For Justin von Bujdoss, places of intense suffering are where we can find liberation. As a Buddhist teacher, volunteer, and chaplain, he has chosen to bring relief through meditationand a non-judgmental compassionate presence to sites where we confront violence, death, fear, sadness, and grief. Currently Staff Chaplain at Rikers Island, he serves the spiritual needs of correctional officers. Follow as he travels between the prison, where tension is constant; home, where his family awaits; and his Dharma classes, when he often takes students to practice in cemeteries, a longstanding Buddhist tradition that allows difficult emotions to be provoked.
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The path of compassionate in action chosen by Repa Dorje Odzer (Justin von Bujdoss),ordained a Repa in the Tibetan Buddhism tradition, has led him to where anxiety and difficult emotions are a daily challenge. He began by working in hospice care and volunteering in prisons, helping the dying and inmatese. find relief through meditation and Buddhist insights. Today, he’s the Staff Chaplain and Executive Director of Chaplaincy & Staff Wellness within the New York City Department of Correction, providing spiritual support for its 13,000 employees. He is also a widely-respected Dharma teacher, balancing his commitment to social service with life as a devoted husband and father of three.