Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison and Sensei Robert Chodo Campbell join us to speak about palliative and end-of-life care from the zen perspective.

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to sit with one of the founders of the SBA, our dear friend, teacher, and heart, Jan Ford, at his bedside. Jan was in hospice care, terminally ill from cancer. There was a tremendous contrast between that initial visit when he was first brought to the facility in California, mentally alert and still very vibrant as we talked, and my second visit a month or so later. Though he was not able to respond, some of the most wonderful and happiest time I ever spent with Jan was just holding his hand as his breathing… changed. If you’ve never had the experience of moving in close, heart wide open to a loved one and just being present with them as they near passing on, it can be humbling and transformative to you in your life.

Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison

Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison cofounded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, the first Zen-based organization to offer fully accredited ACPE clinical chaplaincy training in America, which delivers contemplative approaches to care through education, direct service, and meditation practice. Paley Ellison is the academic advisor for the Buddhist students in the Master in Pastoral Care and Counseling program at NYZCCC’s education partner, New York Theological Seminary. He is currently on the faculty of the University of Arizona Medical School’s Center for Integrative Medicine’s Integrative Medicine Fellowship, and he is a visiting professor at the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, of the University of Texas Health Science Center of Houston Medical School.

Sensei Robert Chodo Campbell

Sensei Robert Chodo Campbell co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. The organization delivers contemplative approaches to care through education, direct service and meditation practice. In order to bring the work to a broader audience, he co-developed the Foundations in Contemplative Care Training Program. Chodo is part of the core faculty for the Buddhist Track in the Master in Pastoral Care and Counseling at NYZCCC’s education partner, New York Theological Seminary. He teaches in the University of Arizona Medical School’s Center for Integrative Medicine’s Integrative Medicine Fellowship. Chodo has travelled extensively in the U.S teaching in various institutions as well as bearing witness to the suffering of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe and South Africa. He is a Senior Soto Zen priest and Soto Zen Teacher.

Special thanks to Josh Baran for making this interview possible.

So, sit back, relax, and have a nice Monks Blend tea.

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Books

Web Links

• New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care

 

Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez

The music heard in the middle of this podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. You can visit his website to hear more of his music, get the full discography, and view his upcoming tour dates.