Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD is a Buddhist teacher; Founder and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico; a social activist; author;  and in her early years was an anthropologist at Columbia University (1964-68) and University of Miami School of Medicine (1970-72). She is a pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She has lectured on the subject of death and dying at many academic institutions and medical centers around the world. She received a National Science Foundation Fellowship in Visual Anthropology, was an Honorary Research Fellow in Medical Ethnobotany at Harvard University, was a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress, received the Pioneer Medal for Outstanding Leadership in Health Care by HealthCare Chaplaincy, the Sandy MacKinnon Award from Covenant Health in Canada, Pioneer Medal for Outstanding Leadership in Health Care, received an Honorary DSc from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She has received many other awards and honors from institutions around the world for her work as a social and environmental activist and in the end-of-life care field.

From 1972-1975, she worked with psychiatrist Stanislav Grof at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center with dying cancer patients. She has continued to work with dying people and their families, and to teach health care professionals and family caregivers the psycho-social, ethical, and spiritual aspects of care of the dying. She is Director of the Project on Being with Dying, and Founder of the Upaya Prison Project that develops programs on meditation for prisoners. She is also founder of the Nomads Clinic in Nepal.

Her books include: The Human Encounter with Death (with Stanislav Grof); The Fruitful Darkness, A Journey Through Buddhist Practice; Simplicity in the Complex: A Buddhist Life in America; Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Wisdom in the Presence of Death; Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet; Sophie Learns to Be Brave.

She has been involved with the Mind and Life Institute since its inception and is founder of the Varela International Symposium. 

BooksFilm Credits

Roshi Joan Halifax is a Founding Steward of the Mind & Life Institute. She served on the Mind & Life Board of Directors from 2005 to 2017.

 

This profile was last updated on September 1, 2022

Mind & Life Connections

2022
2021

2021 Summer Research Institute Session

Integrity and Moral Suffering in Relation to the Climate Catastrophe and Health

Roshi Joan Halifax

Topics: Environment | Mental Health | Stress & Resilience

Audio AvailableVideo Available

2016

2016 International Symposium for Contemplative Studies Session

Meditation Practice: Cultivating Love and Compassion

Roshi Joan Halifax, Sharon Salzberg

Topics: Body-based Practices | Compassion & Empathy | Mindfulness | Self & Other

2016 International Symposium for Contemplative Studies Session

Meditation Practice: Settling the Heart and Mind

Sharon Salzberg, Roshi Joan Halifax

Topics: Body-based Practices

2016 Mind & Life Dialogue XXXI

Power & Care

Topics: Compassion & Empathy | Interconnection | Social Change

2015

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXX – Session 8

Mind and Life Institute • December 17, 2015

Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Contemplative Wisdom | Self & Other

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXX – Session 7

Mind and Life Institute • December 17, 2015

Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Contemplative Wisdom | Self & Other

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXX – Session 1

Mind and Life Institute • December 17, 2015

Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Contemplative Wisdom | Self & Other

Mind & Life Videos

The Mind & Life Institute

Mind and Life Institute • November 25, 2015

Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Contemplative Wisdom | Mindfulness | Social Change

2014

2014 International Symposium for Contemplative Studies Session

Concurrent Session 1 – G.R.A.C.E.: Cultivating Compassion in Interactions with Patients

Anthony Back, Roshi Joan Halifax, Cynda Hylton Rushton

Topics: Compassion & Empathy

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXIX – Session 4

Mind and Life Institute • April 12, 2014

Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Contemplative Wisdom

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXIX – Session 3

Mind and Life Institute • April 12, 2014

Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Contemplative Wisdom

2014 Mind & Life Dialogue XXIX

Mapping the Mind

Topics: Brain & Cognitive Science | Contemplative Wisdom

2013

2013 Mind & Life Dialogue XXVII

Craving, Desire, and Addiction

Topics: Contemplative Wisdom | Mental Health

2011

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXIII – Session 10

Mind and Life Institute • October 21, 2011

Topics: Contemplative Wisdom | Environment | Interconnection | Social Change

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXIII – Session 8

Mind and Life Institute • October 21, 2011

Topics: Contemplative Wisdom | Environment | Interconnection | Social Change

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXIII – Session 7

Mind and Life Institute • October 21, 2011

Topics: Contemplative Wisdom | Environment | Interconnection | Social Change

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XXIII – Session 6

Mind and Life Institute • October 21, 2011

Topics: Contemplative Wisdom | Environment | Interconnection | Social Change

2010

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XX – Session 5

Mind and Life Institute • April 11, 2010

Topics: Compassion & Empathy | Interconnection

Mind & Life Videos

Mind & Life XX – Session 1

Mind and Life Institute • April 9, 2010

Topics: Compassion & Empathy | Interconnection

2009
2008
2005
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