Help at non-profit Buddhist center in the coastal hills of Northern California, USA

Detalles

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  Descripción

  Learn about land stewardship, gardening/food production and traditional Buddhist meditation, at our retreat center on 485 acres of woodland -- homelands of the Kashia Pomo tribe, with open spaces, rolling hills and forests of redwoods, madrone, pine and oak. We are committed to protecting this land and all nature on it as best we can, believing that finding a quiet place of natural beauty for reflection and community-building is crucial for the health of individuals as well as society as a whole.
  
  NOTE: 3 to 4 weeks minimum stay.
  Spring-summer 2025: accepting applications (and juggling spaces depending on what experience applicants have!)
  
  WHO WE ARE: We are a nonprofit focusing on environmental stewardship and provision of affordable retreat facilities, run by a volunteer residential staff of mostly Buddhists (non-monastic), with between 8 and 15 people on site full-time, and five times a year the community grows to 40-70 people for multi-day Buddhist events. Our focus is on simple living, developing a personal spiritual practice, and creating a place of refuge and learning for all who come to this place. We're interested in further developing our food sources, and in issues around ecology and restoration (ask us for our website), and welcome people who share these interests. We also organize outings to work with local tribal and community agencies focusing on land restoration. The rental groups who come to us about 10 times a year run their own programs -- our regulars include veterans, permaculture activists, 12-steppers, mindfulness for teens, various religious communities, and college leadership programs.
  
  DAILY SCHEDULE FOR WORKAWAYERS: the normal schedule is 9am-1pm Tues-Sat, plus another hour in the afternoon. We regret we are not able to adapt this for someone's online school or work schedules.
  
  IMPORTANT NOTES: We are in a fairly remote rural location. If you prefer busy places and want to be in or near towns and regularly visiting cafes, stores, museums, etc, we are not the place for you! Our center is for nature-lovers...Also, we have a strict no-smoking, no-drugs policy. If even occasional smoking/recreational drug use or frequent drinking is important to you, there are many great hosts in California who would be a better fit for you.
  
  PLEASE READ OUR WHOLE PROFILE IF YOU ARE STILL INTERESTED! We mostly don't do interviews, so please read to the end, plus the reviews, to find the information you need. Thank you! We are happy to answer any questions if you don't see them answered in the profile.

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  Tipos de ayuda y oportunidades de aprendizaje

  Trabajo de caridad

  Ayuda en proyectos ecológicos

  Jardinería

  Construcción y bricolaje

  Cocinar para toda la familia

  Mantenimiento general
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  Intereses

  

  Dibujo y pintura

  

  Vegetariano o vegano

  

  Sostenibilidad

  

  Mascotas

  

  Cultura

  

  Autodesarrollo

  

  Trabajo de caridad

  

  Cuidado de plantas

  

  Bricolaje y manualidades

  

  Libros

  

  Arte y diseño

  

  Idiomas

  

  Cocina y alimentación

  

  Jardinería

  

  Carpintería

  

  Yoga / bienestar

  

  Playa

  

  Naturaleza

  

  Deportes acuáticos

  

  Actividades al aire libre
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  Objetivos de sostenibilidad de las NU que intenta conseguir este anfitrión

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  ¿Que es esto?
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  Intercambio cultural y oportunidades de aprendizaje

  GARDENING AND FOOD PRODUCTION The center maintains organic vegetable gardens and an orchard where we follow principles of permaculture in producing food year-round (please note we are not self-sustaining). Our location high in the coastal hills, blessed with morning fog, clean air and lots of sunshine, creates wonderful conditions for growing. Our staff include several skilled and experienced gardeners, and depending on the season you will be able to do planting, weeding, building soil and beds, composting, and harvesting. Learn how to make yummy breads, kombucha and yoghurt, as well as preserving foods!
  
  LANDSCAPING AND ECOLOGY Explore this ecologically rich area with unique features such as the redwoods. Everyone who comes is introduced to local history and land management approaches -- you can learn to support healthy eco-systems, and have fun wandering the forests, grassland and creeks. We consult with forestry and other land management experts to find the best and healthiest ways to care for these forests, waterways (and fish) and roads. Local tribal and environmental groups regularly host work days with a learning component that are open to the public.
  
  MEDITATION Spiritual practice is a major feature of our center, but it is completely optional for Workawayers, and you do not have to be Buddhist to come here. For those interested or who already have a spiritual practice, we provide many resources and a wonderful quiet space. The library has an extensive collection of books on Buddhism, Hinduism and Asian arts, and also selections of books on other religions, psychology, healing and ecology. Spiritual instruction and support are available from the lama-in-residence who is a Tibetan Buddhist master, and some senior students can also provide guidance. Everyone is welcome to join in the group's twice-daily practice and make use of the center’s shrine-room and library. Volunteers can attend the center's Buddhist events free of charge.
  
