Employment and Volunteering

Working and Growing

We are first and foremost a spiritual community committed to helping retreaters and staff develop their minds. By joining our team you will

 

  • Offer your talents and skills to an organization dedicating to serving others
  • Nurture a sense of service within yourself
  • Participate in a mindful and contemplative work culture
  • Stimulate your mind by having access to our regular program

 

“I feel as if I have found a precious little oasis, where I have the opportunity to work, study and practice amidst an enchanting redwood forest. The atmosphere is one of tranquility and serenity, which I find are very good conditions to cultivate a peaceful mind. Serving a Buddhist community feels very rewarding.”

– Cristian

Our Community

Living in community in an isolated place creates long-lasting friendships and a real sense of teamwork. Co-workers feel more like family. Everyone contributes what they can above and beyond what is required. The “family feeling” Lama Yeshe spoke of still lives on and prospers at Vajrapani Institute.

 

What We Are Looking For

Ideal candidates will

 

  • Possess strong communication skills
  • Be content with rugged and rustic conditions
  • Be comfortable with prolonged relative isolation
  • Have a mature personal spiritual practice
  • Possess an attitude of altruism and generosity
  • Be proactive and organized

Being a Buddhist is not a requirement for working here. We welcome practitioners from all traditions.

Study the Dharma

Our staff and volunteers are welcome to attend any of our programs if it doesn’t conflict with their work schedules. Make sure to mention ahead of time what programs you are most interested in so we can try to make arrangements for you to attend. We have an extensive library with many out of print books, as well as a video library of teachings and documentaries. We have senior practitioners on the land and on staff that are available for interviews and discussions.

Volunteer Program

Our Volunteer Program  offers an opportunity to experience living and working in the richness of a Dharma Community.

 

Here are the details:
  • In exchange for a 28-hour workweek, volunteers are provided with a campsite, nutritious vegetarian meals, and the ability to attend some of the courses offered at the center free of charge.
  • A 3-month minimum commitment, with an initial 2-week provisional period.
  • As a volunteer you have the opportunity to be an integral part of our staff that hosts spiritual group retreats and supports individuals on private retreats. 
  • Depending on your interests and aptitudes, you may be asked to support in the following areas:  housekeeping (preparing the facilities for guests), caring for the land, assisting in the kitchen, and various other tasks that may arise. 
  • Ideal candidates have a desire to better themselves, are service-oriented, have an innate flexibility of mind and a willingness to pitch in when and as needed. 

Living in the Forest

Camping is the main option for  volunteers. We have a number of campsites that ensure relative comfort and privacy. The weather from May to September is usually quite warm and temperate.

 

Please note:  Due to our wet winters, our volunteer program only runs from April-October each year. We happily accept applications from February-July, we will not be  reviewing any applications outside of those months.

Employment Opportunities

Spiritual Program Coordinator
The Spiritual Program Coordinator (SPC) works together with our Executive Director to provide co-leadership in fostering a sacred, contemplative culture, helping to meet the spiritual needs of the community. The SPC’s main duties are to create, plan, market and organize the spiritual activities of the center, including programs, public and private events, practices, and classes while supporting the vision, mission and intentions of Vajrapani Institute and the FPMT organization.
December 31, 2023

Upcoming Retreats

Online Book Club – Vol 2: The Foundation of Buddhist Practice

Venerable Gyalten Chimé

October 25 - December 13, 2023
When On Zoom Every Wednesday for 8 weeks (Oct 25 to Dec 13) 6:30 - 8:00pm Pacific Time   ABOUT This weekly online book gathering will feature facilitated conversation, discussion and meditation sessions with Buddhist monastic Venerable Chimé. The text we will explore over the course of these 8 weekly Zoom gatherings is Wisdom Publications’ The Foundation of Buddhist Practice by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödrön.  This is the second volume in the Dalai Lama's definitive and comprehensive series on the stages of the Buddhist path, The Library of Wisdom and Compassion. The Foundation of Buddhist Practice describes the…

New Year’s Vajrasattva Practice Retreat

Elaine Jackson

December 30, 2023 - January 1, 2024
Most of us operate from profound ignorance, a solid mis-knowing. This ignorance – that happiness and unhappiness come from somewhere “out there” – blocks us from seeing our clear light mind. The Vajrasattva practice purifies our mind from grasping so strongly onto the mistaken view. Utilizing time-tested visualization and meditation, deluded states – pain, sorrow, hatred, pride, jealousy, doubt – lose their power. Our mind is purified. We’ll explore why this powerful Vajrasattva practice actually works, and how we can use it in our daily life to grow our happiness.

Our Blog

  • Spring has officially arrived and with it a sense of renewal, a spark of hope. Trees are leafing and blossoming. So many wildflowers dot the hillsides. Bees are buzzing and early morning birds chatter like townsfolk exclaiming the beauty of this valley.  Living a quiet......

Vajrapani Institute is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition www.FPMT.org