Ratna Ling Work Study Volunteer Program

Profile Jobs

The Yeshe De Text Preservation Project was founded in 1983 by Tibetan refugee and Buddhist master, Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche and is dedicated to preserving the Tibetan Culture. A non-profit organization committed to the replication of rare Buddhist teachings, our volunteers work as a team year-round to make Tibetan books and prayer wheels to be given away at the annual World Peace Ceremony in Bodh Gaya, India–– the site of the Buddha’s Enlightenment.

Our team is motivated by knowing that we make a difference by impacting the lives of thousands of refugees in Asia. We give our time and energy freely to save Tibetan texts that contain teachings that would otherwise be lost.

Work at the book bindery is hands-on and production oriented. Areas of work may include: 

• Operating bindery machines like the collator, gold stamper, trimmer, and folder
• Assembling traditional Tibetan books and wrapping them in colorful fabric
• Putting books in slipcases and boxing them up for shipment to India

In 2021, we are planning additional projects to help support our overall work including

• Installing solar panels to provide sustainable power for our printing and book-binding machinery
• Building a warehouse to augment our long-term book storage capacity
• Engaging in controlled burns and other fire-prevention activities on the 120 Ratna Ling Retreat Center land which hosts the Yeshe De Project

We are looking for a cook to  create delicious vegetarian meals for our residents and to help make our kitchen run smoothly.   Our kitchen is professionally outfitted, and well-stocked through deliveries, our (mostly) organic garden, and occasional trips to stores in the nearest ( over an hour away) large town. For an amateur cook who enjoys using/picking herbs and produce fresh from the garden, this is the perfect volunteer opportunity!

The ideal candidate for this position is  flexible, organized, reliable, hardworking, and a knowledgeable, skilled (self-trained is acceptable) cook. Experience in large quantity cooking and baking is helpful, but not necessary.

Primary responsibilities:

• Cooking one to two family-style meals for 20 volunteers Monday-Saturday.
• Assisting external professional cooks during retreats.
• Kitchen cleanliness
• Food ordering
• Receiving deliveries
• Inventory control

Job perks:

• Food Handler certification
• Learning from professional cooks

You will also receive all the benefits of being a Ratna Ling volunteer:

• Free housing
• Free vegetarian meals
• Modest living allowance
• Free WiFi
• Free laundry
• Free classes in Buddhist and self-development studies (subjects and schedules vary)
• Living in an environment of natural beauty, close to hiking trails and the Pacific Ocean
• Support of a community that aspires to cultivating awareness and caring

Two concentrations, one team: All members of the team share active retreat tasks Friday-Sunday. The rest of the week, most of the team members share office duties: registration, answering the phone, managing the retreat reservation system, updating the website and social media with blog posts and retreat news, according to their skills. They also work in the organic gardens-vegetable and ornamental-and in various projects. A few members of the team devote their time and energy to the large vegetable gardens during the week.

Dharma Publishing, located onsite at Ratna Ling, has been a pioneering publisher of important Buddhist texts for over 40 years. Our founder, Tibetan Lama Tarthang Tulku, has written over 2 dozen titles for a Western audience offering different pathways to connect with Buddhist wisdom.

Dharma Publishing is currently seeking one or two residential volunteers to work in the areas of:

• Marketing
• Digital promotion
• Social media
• General administration
• Shipping
• Light bookkeeping

Successful DP team members are:

• Interested in personal growth through work and daily activity
• Reliable and self-motivated
• Flexible and cooperative