  BEACH LIFE! We are close to some gorgeous Northern California ocean beaches and take people there regularly. Several staff enjoy surfing and kayaking, and equipment can also be hired locally. Although there are beautiful coastal walks where you can see all kinds of birds, plants and seals/sea lions, please note that swimming is not possible on this area of the coast. Inland, there is a very active river leisure scene during the warmer months -- enjoy the river beaches, tubing or kayaking.
  
  LANGUAGE LEARNING Our native English speakers include graduates from Oxford and Cornell, and a former editor and English teacher, and we have a passion for language in general, from the informal to the literary and tiny details of grammar. We also have speakers of Portuguese (Brazilian), German, French and Chinese (various levels) in residence, and a range of language learning materials. Language learners are welcome! We also have poetry writing and sharing evenings for all who are interested.
  
  COMMUNITY LIVING Many people have never experienced this kind of group living, with many shared resources and common goals, and are curious, or even have plans to set up their own community -- we're a friendly place to try things out with no long-term commitments!
  While everyone arrives at the center from a different background and with different perspectives, there is a shared understanding that here is a community which offers a unique opportunity to learn about oneself and one’s relation to others and the environment. We welcome people from all walks of life, any work background, any gender or sexual orientation, as we believe that diversity makes for a richer and more powerful community. While the core community is Tibetan Buddhist and participates daily in the group practices, being Buddhist is NOT a requirement. We have had residents from a wide range of faith backgrounds -- active, atheist, lapsed and none -- and encourage each person to pursue whatever path makes sense for them.

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  Organización benéfica registrada

  Este anfitrión es una organización benéfica registrada en su país y busca voluntarios para ayudar en su(s) proyecto(s).

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  Ayuda

  Gardening (organic/permaculture) - spring/summer 2025 focusing on planting more berries, grapevines, various veggies, developing and maintaining drip irrigation system, weeding, building plant cages, tending fruit trees , building raised beds, gathering herbs etc.
  Landscaping help-- identifying local native species, clearing invasives, thinning overgrown areas, reseeding projects (experience not required -- we provide training).
  Harvesting and processing foods eg canning, preserving.
  Carpentry help (we have tools and fully-equipped shop)
  Cleaning and lighting butterlamps (brass votive lamps that hold oil)
  
  Workawayers also help in the community areas they live in -- housekeeping, meal-prep, dish-washing, and cleaning.
  
  The center uses low- or no-chemical products, wherever possible.

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  Idiomas

  Idiomas hablados
  Tibetan: Fluido
  Alemán: Fluido
  Inglés: Fluido
  Hindi: Intermedio
  Portugués: Intermedio
  Chino (mandarín): Intermedio
  Español: Principiante

  Este anfitrión ofrece intercambio de idiomas
  Este anfitrión ha indicado que está interesado en compartir su idioma o aprender otro.
  Ponte en contacto con él para obtener más información.
  
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  Alojamiento

  Small, clean single room (bed, desk, chair, shelving/cupboards) with access to shared bathroom (separate men, women, all), in a building with up to 10 other residents, including a very friendly Labrador who is in the house several hours a day. Double room available for couples. Fast wifi (100 Mbps). Lounge with games, TV, musical instruments, art materials. Sorry, no pets.
  You do not have to spend money on anything during your stay with us. WE SUPPLY BEDDING AND BASIC TOILETRIES, sunscreen, work gloves/gear, and have a stock of used work clothes you can borrow to supplement your own. But please bring your own work shoes/boots that can handle mud or dust.
  
  All meals, food and beverages provided -- mostly vegetarian/vegan. Breakfast and dinner are self-prepared from supplied food; lunch is prepared by pairs of residents taking turns 5 days a week. On days off people cook for themselves. We mostly eat together. We provide healthy, basic 'home-cooked' substantial meals mostly with gluten-free and vegan options, and bake our own bread. Standard fruit and vegetables are supplemented with organic fruits and vegetables from our garden. Teas (including herbal) and coffee are provided as standard beverages, with dairy and soy milk for cereal and to add to tea/coffee. And we regularly make kombucha and yoghurt. We do not offer expensive extras such as specialist nut milks, gourmet coffee, designer cheeses, organic juices, grass-fed beef, etc -- if these are a necessity for you, please bring your own.
  
