Live, volunteer and study in a Buddhist community in Northern CA.

Experience a spiritual community dedicated to transmitting and preserving the wisdom of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. This year-round program combines hard work with opportunities to study and practice Buddhism.

We have Two locations – Berkeley, CA and rural Sonoma County, CA

Volunteers Needed for:

• Traditional Tibetan book binding
• Graphic Design
• Maintenance/Landscaping
• Cooking
• Web Programming
• Hospitality Jobs

Recreation

Interested in Buddhism? Our programs offer free classes in the evenings covering a wide variety of subjects within the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, from meditation to Buddhist psychology to Tibetan Yoga. Both our centers also offer a structured before-work morning meditation practice and the opportunity to participate in simple traditional Tibetan Buddhist ceremonial practices.

Enjoy the forests and beaches within a few miles of our rural center in Sonoma County. Our urban center in Berkeley overlooks the San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. The meditation garden, with the first large prayer wheel ever installed in the US, is an oasis of peace and beauty.

Room and Board

Housing options: Shared Room

Shared accommodations (usually 2 people to a room) are free to all volunteers and well as all meals. We are known for our great food – delicious vegetarian meals served 6 days a week; kitchen facilities available to volunteers for Sunday cooking or heating of leftovers.

Benefits

Our community is involved in a several projects of benefit to all humanity. Your donation of your time and energy supports the Tibetan Buddhist tradition throughout Asia as well as aids the transmission of Buddhism to the Western world. For your commitment of 6 months or more you also receive a monthly living allowance stipend of $150. Please review our web site for descriptions of the many types of volunteer work we have available within our projects and organizations. For most of our volunteer positions you do not need prior experience.

Transportation Info

Our rural program is located at the Ratna Ling Retreat Center, about 100 miles north of San Francisco in the Redwood landscape of the Sonoma Coastal range. Ratna Ling can be reached by car or by bus or airport shuttle from both the Oakland airport and the San Francisco airport. The Berkeley program is served easily by both the Oakland and San Francisco airports. Details on transportation options can be discussed at the time of application. Travel to our programs is at your own expense.

How to Apply

Apply Now

The minimum age to apply is 21, and the minimum commitment is 6 months. We also have short-term volunteer opportunities (2 weeks to 3 months) which do not include the living allowance stipend.

Please see our website for more information.

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