u/danixos

My goal with chaplaincy has always been interfaith prison chaplaincy. I have a MA in Buddhist studies (not a MDiv), and I'm doing 4 CPE units with a full-time hospital residency. I'm not ordained in any religion.

Is this enough to pursue prison chaplaincy, or do I still need a MDiv to open the door? My research says my current resume isn't enough, but I'm hoping it's not that cut and dry. I'd appreciate any feedback on what my next steps should include--willing to do whatever it takes to help the prison population as a career.

🙏🏼

🙏🏼

We've been dating for a year and three months, and he lives with me. I'm 30f, he's 36m. We spent last thanksgiving and Christmas together. My 80 y/o, out-of-touch aunt, asked, "the same boyfriend from thanksgiving? Do you have plans for marriage?" He said that we're just friends, as in boyfriend/girlfriend, and that he doesn't want to get married for another 10 years.

​

I'm pretty insulted, upset, and embarrassed that he'd say that in front of my dad. He thinks I'm overreacting, is very butthurt that I'm hurt, and keeps doubling down that it was a joke. I don't ever want to get married, so that part doesn't bother me. But... Friends? As in boyFRIEND/girlFRIEND? Are you kidding me?

​

AIO, or was he actually downplaying our entire relationship where we live together?

I've spent time in a few Buddhist monasteries, most of which were overwhelmingly positive and *not cultish*. But I also spent 2 years in a pretty fucked up place, and just recently got out. It wasn't a normal Buddhist community at all. Well-traveled monastics from other traditions would often say this place was weird, even by international Buddhist standards.

I left, and everything is confusing now. Feels like I have to 'deprogram' myself from the overwhelmingly negative and judgmental dogma. My body is traumatized, but my mind can't explain or verbalize most of it. Is this normal? Just... leaving a fucked up community, feeling deeply confused and sick, and like you have to relearn normalcy again? Can anyone familiar with this experience lend an ear, or give advice? Or am I just deeply alone in this? I feel fucked up and sick. I don't have anyone irl to talk to. But I think I just survived, and left, a cult, that isn't publicized or talked about.

Read the rules and I'm not sure if I'm breaking anything. I'm just super confused myself.