I have just returned from a personal retreat at Tsegyalgar West and was told of the opportunities for Karma Yoga while I was there.  It really is a fabulous place but it needs a lot of upkeep as the land and buildings are extensive.  A stay there during the UK winter would be idyllic and there would be plenty of opportunities for practice after the Karma Yoga requirements have been fulfilled.

With this in mind I am posting the guidelines for volunteering at the Gar below, with some of my recent photos to provide inspiration…

Anyone who is interested should make contact through the Tsegyalgar West website

TSEGYALGAR WEST
VOLUNTEER GUIDELINES 2017
KARMA YOGA AND WORK EXCHANGE

Helping with the Gar preparations and functioning before, during, in between and after Retreats (ie general maintenance, gardening, minor construction work, cleaning of buildings and accommodation, preparation and maintenance of all facilities and property, cooking for workers and during retreats, office work, etc)

GENERAL  CRITERIA

Need to be a current, registered member of the Dzogchen Community
Provide current membership number in application form
Be reasonably healthy
Able to live responsibly and co-operatively in a group & work with teams
Be guided by Geko and Gakyil regarding tasks to be done
Be self-sufficient and have money for personal care
No use of drugs is tolerated on the premises, alcohol in moderation only

1 – KARMA  YOGA

Criteria – as per general criteria above.
You are welcome to pay for your stay on the Gar and offer your time freely to help with the tasks to be done
TW gakyil will certify for the hours of Karma Yoga done at the Gar

2 – WORK  EXCHANGE- FREE STAY AT THE GAR WITHOUT MEALS SUPPORT

Criteria – as per general criteria above.
Must be able work at least 4 hour per day, for 6 days week.
Period of stay: minimum 2 weeks to a maximum of 3 months. Volunteer can reapply to the Gakyil for the following term s/he wishes to.
Conditions include free accommodation in camping area and free use of the camping facilities. Casitas available by application to Gakyil for those with special needs.
You are responsible for providing your own food or you can cooperate with those staying on the Gar in sharing food/ cooking/cleanup etc. Personnel of the Gar will assist with food shopping. They may be asked to keep doing his/her duties during the retreat, or undertake retreat related tasks by the Geko/retreat manager.

3 – WORK EXCHANGE – FREE STAY AT THE GAR WITH BUDGET FOR FOOD PROVIDED

Criteria – as per general criteria above.
Must be able to work at least 6 hours per day for 6 days week and be able to undertake the main tasks workers are needed for.
Period of stay: minimum 1 month to a maximum of 3 months. Volunteer can reapply to the Gakyil for the following term s/he wishes to.
Conditions include free accommodation in the camping area and use of camping facilities and a weekly budget for food. Casitas available by application for those with special needs subject to Gakyil approval.
You are responsible for preparing your own food or you can cooperate with those staying on the Gar sharing food/ cooking/cleanup etc. Personnel of the Gar will help for your shopping.
Volunteers are encouraged to pay to attend retreats and courses held at the Gar to retreat of the Dzogchen Community and make a dana offering direct to the Teacher, attending without charge by retreat manager/gakyil approval only. They may be asked to keep doing his/her duties during the retreat or undertake retreat related tasks by the Geko or retreat manager.

4 – WORK EXCHANGE – FOR NON MEMBERS OF THE DZOGCHEN COMMUNITY

Non members can be accepted in work exchange at the Gar by application if invited and sponsored and under the responsibility of:
the President of the IDC Chogyal Namkhai Norbu
the Gakyil of the International Dzogchen Community
a member of the Gakyil of TW
an older member of the Dzogchen Community with the agreement of TW Gakyil
The Geko
the retreat manager of a group retreat- for short term group retreat work exchange only

VOLUNTEERS MANAGEMENT
The only people who supervise volunteers is the geko or a representative designated by the Gakyil. An exception to that is, when short term volunteers help out the gakyil during a retreat—in that case, the volunteer can be managed by the Geko, a gakyil member, retreat manager or a person designated by the geko or a gakyil member. In that case, the gekods still need to be introduced to the volunteer and made aware of what the volunteer is supposed to do.

Only the geko and the Gakyil can determine if a volunteer should be asked to leave in terminating an agreement early.

Volunteers who apply to the Gar via the website or the Secretary must be screened and approved by a red gakyil member and submit a CV resume or have a Skype interview. This means having information on their background, if they speak Spanish, what work they are qualified to do, how long they plan to stay, and to include two references. Only with the Director’s written consent, will the Gar consent to pay part of the volunteer’s travel expenses.

No volunteer can stay for free in a casita, unless they become ill and are relocated by the Geko, or are authorized by the Gakyil as having special needs.

Volunteers must provide proof of health/accident/travel insurance that will cover the period of stay at the Gar. The evidence of such insurance is to be provided to the Gakyil or Geko at the first day of assignment. Volunteers will be also asked to fill out a liability waiver disclaimer and a work related waiver form.
Any materials purchased for work projects at the Gar must be approved by the Geko or Gakyil prior to puchase or re-imbursement may not be approved.
Infraction of the rules of the work exchange program or general policy will result in a report from the geko to the gakyil for immediate evaluation and can result in a probation period with a revised agreement or a termination of a work exchange stay at the Gar at the discretion of the Director if deemed necessary.