What is the foundation of the volunteer program?

First and foremost the program is the opportunity to practice the fundamental basic human virtue of Dāna. “The practice of giving is a quality that testifies to the depth of one's humanity and one's capacity for self-transcendence” Bhikkhu Bodhi .  In the teachings of the Buddha, Dāna is offered as the foundation and seed of spiritual development.  Dāna is about how we relate to each other, our communities and the earth.  

Moreover the program cultivates the teaching of spiritual friendship.  The Buddha offered that Kalyāṇamittatā or spiritual friendship is the “Whole of the Holy life”.  He also offers that there is nothing, with regard to external factors, that is more important than friendship with skillful people for those seeking liberation.  The SM program offers the opportunity to live in community with Kalyāṇamitta.  Namgyal Rinpoche stated that “It is more important to follow God than to watch beings kicking one another.  By discovering more about God or enlightenment or whatever you wish to call Truth, in effect you bring light to all beings” (excerpt from The Dome of Heaven).  

The “goal” of the SM program is to serve.  This service creates merit, opportunity for transformation and supports all in experiencing the Dharma.  Selfless service is a unique opportunity to work with the hindrances and see clearly the skandhas. Our SM program encourages practice to go ‘off the cushion’ and ‘into the world’. This experience supports the Dharma of daily life and helps ground our practice. 

The DCC is a place for study, contemplation and practice of Dharma, the universal truth of liberation.  We offer refuge and we invite those offering reverence to the lineage of teachers, students and volunteers alike that contributed to the energy of transformation and growth that is felt on the property.   

Volunteering at DCC

There are several types of volunteers at DCC including operational support during certain courses/retreats, project focused service (such as building a cabin), stays lasting 30 days (Server-Meditator), as well as day visits.

Our program here at the DCC is an opportunity to put theory into practice, to walk the talk so to speak.  Often a missing piece in our path to liberation is integrating our meditation and retreat experience with daily life.  How do we keep the open-heartedness found on retreat in everything we do?  Through the practice of selfless service you can gain new skills, connect with like minded people, and practice mindfulness in a spectacular natural setting. You can learn to lift any task from the menial to the meaningful.

The DCC endeavours to care for the community using what this bountiful property provides utilizing traditional skills.  We have ample opportunities to learn these traditional skills such as preserving food, growing organically, building from the ground up, using solar energy, wood milling and more.  

Who is suited for this opportunity?

Persons suited for this practice have an interest in personal development, as well as desire to learn about living and serving in a spiritual community and how to integrate spiritual practice into daily tasks.  

The property is rugged and the daily tasks of caring for the people and property are physical.  Applicants must be physically able to work for 6 hours per day in a physically demanding setting.  Specifically, tasks assigned include gardening, heavy cleaning, cooking, washing dishes, clearing brush etc.  From time to time we may have lighter duty opportunities that will be posted on a project by project basis.

**Please note that DCC does not have resources on hand to support those experiencing serious physical and mental health issues. It is important that applicants ensure that they are able to independently care for their health during their stay. We send Metta to everyone for their liberation journey.

Programs

1. (Dharma Service or ) Server-Meditator Program

If you are new to the program we invite you to stay with us for two weeks.  If you are returning we require a minimum of two weeks with a maximum of 30 days. The option to renew your stay is at the discretion of the DCC.   

Service volunteer positions work in the areas of property & grounds (including extensive gardening in the summer months), kitchen (including food preservation), and housekeeping & laundry.   In exchange for meals and housing, weekly movement, meditation sessions, dharma talks and dharma study, the SM provides approximately 6 hours per day, 6 days a week of work.  Day 7 is reserved for reflection, contemplation, and individual spiritual practice.  

A Day in the Life of a Server Meditator

Life at the DCC is dynamic and the needs change daily.  We provide work assignments through clear communication starting with a daily meeting at 9:30 am to discuss and assign tasks for the day.   Hours of work are dependent on the area of service and the needs of the facilities. Typically they are performed between the hours of 7:00 am and 7:00 pm.  The 400 acres property is rugged and the work is physical.  

Yoga, movement and meditation sessions are offered before breakfast 2-3 times a week.  Dharma study and or classes are offered in the evenings 1-2 a week.   Attendance at these programs are required as part of the SM program. When time (outside of service schedule) and teachers allow, SMs are able to attend scheduled retreats and classes.

Breakfast items are provided, and lunch is our biggest meal served between 12-1 pm. Dinner will be served during retreats and on non-retreat days, leftovers are offered for reheating.    

