Introduction to Spiritual Care by Dr. Sharma

A Spiritual Care Provider, another name for a chaplain, is a person who works to meet the spiritual needs of people in settings such as hospitals, hospices, universities and schools, the military, prisons, religious congregations, and other organizations. Spiritual Care Providers are trained to help people facing any kind of spiritual needs, distress, or loss. A Spiritual Care Provider receives education and training in skillfully providing these services.

There are many ways to serve as a Spiritual Care Provider, or Chaplain. He or she can be volunteer or employed. The training for chaplains is not regulated and is therefore quite varied. The foundation is one’s own spiritual practice and study of religious tradition. The clinical training in chaplaincy can be done through courses and/or through clinical pastoral education (CPE), which is an internship usually in hospital settings. Board-certified chaplains (BCC) through the Association of Professional Chaplains meet the highest professional standards in the United States: this includes graduate chaplaincy and theological education, clinical pastoral education (CPE), and a firm grounding in a spiritual practice and tradition.

Hindu Spiritual Care Providers are guided in their work by Hindu teachings and practices. They are skilled in meeting the needs of Hindus and other faiths as well, with compassion and sensitivity.

In order to build a foundation for chaplaincy service, the education of a Hindu Chaplain includes central Hindu teachings, relevant aspects of spiritual care literature, contributions from contemporary psychology, an exploration of the role of ritual and devotional practices, and how to serve people of different faiths, among others. The study is accompanied by a thoughtful inquiry into how these teachings are applied to a Spiritual Care Provider’s work within various settings. The courses in Hindu Spiritual Care offered at the Chinmaya International Foundation provide a rich exposure to the practice and theory of chaplaincy in a Hindu context, and prepare the students to serve in a variety of venues.

Many Spiritual Care Providers serve as volunteers, others as professional chaplains, offering their spiritual support within hospitals, universities, hospices, the military, as well as to members of their own congregation and community.

Chaplains can be representatives of their faith and guest speakers at interfaith programs, schools, government or military functions, and so on.

In the United States and Europe, chaplains are hired as professionals by hospitals and universities and the military. Trained Hindu chaplains are in high demand now due to their scarcity. There are also many opportunities to serve as volunteers in one’s local hospital, hospice, university, correctional institutions, and interfaith events. Each individual will have to pursue and create opportunities to serve as a Spiritual Care Provider in his or her community.

Within India, the greatest scope for Hindu Spiritual Care presently is serving patients in hospitals and supporting college students on campus. Serving one’s own spiritual community by visiting people who are ill or bereaved, as well as helping families celebrate special occasions or weddings, are all functions a chaplain can undertake.

Actually, Spiritual Caregiving is as ancient as Hinduism. Spiritual Caregiving has always been provided in the past and even today by kulagurus, swamins, wise grandfathers and grandmothers, compassionate aunties and uncles, and often one’s own parents and mentors. The word “chaplain” however has been widely used more in the west and is relatively new to India. The name is gradually changing over in the US and Canada to Spiritual Care, as the terms are virtually synonymous.

Instead of relying on the natural talents of wise mentors, people with seva bhav and love for the Divine can enhance their natural talents by studying with others who have walked the path and paved the way to develop those natural talents. With such study, people can enhance their natural skills and be more effective Spiritual Caregivers. This is the purpose of Hindu Spiritual Care courses at CIF.

The first requisite is to have a strong spiritual practice and foundation in any of the Hindu Sampradayas. Spiritual Care Providers are emissaries of their spiritual faith, taking spiritual nurturing into their community. To join the CIF Courses, a candidate needs to be endorsed by a spiritual leader, guru, or elder of any Hindu Sampradaya. The spiritual organization should affirm the candidate’s spiritual maturity and temperament to serve others in need.

The next criterion is to have a love of serving people. Some chaplains say that their work is to bring Divine Presence into the room, to help people find their connection to that Presence. Some chaplains say that their work is to bring unconditional acceptance and comfort to people.

Spiritual Care Providers, or Chaplains, do not need to be Sannyasins. They can be lay householders as well. But they should have a strong Sadhana and some experience in the paths of Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Karma Yoga.

There is no one formula for becoming a chaplain. Ultimately, only you can know if pursuing chaplaincy is the right choice. While there are many volunteer, career, and spiritual experiences that may inform your choice and prepare you to become a chaplaincy candidate, most if not all chaplains feel “called” to this work. Beyond an interest or curiosity, a calling is often an intuition or yearning to serve in this way.

Students take the CIF chaplaincy courses with a variety of plans and goals. CIF’s students are trained to serve in most environments. Some may find opportunities in which to volunteer right away, some may continue their training by taking the clinical training of CPEs in a nearby hospital. Some enter the military, and some find jobs in their government departments. Each journey is unique.

Chaplaincy, or Spiritual Care, is not a regulated or licensed profession. Many people without specific training are hired as chaplains. The Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) recognizes the highest standards through its Board-Certified Chaplains (BCC), requiring 48-72 hours of graduate work in the field of religious studies and chaplaincy, as well as 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education, or CPE.

The courses offered at CIF provide a strong introduction and foundation for spiritual caregiving within the context of the Hindu faith. These two courses will qualify for 8 “equivalency” credits with APC.

When applying for a position, applicants may need to be endorsed by a spiritual community. Chinmaya Mission West has been the endorser of Hindu Chaplains in the US for many years.

Clinical Pastoral Education is the main process by which Chaplains gain clinical experience usually in a hospital or hospice setting. One unit of CPE is about three months of internship with six hours of weekly supervision, group discussions, and didactic training by a Certified Educator.

CIF does not offer CPE training, and recommends that you check with your local hospital. Many hospitals offer non-denominational CPE training.

Yes, chaplains are Spiritual Care Providers and need endorsement from a faith group. In Hinduism, any Hindu Sampradaya can train and endorse Sadhakas for chaplaincy. Endorsement ensures that the chaplain is being held accountable by an organized spiritual guide or community, has access to support and guidance, and is professionally qualified to represent his or her spiritual community. The CIF courses require a recommendation form to be completed by your spiritual elder/leader/guru and sent to CIF.

In the United States, NAHCA, or the North American Hindu Chaplains Association, supports volunteer and professional spiritual care providers who are informed by Hindu teachings and practices. NAHCA and Chinmaya Mission West are partnering together to support and further the field of Hindu Chaplaincy in the US. .

Yes! If you have questions and/or would like to schedule a meeting, please feel free to contact CIF’s Spiritual Care Programme Director at spiritualcare@chinfo.org