  Please note our strict NO SMOKING, NO DRUGS policy. Using drugs or tobacco (including e-cigs, vaping, etc) and entheogenic (psychedelic/hallucinogenic) plant medicines are NOT allowed on the property at any time. While we fully respect the use of plant medicines within traditional Indigenous healing contexts and also in therapeutic scenarios, our place does not provide those contexts. Alcohol should only be consumed occasionally.
  If you are on prescribed drugs, and want to know if staying with us is a good fit, please don't hesitate to ask us in confidence for more information. Thank you!

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  Algo más...

  We request people come to stay for at least 3 weeks -- longer is fine, if a good fit. Please don't contact us if you are only able to stay for a week or two, as we won't be able to host you. Arrival and departure days should be Tuesday-Saturday, 9am to 6pm.
  
  Living in community can be challenging as well as enormously rewarding. The trick is learning to see even the challenges as an incentive for personal growth and the development of new skills, and we encourage everyone to work to their greatest potential. Many of the current long-term staff arrived clueless about various aspects of the work needed here -- but as a team we have been able to pool our resources and make things happen. Whatever skills we can share, we are happy to, and we enjoy continuing to learn from each other and from whoever passes through!
  
  We are looking for people with:
  - a commitment to or interest in community life, including both the group and solitary aspects (although we live and mostly work and eat communally, people should also be comfortable doing their own thing / being alone)
  - an interest in supporting the center as a place of retreat for themselves and others
  - concern for the environment and interest in land stewardship
  - the ability to work with clear direction alone or as part of a team
  - the ability to communicate clearly with others
  - a responsible attitude towards handling tasks, arriving on time (ie ready at 9am, so others aren't waiting around for you)
  - willingness to carry out tasks to the best of their ability and able to help flexible hours (never more than 25 total/week) on occasion
  - good physical health and stamina, and able to easily and safely lift 25 lbs
  - ABSOLUTELY NO DRUG, TOBACCO or ALCOHOL HABITS (including vaping and edibles), and not in recent recovery from addiction. (Yes, marijuana is legal in CA. No, it is not allowed in any form on our property.) Please do not apply to volunteer with us if even occasional use is important to you. We respect people’s need to use marijuana for some genuine health reasons. But if you are taking marijuana for a health issue, feel free to discuss with us if you have questions about whether this would be a good fit for you. Some residents occasionally drink alcohol, but we have guidelines around usage.
  - Ayahuasca, peyote or other hallucinogens or psychedelics are also not allowed; we fully respect their use as sacraments or tools in specific contexts, but our center is not one of those contexts.
  - respect for the fact that the buildings, accommodation, facilities and food at the center all come from the hard work and generosity of others over many years, and so you are enjoying the benefits of what those people have offered
  - a willingness to observe the principle of not taking life, which includes not killing annoying insects such as mosquitoes and ticks!
  - openness to new or different cultural habits, traditions or identities
  - a smartphone able to run WhatsApp, which is our primary means to communicate work plans, safety announcements, expeditions, etc
  Also please note: our center is remote and with sometimes challenging conditions. Just as physical fitness is required, a certain degree of mental fitness and resilience is also needed. If you rely on regular use of psychiatric meds, this may mean our place is not a good fit for you, but please check with us beforehand if you have questions about this.
  
  What probably won’t work is if you:
  - need to constantly use social media and be on your phone while supposedly working
  - need to listen to music for much of the day
  - feel the urge to go into town a few times a week or party every weekend
  - find it hard to be on your own for any amount of time
  - get upset by people around you speaking their own, non-English, language at times
  - believe the only correct position on politics or social theory is your own
  - have an inherent problem taking instructions from a woman/man/someone younger than you/less fluent in English than you, etc
  - have issues around food, group meals or large-scale meal prep -- there's a lot of food involved in community living, and we see eating together regularly as supportive for a spiritual community
  - need uppers or downers to get through a normal day
  - have some deep issues that need addressing probably with professional help, and hope just being in a retreat center will effortlessly resolve things. We wish it could! But usually...no. This is not a 'therapeutic community' as people sometimes expect. We are fully supportive when people can acknowledge, work with and/or get help for their problems -- that's what we're all trying to do! And there are many excellent local resources we can refer people to, and now of course also online resources. We are not therapists, though. Our own primary tools are practising Buddhadharma, using outside help as needed. There is a religious teacher here who can give guidance, but we are not able to host someone who primarily relies on drama or avoidance tactics to get through life and their stay here.
  
  The center has in place anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and a Code of Conduct, which all prospective guests are briefed on, and which are used as the basis for promoting the well-being of every resident and the integrity of the organization's operations.
  
