Volunteering

Short-Term Volunteer

Engage in our daily practice based on the Chan monastic routine. Schedule includes morning and evening sitting meditation and chanting, group meals, mindful work practice, group Dharma study, and personal guidance from the resident monastics.

First-time volunteers are requested to limit their stay to four days at most, to see if they are able to adapt to the lifestyle of practice. Extension of stay would require further evaluation by the volunteer mentor and residents.

Retreat Volunteer

Support other practitioners while learning Chan meditation in a retreat setting. Serve as head cook, cook’s assistant, Chan Hall assistant, or outside support team member. In addition to mindful work practice, retreat volunteers participate in Chan Hall group practice in the early mornings and evenings, attend the Dharma talks, and may have interviews with the teachers.

Retreat volunteers are expected to volunteer for the full length of the retreat.

The Volunteer Experience

These documents can give you a basic idea of what to expect from a stay at our retreat center:

 
DDRC Rules for Residents and Visitors
 
DDRC Weekly Schedule

Application Form

Here you can download the application form for the volunteer programs:

• download the form and edit it on your device
• save it once you’ve filled it out
• send it to us along with your headshot photo

DDRC Volunteer Application Form