We are a retreat center dedicated to meditation practice and study. Our 310 acres in a breathtaking location at the foot of the Canadian Rockies.
We are a non-profit, charitable organization created to nurture universal teachings of awakening. Focusing on Buddhist and Western Mystical teachings, the center is dedicated to providing an environment for practice a
nd study. To bring exploration and meditation to all our activities, we also run ecological courses such as permaculture, food forests and native grassland reclamation. We serve to motivate and inspire students from around the world, now and for generations to come.
We are currently in the middle of an exciting green building project using an innovative passive solar heating system. We also run an organic farm, and are leading local activities in native grassland reclamation (an endangered habitat which has the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem in Canada and in which we are located).
Work
This is an opportunity to spend time at our beautiful center in the Rockies, joining in our karma yoga (“meditation in action”) program, and participating in one or more of the exciting innovative projects currently running here, from our current green building project, general support of the center (cooking, cleaning and other activities), on our organic farm, or our innovative native grassland restoration work.
Room and board provided for stays longer than 3 months; for shorter stays we generally request $400 per month to cover accommodation, food, and teaching schedule.
See below for information on the karma yoga study program, our Sky Roots green building project, organic farm and grasslands restoration work.
KARMA YOGA STUDY PROGRAM
The Karma Yoga study program includes meditation instruction, study & practice through daily activities. The overall aim of Karma Yoga is to study the mind in action & in service in everyday activities in conjunction with silent seated meditation practice, thereby developing calm, concentration, joy, and insight. The Program has many aspects to enable tailoring to individuals at all levels, from beginners to advanced practitioners.
The Program includes:
• Participation in regular meditation instruction, daily meditation sits, and meditation classes twice a week
• Self-study and practice
• Study and practice with different teachers and with group members
• Opportunity to attend workshops and other events to broaden practice
• Sharing in the daily activities of the Clear Sky spiritual community including regular community meetings as opportunities to develop good communication and conflict resolution skills
• Periodic reviews to provide supportive guidance, address issues that have arisen and to overall ensure that the program is enhancing the individual’s practice.
To gain the most from participation in the Karma Yoga Retreat Program you should:
• Have a strong interest in spiritual exploration, meditation, and participating in the daily life of a spiritual community
• Be reliable and have a commitment to service
• Respect for the guiding precepts of Clear Sky
• Be willing to fit into the daily life and schedule at Clear Sky
• Be willing and open to communicate
BUILDING
We are currently building a beautiful and environmentally cutting edge facility will serve as the internal hub for teachers and staff. Designed to reflect our quadruple bottom line, We will be highly energy efficient to reduce its environmental impact and minimize operating expenses. It will use an innovative solar heating system and have a near net zero energy footprint. Working with local architects, green building experts, and local renowned landscape architects specializing in native grassland restoration, this beautiful, well-designed and innovative building aims to be inspirational and an example of meditation in action.
You’ll be participating alongside a talented and experienced builder, and this is a unique chance to be involved in an innovative green building project.
COOKING AND GENERAL SUPPORT
We always need people to help with general center operations – cooking, cleaning and helping to maintain a vibrant space for transformative work to occur is a crucial base from which all else can thrive! This is a great opportunity apply these skills in a meditative environment.
GRASSLAND RESTORATION
We are actively involved in leading local native grassland reclamation and courses which promote and facilitate grassland conservation and awareness on a larger scale. The beautiful southern Rocky Mountain Trench — the East Kootenays — is recognized as one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world, and it is the low-elevation ecosystems of the Trench that support the greatest number of species of flora and fauna.
ORGANIC FARM, PERMACULTURE AND FOOD FORESTS
We run an organic farm as a dynamic, new dharmic exploration. We’ve created a social enterprise to explore where spirituality meets a triple bottom line: join us as we explore mindfulness through an enterprise that emphasizes financial, social and environmental sustainability. In Tara Field we’re implementing permaculture and creating a Food Forest, a balanced “ecosystem” of nutritional, therapeutic, and ornamental plant species. These serve to generate sustainable income and nutriment for our community, provide innovative educational opportunities for our local community, and allow us to contribute to our region’s food security and diverse local food supply.
Languages spoken
In the colder seasons we can provide inside accommodation in the main house or in our mobile home. In the warmer months we have camping facilities (including solar showers and breathtaking views).
CONTACT / TO APPLY
Contact Cara for more details and an application form:
http://www.clearskycenter.org/component/contact/6/22.html