Approaching Compassion in Challenging Times

About Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D:

Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D. is a Buddhist teacher, Founder and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a social activist, author, and in her early years was an anthropologist at Columbia University (1964-68) and University of Miami School of Medicine (1970-72). She is a pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She has lectured on the subject of death and dying at many academic institutions and medical centers around the world. She received a National Science Foundation Fellowship in Visual Anthropology, was an Honorary Research Fellow in Medical Ethnobotany at Harvard University, was a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress, received the Pioneer Medal for Outstanding Leadership in Health Care by HealthCare Chaplaincy, the Sandy MacKinnon Award from Covenant Health in Canada, Pioneer Medal for Outstanding Leadership in Health Care, received an Honorary DSc from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She has received many other awards and honors from institutions around the world for her work as a social and environmental activist and in the end-of-life care field.

From 1972-1975, she worked with psychiatrist Stanislav Grof at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center with dying cancer patients. She has continued to work with dying people and their families, and to teach health care professionals and family caregivers the psycho-social, ethical and spiritual aspects of care of the dying. She is Director of the Project on Being with Dying, and Founder of the Upaya Prison Project that develops programs on meditation for prisoners. She is also founder of the Nomads Clinic in Nepal.

Her books include: The Human Encounter with Death (with Stanislav Grof); The Fruitful Darkness, A Journey Through Buddhist Practice; Simplicity in the Complex: A Buddhist Life in America; Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Wisdom in the Presence of Death; Standing at the Edge:Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet; Sophie Learns to Be Brave; and her latest work, In a Moment, In a Breath.

She has been involved with the Mind and Life Institute since its inception and is founder of the Varela International Symposium.

For more about Roshi Joan’s life and work, please visit her website: www.joanhalifax.org.

About Sarana Institute:

Sarana Institute is a registered charity and community organization dedicated to fostering inner strength and meaning in our complex world. The name "Sarana," derived from Pali, an ancient language from the time of the Historical Buddha, signifies "refuge or sanctuary." This concept embodies both an inner state and an outer place that reconnects us with our inherent wholeness and our interconnectedness with all life.

We offer various programs ranging from personal development to professional training in mindfulness and compassion-based practices. Learn more about our programs, upcoming events, and how you can get involved in creating a more mindful and compassionate world.

Learn more about Sarana by reading the Sarana Story or by exploring our Mission, Vision, and Values. You can support our work by making a donation today.