Practice meditation and be part of our non-profit community in the Dordogne, France

Details

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  Description

  A former mill set in very beautiful surroundings with bamboo groves, a river running through the property, fantastic organic vegetarian food, and connection with interesting people from around the world constantly passing through.
  
  Open from the springtime to early autumn (please check calendar for availability ) A community set in the South West France, we hosts various retreats and courses mostly centred around Meditation and Yoga, plus other various forms of personal development.
  
  The "retreatant volunteer" positions are designed for those who want to integrate their meditation practice with daily life within a supportive and friendly environment. Applicants need to have an established meditation practice and retreat experience, or an interest in developing one.
  
  We are very happy to welcome workaways with previous retreat experience and with an established meditation practice. We expect volunteers to understand and respect the quiet atmosphere we are offering to the many visitors who pass through here. Most of the retreats have silent periods in them, either mornings or afternoons or both, depending which group, so it is important to be able to live and work in silence and in solitude and to have the capacity to work independently (with instruction from the residential staff).
  
  Although situated in France, and we do have some French people passing though, we are very cosmopolitan, international community, and English will be heard as much as the French language and sometimes even more so! So keep that in mind if you are wanting to practice French.
  
  At the moment we are looking for people who have experience working in household and gardening. If you have experiences in these areas, please contact us. You may be helping out in one of them, depending on the team we have at the time.
  
  The work is also very varied, it can change everyday, it also involves a lot of general maintenance as it's a big place. Schedules are put up weekly in order to organise the weeks.
  
  Sorry we do not accept people travelling with pets.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  You will be in a mediative environment, and will be expected to come and join in with the team/staff daily meditation sittings.
  
  There maybe also the opportunity to participate in some of the events/retreats taking place. It is not possible for all events, so you will be told when you arrive.
  
  You will be part of a community who are interested in self development and have travelled and experience a lot, in their inner and outer life. Work aways have really benefited from sharing and speaking about their own experiences and hearing about others unique life style choices.
  
  You can enjoy the quiet countryside environment and as well go the the bigger town to experience the french way of life.

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  Registered charity

  This host is a registered charity in their country and is looking for volunteers to help with their project(s).

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  We are looking for support in the main house, preparing for the different retreats and courses we offer here. Help will include household chores, laundry, cleaning , always lots of washing up.
  
  Some gardening may be needed, although less often, which involves, cutting down bamboo, weeding, watering, making bouquet of flowers, moving/cutting wood and other.
  There's always some DIY needed if you have any building, DIY skills.
  
  You will be helping in a friendly and supportive environment with residents and other visitors to the the community, with more or less people here according to the time of year.
  
  Maximum stay is of one week.
  
  Bellow are some suggested periods for 2025, contact us to see our availability.
  Think of arriving one day before and leaving one day after the dates below:
  
  – 14-19 April
  – 21-27 April
  – 28 April – 3 May
  – 4-10 May
  – 12-18 May
  – 19-25 May
  – 26-31 May
  – 2-7 June
  – 9-22 June
  – 23-29 June
  – 30 June – 5 July
  – 7-13 July
  – 14-20 July
  – 21-27 July
  – 28 July – 1 August
  – 2-8 August
  – 9-15 August
  – 16-23 August
  – 25-31 August
  – 22-28 September
  – 29 September – 5 October
  – 6-11 October
  – 13-19 October
  – 20-26 October
  – 27 October – 2 November
  
   

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  French: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  There are beds for about 40 people here, but when our courses and workshops are full then volunteers will need to camp. If that is the case we can provide you with a tent and sleeping bag. Rooms are in the main building or in cabins in the bamboo groves, camping is in the shade of large trees by the river.
  Swimming, kayaking, cycling is all available at the nearby campsite. There is a bakery and a couple of cafés in the nearby village, 5 minutes away.

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  What else ...

  We ask that all those arriving take a self-test the day of their arrival.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  This host charges a fee

  read more

  Why does Workaway allow some hosts to charge a fee?

  
  

  Workaway provides opportunities for non-monetary cultural exchanges where hosts provide food and accommodation in return for help from Workawayers. In some exceptional cases, a small fee/ donation request (typically no more than 5 dollars per day) may be approved for hosts such as registered charities with a history of positive volunteer feedback. Any fee must directly go to the charity and can only be used to cover the volunteers' food costs. This will be clearly marked on the host's listing.
  

  Listings by agents, "middle-men" or projects that appear to profit from a volunteer's stay are strictly prohibited. Any fees must be discussed and approved in advance by the Workaway team.

  one time €10 membership fee

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