Caregiver
Caregivers are an essential part of the blood donation cycle. Whether you are a medical professional, friend, or relative of the person receiving transfusions, you play a vital role in the alleviation of suffering.
Below, you will find resources to assist your noble work.
The Buddha + Self-Care
Caring for others is an indispensable dimension of Buddhist life—as we open oursleves up to the joy of no-self and strive to help those who suffer. But it’s no secret that caregivers frequently suffer from burnout. As the Venerable Thubten Chodron put it: “In Dharma it’s very important to really take care of ourselves properly, not because we’re self-centered, not because we’re selfish, but because we have to maintain our body and health, we have to maintain a positive state of mind so we can create good karma for the benefit of others, because we’re intertwine[d].”
So how do we care for ourselves?
The Buddha said: “You yourselves, as much as anybody in the universe, deserve love and affection.” Our own minds and bodies must be in harmony in order for us to be of maximum service to others. And not only that, caregivers are themselves worthy of care! It is important to abandon the ego story about caregiving—the endless giving, the achievement of service, the glory of self-forgetting. Let self-care be a practice in humility, giving up attachment to spiritual perfection.
Ensure your own care by means of rest, connection with others, good nutrition, and a small but consistent meditation practice. “You yourselves, as much as anybody in the universe, deserve love and affection.”
Buddhism and Self-Care
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Guided Loving Kindness Meditation
Mahamevnawa Bodhignana Monastery
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The Joy of Self-Caring
Cyndi Lee
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Self Care During Stressful Times
JoAnna Hardy
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Tonglen Meditation
Pema Chodron
“Caregiving the Buddha’s Way”
Buddhist author, Susan Stone, reflects on caregiving:
“When seen with clarity, any non-harmful activity can be a field for spiritual practice—be it hair dressing, astrophysics or feeding the cat. But caregiving would seem to have special status; spiritual qualities are part of the job description. Caregivers know well the challenges of trying to manifest compassion and selflessness on the job, while those who are practitioners of Buddhist teachings are led into even more complex challenges.”