Join The Team

We warmly invite those who live by Buddhist principles, are passionate about community, love supporting the Dharma, and are ready to embrace the gifts of mountain wilderness and meditation.Tara Mandala Retreat Center rests on 700 acres of pristine wilderness,anchored by the magnificent three-story Tara Temple, the center provides a space for meditation, teachings, and spiritual exploration.Tara Mandala is committed to fostering a welcoming atmosphere for all people to explore the teachings of the Buddha, and we are committed to cultivating a community that values diversity and inclusion.

“Tara Mandala was created to bring people together to support each other, practice, and do retreat in order to reach realization..” – Lama Tsultrim Allione

Solo Retreatant Care
A Sacred Role in Supporting Deep Practice

Tara Mandala offers retreatants a rare opportunity to experience profound solitude and deep spiritual practice in our remote mountain cabins. The Solo Retreatant Care role is essential in ensuring that each practitioner’s retreat is supported with the utmost care and attention. As a member of our team, you will be responsible for processing applications and managing placements in the retreat cabins. Your role also involves providing ongoing support by shopping for retreatants food, providing water, and other necessities, as well as overseeing the cleanliness of the cabins. When possible, you will additionally assist the Tara Mandala Center Retreat Manager in other aspects of group retreat coordination. This role requires a compassionate and detail-oriented individual who is dedicated to creating an environment of peace, solitude and spiritual focus for each practitioner.

Essential Job Duties and Areas of Responsibility:

• Process solo retreat applications 
• Manage the Solo Retreat schedule and placement of retreatants in the appropriate cabins

• Provide weekly care for retreatants, including shopping for food, water, delivering mail and other essentials, ensuring they have everything they need for their retreat.
• In collaboration with the Land and Facilities Crew, oversee the upkeep of retreat cabins, ensuring they are kept clean, stocked, and in pristine condition for each new retreatant.
• Monitor cabin supplies and update first aid kits
• Collect and file Solo Retreatant feedback forms
• Assist the Tara Mandala Center Retreat Manager in supporting group retreats when time and resources allow.

Skills & Experience:

• Experience in a similar role or open to training
• Kindness and warmth with staff and guests
• Excellent command of English (spoken and written) and good communication skills

• Self-motivated, responsible, and able to work independently
• Proficient with Google Suite
• Ability to respond quickly and skillfully to problems during a program and coordinate with team members including Center Director and Center Retreat Manager during an emergency
• Team player that is level-headed, flexible, and compassionate
• Highly organized and resourceful with ability to prioritize, problem solve, and take initiative. 
• High level of dependability, integrity, and honesty
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality in regard to customers’ information and other sensitive matters

Other Requirements

• Must have a regular and committed meditation practice 
• Dedicated Buddhist practice; strong connection to the lineages at Tara Mandala preferred
• Excitement about community living
• Strong understanding and demonstrated ability to work in an organization professionally while upholding Buddhist values and conduct
• Upholds Tara Mandala Leadership Values and Code of Conduct, and acts as a role model

Compensation 

• Position begins May 1st – September 30th
• $16 hourly wage
• 35 hours weekly
• Room and board included

Additional Benefits

• Full access to the Retreat Center’s facilities, including meditation spaces, a vast library, morning meditation practice outdoors on “Prayer Flag Ridge” and afternoon group practice in the Temple (on days off), free online self-paced Tara Mandala Teachings 
• Build lasting relationships with retreat center staff, volunteers and and other Interns
• Meet many wonderful Buddhist practitioners from around the world

• Organic vegetarian meals provided.
• On-site “rustic” housing provided.
• Monthly hot springs passes provided to the world’s deepest hot springs in Pagosa Springs, Co. in addition to other outdoor community activities.
• References and recommendations provided upon successful completion of the Retreat Season.

An example of the Solo Retreatant Care schedule
(hours vary depending on how many people are in solo retreat, additional hours for processing applications, scheduling and cleaning Retreat Cabins).

Mon:    Pick up trash and grocery lists:  10-11AM 1 hr.
              Retreatant coming out of a cabin – assist them: 10AM – 12PM up to 2  hr.
              Retreatant going into a cabin – assist them: 2-5PM up to 3 hrs.                    

Tues:    Retreat Shopping in Town and mail run: 9AM – 3PM up to 6 hr.

Wed:    Deliver Groceries: 9:30-10:30AM 1 – 2  hrs. 

Fri:       Checking boxes (Red flag run: 10AM 1 hr.) 
              Retreatant coming out of a cabin – assist them: 10AM – 12PM up to 2  hr.
              Retreatant going into a cabin – assist them: 2-5PM up to 3 hr.