Description

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24 wise and compassionate Buddhist perspectives on crisis care—contemplative practices and spiritual principles to help individuals, families, and communities in crisis and the care providers who support them.

Refuge in the Storm presents a wide range of Buddhist perspectives on crisis care. Written by experienced chaplains, spiritual teachers, psychotherapists, pastoral counselors, medical providers, and scholars, the essays in this timely anthology explore a spectrum of personal and global crises: climate chaos, COVID, natural disasters, racism, social inequity, illness, and dying.

Drawing on Buddhist principles and practices, these essays offer a wealth of insights for supporting individuals and communities in crisis as well as preventing fatigue and burnout in care providers. The 24 essays in this anthology show readers how to: 
• Provide spiritual companionship to ill, aging, and dying clients
• Infuse crisis care with mindfulness, compassion, prayer, and even playfulness
• Prevent burnout with self-care practices rooted in Buddhist principles 
• Develop self-awareness and self-knowledge as a care provider
• Pursue the path of Buddhist chaplaincy

Edited by Nathan Jishin Michon—Buddhist priest, chaplain, meditation teacher, and editor of A Thousand Hands: A Guidebook to Caring for Your Buddhist Community—this one-of-a-kind anthology helps care providers develop the compassion, attention, wisdom, and presence needed to support individuals and communities to move through suffering into healing.

About the Author

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NATHAN JISHIN MICHON is JSPS Visiting Scholar at Ryukoku University, focused on Buddhist Chaplaincy. Michon received a PhD in Buddhist Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and holds an MDiv in Buddhist chaplaincy, an MA in Comparative Religion, and a certificate in Advanced Peace and Conflict Studies. He trained at monasteries in Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, the US, and Japan, where he became ordained in the Japanese Shingon Buddhist tradition. He received a Fulbright to complete his dissertation research in Japan to study the emergence of Buddhist chaplaincy after the devastating 2011 tsunami. His own chaplaincy experience includes assisting disaster survivors and leading training workshops. He lives in Japan.

Praise For…

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"In a world where crises happen every day, living through disaster and with trauma are frighteningly common human experiences. Caregivers grapple with the crises of their own lives even as they seek to help those actively experiencing crisis and disaster in the present moment.... This book is essential reading; from foundational chapters on dealing with personal loss to wide-scale disasters to very specific situations like the ICU—no matter their circumstance, every caregiver can benefit from each piece."
—Monica Sanford, assistant dean of Multireligious Ministry at Harvard University and author of Kalyanamitra

"...a timely and precious anthology of experienced Buddhist psychologists, chaplains, counselors, and other voices from around the world.... This collection of essays is clearly a gift from bodhisattvas to bodhisattvas."
—Venerable Juewei, director of the Humanistic Buddhism Center at Nan Tien Institute and ordained in the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order

"This is dāna of the highest order, a foundational text for the maturing profession of Buddhist chaplaincy. You’ll want this in your professional library to refer to over and over."
—Duane Bidwell, Center for Health Professions Education, Hebert School of Medicine; author of When One Religion Isn't Enough; and board member at the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies

"The multidisciplinary wisdom contained in this collection will surely be a boon for both aspiring caregivers as well as those already deep in the work of weaving the threads of the Buddhist wisdom tradition into chaplaincy, psychology, and social work. I pray that these powerful voices will help inspire new generations of caregivers in ways that will continue the vital work shared here in ways that we have yet to fathom."
—Lama Justin von Bujdoss, Buddhist chaplain and author of Modern Tantric Buddhism

"Refuge in the Storm underscores chaplains' universal and essential role in caring for the most vulnerable in times of crisis or upheaval, such as natural disasters, personal emergencies, or global pandemics. These contexts create trauma and trigger the need for resources and support, which requires compassionate and competent care irrespective of one background."
—Kamal Abu-Shamsieh, assistant professor of practical theology and director of the interreligious chaplaincy at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley

"'Suffering is not an emergency…' explains a Buddhist Chaplain, 'and it matters to end it.' How then do we in care provider roles utilize the mindset and heartset of Buddhist teachings as a means to reduce and transcend suffering? In this essential anthology the practices that lead to embodying more than knowledge and skill application create the means to express one's self as context and content for others. A necessary reading."
—Clifford Ishigaki, codirector of Interfaith Ministry Training at Unity and Diversity World Council, trauma recovery specialist, Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, aikido senior instructor, and ordained minister