The Service-Study program is intended for people who are inspired to serve others and embody the values of compassion, wisdom, and generosity. As a Service-Study participant, you will have the opportunity to share your talents, serve our community, practice the Bodhichitta of Aspiration and Application, and deepen your own practice and learning in Dharma.  Service-Study positions are essential to the functioning of the organization and their input is invaluable to the Land of Medicine Buddha.

Our service-study positions are offered in three-month increments, with an initial two-week provisional period.

The Service

Service-study participants are generally scheduled in the following departments at the Center:

  • Kitchen
  • General Cleaning
  • Housekeeping
  • Grounds / Maintenance

Service-study participants contribute 25 hours per week, generally broken up into five 5-hour days.

The Study

In exchange for the service, participants are offered free access to Spiritual Program and Wellness classes that are ongoing at LMB.  Participants also have access to the LMB library, resident teachers, and staff-only workshops and classes.

Room and Board

Service-study participants are offered room and board. Housing consists of a simple single, private room in the staff quarters with a shared bathroom. Meals include breakfast and lunch every day. Dinner is prepared when we have retreat groups or events taking place. When there is not a group on-site at LMB, dinner ingredients are available for you to prepare your own meal. Land of Medicine Buddha serves vegetarian meals consisting of mainly organic ingredients.

FAQs

Land of Medicine Buddha is a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center that is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). We host our own Spiritual Program of classes and retreats, as well as rent out our facility to other organizations and groups with similar missions. We host many yoga and body movement groups, as well as retreats for other spiritual traditions. Some staff members live at the center, and some live off-site and are here mainly during work hours and for classes. We are a diverse group of people from many faith traditions and with many different motivations for offering service at Land of Medicine Buddha. We seek open-minded and diverse applicants for our program.

The demands of our community keep us very busy and enthusiasm and hard work are required from all of our staff, including Service-Study positions.  Work is busy but is dedicated to furthering the mission of LMB and serving all those that engage with our Mandala.

On your time off, you can enjoy the 108 acres of gorgeous redwoods that are at your front door, swim in the pool, use the sauna, and do your own meditation and practice.  There are also many places nearby to hike, swim, and relax. Past participants of the service-study program remark that it is an incredibly rewarding and enriching place to spend three months.

Participants in the service-study program are welcome to apply for a second three-month period with a limit of six-months total. At times, some past service-study participants have applied for and been hired as part-time or full-time, paid staff after their service.

How to Apply

If you have any questions please contact our Center Manager, Kai Johnson, via email at [email protected]