I am currently doing a Clinical Pastoral Education Course at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney so that I can combine these skills with yoga. As it is located in a large teaching hospital I am given the opportunity to learn how to offer empathic and spiritual support to people who are in a health crisis as patients or in a stress related situation as a family member or staff.
 
It also has given me the opportunity to clarify my own spiritual journey and develop my faith. It requires me to draw on, and develop, my strenghts and grow from my weaknesses in order to prevent them from hindering me.

It is an intensive full-time programme of eleven, forty hour, weeks where much of the time is spent with patients, relatives and staff. I am required to be on call some weekends and one night during the week. I am also asked to take turns in conducting a prayer service in the Hospital Chapel. The course is Christian-based.

The learning is self directed and I set my own goals and objectives for my learning needs and that means I achieve what I seek to learn. The course uses the action/reflection method of learning. By writing down, word for word, a conversation that has been challenging for me and then discussing it either with the group or alone with the supervisor, I am able to evaluate the effectiveness of my work. I am learning to appreciate the other person's and my own spiritual pilgrimage.

I am nearly half way through the course and have found it to be most challenging. My yoga background has been instrumental in keeping me on track. Many times over the past few weeks I have said to myself "Oh, I can't do this". At one stage last week I confided in my supervisor that I had been remote from God during some of the support sessions. She assured me that this was not uncommon when faced with such challenging and demanding situations.

There is so much suffering in the hospital, but the one thing that will remain with me is that the people with a spiritual faith are so much better able to cope with their situation, whatever it may be. They are not alone - they have someone to share their suffering with.

I know that when I leave this course I will be a better human being. Those I come into contact with will benefit from my time spent in Clinical Pastoral Education. My pastoral identity will walk with me wherever I go.

If feel extremely priveleged to be partaking in this most rewarding course and I thank Yoga in Daily Life for encouraging me to do it.