Accommodations are provided at our Hermitage and Main House site.  Typically they are single occupancy but there may be times when you are asked to double up. 

During free time, there are many hiking/snowshoeing trails, streams and lakes to explore.  The solitude and wildlife must be experienced to appreciate.  During your working time, there are many opportunities to learn new skills from preserving the harvest to building from the ground up and everything in between.  Most of all learn to just BE in a supportive spiritual community of friends.

2. Retreat Service

This program allows for attendance at a retreat for a reduced cost, typically 50% and dependent on circumstances.  The commitment begins and ends with the retreat. Three hours daily of service is required and care will be taken to work around the retreat schedule however this is not always possible.  The retreat service schedule will be pre-approved by the retreat teacher.

3. Project Based Service

We are revitalizing and growing at the DCC and have exciting opportunities for project work in our future.  Projects such as building cabins, creating thoughtful trails, preserving organic harvest, soil regeneration, installing solar energy, planting seedlings for spring and assembling greenhouses are just a few of our upcoming projects.  This program is geared at hands-on teaching of new skills.   

Scheduling of project based activities is solely dependent on the stage of the project and weather and thus remains fluid and flexible.  In general you will work 6 hours a day with one personal day per week of stay.  Movement, meditation and dharma study opportunities available as noted in the SM program are available and encouraged during your stay. All meals and lodging are included.  Applicants are expected to stay for the duration of the project.

4. Day Visits

Join us for a day!  We welcome you to join us for the day starting at 9:30 am.  You will be paired with one of our Server-Meditators for the day and offered lunch and lots of gratitude.  Let us know when you are planning to visit a few days in advance so we can plan for your arrival.

5. Longer term Service

Options for longer term service are available. Contact INFO@DHARMACENTRE.ORG

The Gift of Service

Shared Journeys of Giving at the Dharma Centre of Canada

By Kalisha Hayward

I spent almost a year living and volunteering at the Dharma Centre of Canada, from October 2022 to September 2023. I originally came with a quiet interest in Buddhism — curious to explore something I’d only touched the surface of. But what I found when I arrived was far more than I ever expected. I didn’t just find a retreat centre. I found a home for my spirit. Before coming to the centre, I was in a dark place. I felt lost — disconnected from myself, from others, and from the natural world. I was caught in the same loop so many of us fall into: living in the past, worrying about the future, and feeling unable to fully arrive in the present.

The Dharma Centre became a turning point in my life. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe. Safe to slow down. Safe to take up space. Safe to just be. There is something sacred about that land — something ancient and alive that holds you. I felt held not only by the trees, trails, and silence, but by the beautiful souls who passed through during my time there… and by the ones who had come before us. I felt part of something bigger. Something wise and awake. Living there changed me. It shifted the way I see the world, the way I eat, the way I speak to myself. It brought me back into rhythm with life, with simplicity, with truth. The daily practice helped me reconnect to nature, to spirit, and to myself in ways I didn’t even know I was missing. I left the centre a different person — softer, clearer, more whole.

One of the most unexpected gifts of my time there was a deep reawakening of my love for cooking and nourishing others. Working in the kitchen became a spiritual practice in itself. I gained so many new skills and had the chance to learn from truly inspiring chefs. One teacher who particularly impacted me was Zenryu — a Japanese monk, organic farmer, and gentle, powerful presence. His way of life left a lasting imprint on me. He taught me not only about food, nutrition, and the art of cooking, but also about humility, perspective, and living with intention. Just being around him offered quiet, profound insight into what it means to live with presence, grace, and kindness. The teachings I received at the centre still ripple through my life.

Derek Rasmussen had a profound impact on me — both through the space he held while I processed family trauma, and through his teachings on The Four Immeasurables, especially equanimity, which has become a daily practice and a guiding principle in my life. I was also deeply grateful to learn from Jack Connelly, Mala Sika, Terry Hagen, Karen Russell, and Rob McConnell — each offering their own unique blend of presence and wisdom. And of course, there were many other wonderful teachers throughout my time there whose contributions helped shape my journey in countless ways. And then there’s Noon. Her quiet strength and unwavering commitment are the threads that hold the Dharma Centre together. She lives and breathes the heart of the place — offering her time, her energy, her love, and her care to everything and everyone. What she gives, most people will never fully see or understand, but I witnessed it daily. The Dharma Centre simply wouldn’t be what it is without her. This place is rare. It’s not just a place to learn or retreat — it’s a place to remember who you are. If you feel even the slightest pull to visit or volunteer, follow it. It might just change your life the way it changed mine.