Volunteering ~ Overview

How can I be of service?

IMS could not continue to function as it does without the generous support of the many volunteers who serve the organization in a variety of ways. If you have sat at least a one-week retreat at IMS before, please consider joining us as a volunteer. There are many reasons to give your time and support:

• To make new friends and meet fellow meditators
• To be part of a 'sangha,' or community
• To express generosity
• To help support and sustain IMS's teachers and retreatants
• To explore the integration of work and dharma practice
• To share expertise and knowledge
• To assist with a special retreat or project
• To have access to the IMS retreat environment
• To enjoy the quiet, restorative beauty of IMS and its surroundings
• To have fun!

Different from volunteering, another way to offer service at IMS is through our Retreat Center and Forest Refuge Work Retreat programs. Through both formal retreat practice and five hours of silent, simple work activities each day, this form of service supports the cultivation of mindfulness, wisdom and compassion. A work retreat is residential and is generally lasts the duration of a scheduled course. Our operations rely on work retreatants and we deeply value this form of service. No nightly rate applies - all that is required is a non-refundable $35 application processing fee.

If you're interested in a particular type of volunteer service, follow the links below:

Day-to-Day
Gardening
Family Retreat
Teen Retreat
Staff Retreat
Working Guests

Thank you for your interest in volunteering!