John G. Palen
City: Burlington
State: VT
Languages: English
Personalized Affiliation: Christianity
Spiritual Spheres: Buddhism, Christianity, Interfaith, Interspiritual, Spiritual but Not Religious, Spiritual Independent, Unitarian Universalist
Affinity Groups: LGBTQ+
Category: Spiritual Director, Spiritual Companion, Chaplain
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Focus Area: Addiction, Alcoholism, Couples/Families, Dreamworker, Dying/Sick/Hospice, Ecospirituality/Nature-based, Grief and Loss, Group Spiritual Direction, Health Care, Incarceration/Justice/Legal, LGBTQIA+, Men's Issues, Mindfulness/Meditation, Spiritual Awakening / Mystical Experiences, Women's Issues, Young Adults
Social Media:
Profile: Rooted in interfaith contemplative practice from both the Christian and Buddhist traditions, John Palen serves as a spiritual director and chaplain dedicated to helping individuals discern meaning, integration, and wholeness in their lives. Drawing on years of experience working with people with diverse religious, cultural, social, and behavioral experiences, John offers grounded spiritual companionship that honors diverse faith traditions and the evolving language of the soul.
As a spiritual director and companion, he accompanies seekers through transitions into greater meaning and discernment for the spiritual journey to deepen the encounter with God and all others, questions of vocation, moments of grief, and experiences of sacred encounter. His approach invites deep listening, steadfast empathetic engagement, and the wisdom of the body, fostering awareness of Divine presence in the ordinary and the mysterious alike.
In his chaplaincy, John provides compassionate care to individuals and families navigating illness, recovery, and spiritual struggle. Trained in pastoral care, through the integration of chaplaincy and spiritual direction, and guided by ethical attentiveness, he meets each person with openness and respect, supporting resilience and hope in the midst of uncertainty.
John integrates insights from Christian practices and beliefs including contemplative mysticism, Buddhist mindfulness, and Family Systems and Jungian depth work to nurture authentic spiritual growth. He believes that transformation occurs when one listens deeply—to self, to others, and to the movements of Spirit and the True Self within every circumstance.
John's faith journey includes an integration of Buddhist and Christian beliefs and practices. He has extensive graduate level course work in areas of philosophy, theology, ethics and moral development, sacred scripture and texts, spiritual counseling, and meditation and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction techniques. He has broad exposure to contemplative practices, readings, and influential spiritual leaders and authors. His training in chaplaincy and spiritual direction includes Ignatian Spirituality as applied to spiritual companionship, mindfulness based stress reduction practices, Clinical Pastoral Education, and Jungian psychology. He is an actively engaged with the Episcopalian Church and Soto Zen Buddhist communities.
John acquired his chaplaincy and spiritual direction training at the following institutions: the Masters in Divinity program at Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, CA; areas of contemplative prayer and lifestyle practices during enrollment in the Monastic Institute and Institute for Contemplative Leadership at Mepkin Abby (Trappist Catholic Brothers); a Buddhist chaplaincy training program at Upaya Zen Monastery, Sant Fe NM (under the guidance of Roshi Joan Halifax); and formal chaplaincy training at Tampa General Hospital (Clinical Pastoral Education, aka CPE) and St. Joseph's Hospital, Tampa Florida. Prior to his career as a chaplain and spiritual director, he had a long career in the fields of medicine and public health, and worked and traveled both domestically and internationally in providing medical services to a wide range of individual and communities.
John is gratefully partnered and has two wonderful adult sons. His interests include outdoor activities and camping, a wide range of musical and cultural events, and cultivating his love of the arts and poetry.
John can be contacted at: [email protected]
