Volunteer and Service to Dharma Programme
Volunteer and Service to Dharma Programme
Every weekend in Thubten Phuntsog Gephel Ling
The VSDP has been created to facilitate a compassionate and generous view on how Sangha members and friends of Thubten Phuntsog Gephel Ling Retreat Centre can offer their services to Dharma and to sentient beings. Offering our services to Dharma is also a way to develop Bodhichitta and help preserving and developing Gephel Ling as a pure Dharma Study and Practice Centre and, therefore, to express our devotion and support for this Mandala and lineage.
This is a wonderful opportunity to combine practice and altruistic service to the Three Jewels, as well as to our Lamas’ enlightened activities for the benefit all beings, with no exception.
It is important to emphasize that Thubten Phuntsog Gephel Ling is a traditional Nyingma school retreat centre of the Tibetan Buddhism devoted to serve Dharma, meditation practising and the spiritual community life. This wonderful Mandala comprising 100 hectares of the most pristine nature reflects the views of both our spiritual advisor and our resident teacher, Lama Chokyi Dorje and Lama Gyurme respectively. Those views are expressed on the establishment of a centre - an important milestone - in Portugal for the learning and practising of the purest spiritual traditions from the old Dzogchen and Mahamudra Lineage, as well as to encourage a pacific and compassionate atmosphere which actively contributes to the creation of a better, more pacific and benevolent society.
Individuals taking part in the volunteer and services programme can also enjoy - if they want to - regular meditation and teachings sessions at Gephel Ling, and a sacred and natural environment at our retreat centre. In return, the visitor would offer 6 hours of their volunteer services.
These are the areas you can volunteer:
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Maintenance of sacred spaces and the temple.
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Repairing and maintenance of buildings in general
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Alternative energy projects and utilization
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Gardening and horticulture
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Vegetarian cooking
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Administration and storage
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Multimedia and library organization
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Cleaning
The above-mentioned are those ones we need help, but feel free to suggest any other areas or ideas.
Gephel Ling will keep flourishing and being a light to a pacific society and a lively milestone of Buddha Dharma through multiple contributions and the involvement of the entire community and our friends.
Therefore, we strongly encourage the individuals who are participating in our other programmes to also take part in the volunteer programme.
Currently, the retreat centre cannot afford volunteers’ meals, therefore their meals are their own responsibility. However, we happily offer our fully equipped kitchen (with electric cooker, refrigerator, microwave etc.) so that our volunteers can keep and prepare their meals. Alternatively the individuals can have their meals in one of the two restaurants located around 3 miles (5 KM) from the centre.
Enrolment
Download and fill out the enrolment form, then send it to volunteer@guhyamantrika.org or contact us by phone. You can enrol at any time — we will carefully analyse your information and contact you in a timely manner.
Your participation and contribution are greatly welcomed. Please, do not hesitate to contact us for further information.