fostering integration of academic, professional, and spiritual/religious training and formation.

In Partnership With:

The Buddhist Ministry Initiative at Harvard Divinity School, which generously supports Buddhist education, scholarship, and the advancement of Buddhist chaplaincy as a recognized field of professional and spiritual formation.


 

Details

  • Start: March 28
  • End: March 29
  • Event Category:

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