NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are not currently accepting volunteer applications.
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
Applying to be a Volunteer
If you would like to be a volunteer, please sign in to your account and submit a volunteer application online.
If you don’t already have an account, you can create an account here.
If you have questions about volunteering, call us at 845-744-8114, or email us at apply@dharmadrumretreat.org