Episode 32 ABCC 2020 Buddhist Spiritual Direction Panel

Talk: Rev. Dr. Frank Rogers on the practice of spiritual direction from a Christian Perspective. Frank is a theology professor in the spiritual formation department at the Claremont School of Theology.  

https://cst.edu/academics/faculty/frank-rogers-jr/

First Respondent: Bhante Sumitta Thero on traditional Buddhist spiritual direction from the perspective of the Pali Canon in Sri Lanka and Lankarama Temple in Los Angeles. Bhante has developed spiritual care programs at the temple for community level care, group level care, and individual level care. Bhante is a PhD candidate at UWest focused on historical critical research of the Pali Tipitaka and Sri Lankan commentaries. His sangha has temples in California, Sri Lanka, and India. 

http://dhammausa.org/

Second Respondent: Venerable Bhikkshuni Hong on congregational spiritual care and counseling from a Buddhist chaplaincy and Buddhist a Buddhist informed psychotherapy perspective.  Venerable Hong did her MDiv and MA Psych. at University of the West and is about to start a clinical pastoral education unit. She serves a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Arizona as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin

Third Respondent: Chris Johnson M.Div. and PhD student at UWest focused on early Buddhism talks about his experience as a volunteer Buddhist chaplain for people in prisons. He provides spiritual direction to some of the people that come to him to learn about Buddhism and meditation practice. He also teaches classes on Buddhism to undergrads as a religious studies professor that makes use of contemplative pedagogy.    

http://engagedbuddhistalliance.org/