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Live In a Buddhist Residential Community for 1 year

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Language Spoken
English
Accomodation Provided
Yes
Meals Included
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Minimum Commitment (In Days)
365
Amenities
Wifi, Dishwasher, Washing machine, Fridge
Types of Help & Learning Opportunities
Gardening & Planting, General Maintenance, Kitchen & Bar Help, Spiritual Growth

About Gaia House:

Gaia House, established in 1983, is a silent meditation retreat centre situated in the serene environment of South Devon’s gentle hills and quiet woodlands. As a registered charity, Gaia House is committed to preserving, protecting, and enhancing emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual health through meditation, offering a year-round programme of weekend and week-long group retreats. These retreats provide meditation instruction and teachings from various Buddhist traditions, focusing on serenity, wisdom, and compassion through mindfulness practice. Gaia House warmly welcomes individuals of all backgrounds and actively endeavors to identify and eliminate barriers to inclusion. The teachings and practices at Gaia House have their foundation in the spiritual teachings of the Buddha, rooted in his deep interest in life and commitment to discovering freedom. The centre offers an opportunity to experience the ennobling wisdom of the Buddha’s understanding and practices firsthand.

Located in the town of West Ogwell, Newton Abbot, Devon, Gaia House provides a sanctuary of contemplative calm, fostering inner stillness and peace through Insight (Vipassana), Loving-kindness (Metta), and Zen meditation practices. The centre offers a range of retreat types, including group retreats, personal retreats, and work retreats, catering to long-term solitary meditators as well. Additionally, Gaia House is committed to investigating and removing barriers to inclusion and actively working to provide a supportive environment for individuals of every age, ethnicity, cultural heritage, and religious background, among other dimensions of diversity. Through their commitment to providing meditation instruction and teachings from various Buddhist traditions, Gaia House seeks to nurture serenity, wisdom, and compassion, thereby fostering emotional resources to respond more fully to suffering, thus embodying profound inclusivity and an unwavering dedication to spiritual well-being.

About Live In a Buddhist Residential Community for 1 year:

Volunteering at Gaia House in their residential community presents an exceptional opportunity to engage in meaningful work within a supportive Dharma setting, fostering personal and spiritual growth. Volunteers are expected to offer service for a minimum of one year, which can be extended to two years. The volunteer roles available are Kitchen, Household, and Caretaker, each having distinct responsibilities, including ensuring well-balanced nutritious meals, maintaining a clean and safe retreat environment, and supporting the smooth running of the house and its grounds. In return for their service, volunteers receive free board and lodging, a monthly stipend, access to retreat programs, free retreat time upon completion, and transportation options such as a car and electric bike. These roles offer unique experiences for developing mindfulness, teamwork, and service-oriented work, fostering personal growth and cultural immersion.

**Volunteer Opportunities Duties:**
1. **Kitchen Role:**
– Preparing well-balanced, plant-based meals for retreatants
– Ensuring kitchen operations for varying group sizes

2. **Household Role:**
– Maintaining a clean and safe retreat environment
– Supporting cleaning, scheduling, and work retreatants

3. **Caretaker Role:**
– Overseeing house and grounds maintenance
– Assisting with basic house repairs, gardening, and upkeep

**Benefits for Volunteers:**
– Free board and lodging inclusive of a settling-in period
– Monthly stipend and a share of retreat donations
– Access to in-house and online retreat programs
– Free retreat time upon completion based on their period of service
– Use of transportation options such as a car and electric bike

**Length of the Stay:** Minimum 1-year commitment, extendable to 2 years

**Logistics:** Scheduled 12 days off per month, flexible scheduling based on retreat needs