  A NOTE ON IDENTITY… Religion, sexual orientation, racial background, gender identity, class, temperament, family history, neurotype, nationality, education -- all are seen as part of the multiple layers of identity that any spiritual practitioner at some point has to examine in an honest and constructive manner, as part of the training. We try to learn how to observe without judgement, and also -- very importantly -- try not to define ourselves or others with limiting labels. You can come here and be yourself, whatever that 'self' is. While people will respect whatever you wish to share or not, our main concern is to live, learn and work together in a peaceful, honest and productive way. Everyone here has their own 'stuff', some visible, some not, and we are all just trying to work on that, by looking honestly at ourselves, connecting properly with each other and being of service in the world. Also, we hope that people have the humility to know what they do NOT know, and that while we cannot always fully understand another's experience, we can and should take responsibility for educating ourselves where needed. Kindness and genuine curiosity are always helpful. Aggressive debating of another person's identity, experience or background, or engaging in generally divisive behaviors -- including pushing people to 'take sides' -- are not tolerated.
  
  MISCELLANEOUS
  Please note that while we mostly use no- or low-chemical products, we do NOT have a no-perfume/scent/chemical policy.
  We have a very affectionate chocolate Labrador in residence, who is always willing to snuggle, play or take volunteers for a walk.
  
  TIME OFF:
  We ask for 25 hours help per week, and are strict about never exceeding this. Usually hours are from 9am-2pm, but there is some flexibility around this, eg depending what events are going on at the center, other hours can be agreed.
  
  In terms of outdoor leisure, there are many beautiful places to hike around the property, secluded spots for yoga and meditation, and a paved driveway 1.5 miles long that is fantastic for walking/running. Plus, our center is in cyclist heaven - major cycle races pass right by us every year, as the local routes are hugely popular for amateurs and professionals alike.
  
  There is no public transport locally. The nearest buses start from Monte Rio and Guerneville.
  If you have a car, or want to hitch a ride with other residents on weekends, we are located 30-40 minutes from the stunning Sonoma coastline and the Russian River resorts such as Guerneville, Monte Rio, and Jenner. You can camp, surf (NOT swim), kayak/canoe, hike and go hot air ballooning within one hour of here.
  Just over an hour away by car are the towns of Santa Rosa and Sebastopol which offer a full range of cultural activities from traditional to alternative -- and Sebastopol is small, with many friendly and accessible societies and groups. San Francisco and Oakland/Berkeley are two and a half hours away, and easily accessible from Santa Rosa by bus/train/ferry etc.
  
  APPLICATION: We ask that you read our WHOLE profile and reviews before applying, and only write to us if you are comfortable with the policies outlined.
  
  CALLS/ZOOM/VIDEO CHATS: We don't usually do interviews, as we have many applications, and people are only coming for a short stay, not contracted employment. Our own profile and reviews are fairly extensive, so we expect you to use those details to decide whether or not our center is a good fit. And you are also always welcome to write questions about anything that is not addressed in our profile. We look forward to hearing from you!
  
  GETTING HERE:
  We can meet you in Santa Rosa. There is no public transport to our center.
  AIRPORTS - Nearest airport is STS, Sonoma County Santa Rosa (connections through Alaskan/Horizon and United Airlines), and further away are Oakland OAK and San Francisco SFO.
  
  TRAIN/BUS - The BART train runs from SFO to San Francisco, and from there you can get the Greyhound (get off at BART Embarcadero, fare around $17), Golden Gate Transit (get off at BART Civic Center, fare around $15) or Amtrak.
  There are is also an excellent but pricier bus direct from SFO or OAK to Santa Rosa (, $48 SFO-Santa Rosa).
  
  If you're traveling with just a backpack or staying in the city for a few days first, check out the Clipper card for Bay Area transport that includes using the ferry and SMART train to get from the city to Santa Rosa.
  
  Please plan for a Tues-Sat by 6pm arrival if you need to be picked up in Santa Rosa. Thank you!

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  Un poco más de información

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    Acceso a Internet

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    Acceso a Internet limitado

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    Tenemos animales

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    Somos fumadores

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    Puede alojar familias

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  Puede acoger a nómadas digitales

  We have a surprisingly good wifi connection for a remote area. Please explain your specific needs/preferences.

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  Espacio para aparcar autocaravanas

  Vanlifers (without pets) are welcome! Vehicles should be well-maintained and all rules such as no smoking etc still apply.

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  ¿Cuántos voluntarios puedes hospedar?

  Más de dos

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