“SERVICE IS THE BEST WAY; SERVE OTHERS AND DO YOUR SADHANA ALONGSIDE.” - SRI M 

WHAT DOES VOLUNTEERING AT SACRED GROVE ENTAIL?

Volunteering at Sacred Grove is one of the best ways to serve and give back. All of our retreats are 100% run by volunteers who come from different walks of life. As a volunteer, you get to perform a variety of duties at the Sacred Grove campus that include food preparation, dining hall set up, cleaning, meditation hall set up, parking and checking-in attendees. Volunteers play a big role in ensuring the retreats run smoothly and efficiently.

DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE RETREAT TO BE A VOLUNTEER?

There is no fee charged to be a volunteer. 

WHEN DO I NEED TO ARRIVE AT SACRED GROVE FOR VOLUNTEERING?

It is highly recommended that you plan to arrive at Sacred Grove the evening prior to Day 1 of the retreat.  You will need to be at Sacred Grove no later than 8:30 am on Day 1 of the retreat to attend a mandatory orientation meeting at 9am.

WHEN SHOULD I PLAN ON DEPARTING AFTER THE RETREAT SO I CAN ADEQUATELY COMPLETE MY VOLUNTEERING DUTIES?  

Please plan to leave on the last day 3 hours after the dinner service is completed (~9pm or so).  Please do not plan to drive back from Graham earlier than that as it leaves the team short handed to wrap up everything after the retreat.

HOW MANY HOURS AM I EXPECTED TO VOLUNTEER

Volunteers will be expected  to dedicate approximately 8 hours of volunteering per day during this time.  Should you have other work commitments kindly ensure that it does not conflict with your volunteering shift.  Also please plan to do any work at your hotel room or in your car, and not elsewhere on campus at Sacred Grove.

CAN I DO MY WORK PART-TIME OR IN BETWEEN VOLUNTEERING BREAKS

If you have more than an hour or so work commitment during the retreat please consider volunteering for a future retreat when you are able to dedicate your time to the volunteering.  Should you choose to work during volunteering breaks please  plan to do any work at your hotel room or in your car, and not elsewhere on campus at Sacred Grove

IS THERE A MINIMUM AGE FOR VOLUNTEERS?

 Volunteers should be 15 years or older to volunteer at the retreat.  Younger children will not be allowed on campus except for attendees and except for Pranams on the last day.

ARE FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE FOR VOLUNTEERS?

All volunteers are invited to enjoy the nutritious vegetarian meals during the entire duration of the retreats, prepared by fellow volunteers.

Volunteers are responsible to make their own arrangements for accommodation for the retreats.  

We have negotiated discounted rates for accommodations at the following hotels in Graham, TX for the retreats.  Please make the reservations directly with the hotel.  We recommend that you do not use third party websites to book the hotel rooms as it becomes easier for the hotels to track the guests of our retreats and serve them  properly.

Please note that we will also start a retreat specific WhatsApp group to help facilitate conversations with other volunteers to arrange for roommates, sharing rental cars, organizing a ride, etc.  

Hotels info:

CAN I HAVE A PREFERENCE ON VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES THAT MATCH MY SKILLS or INTERESTS?

Volunteers have the opportunity to sign up for their preference of service activities in advance and we will try to accommodate those preferences as much as possible.  Please note that the teams will be assigned based on the needs of the retreat and the number of people required to staff each team.  Don’t be discouraged if you are assigned to a team that doesn’t align with your preference.  The joy of volunteering is to give back, meeting new people, making friends and facilitating a successful retreat.

IS THERE AN ORIENTATION FOR VOLUNTEERS BEFORE ARRIVING AT SACRED GROVE?

Yes, we will conduct two orientation sessions for confirmed volunteers and they will build on each other.  First orientation will be online via zoom ~3-4 weeks prior to the retreat and you will receive an invite for that.  The second orientation will be an in person session at Sacred Grove at 9am on the first day of the retreat.  

DO VOLUNTEERS GET INITIATED INTO KRIYA YOGA?

No, Kriya Yoga initiation is NOT part of the volunteer program. If Kriya Yoga initiation is your main focus, please consider joining the Kriya Yoga retreats as an attendee, not as a volunteer. 

DO VOLUNTEERS GET 1-ON-1 TIME WITH SRI M?

All volunteers will get the opportunity to individually offer their pranams (respects) to Sri M and receive his blessings at the end of each retreat. We will not be able to accommodate 1-1 sessions due to the volume of participants and time constraints. 

CAN I BE A REMOTE VOLUNTEER?

We do not have may spots for remote volunteers but if you have specific skills to apply and wish to volunteer remotely, please make your request at: sacredgrovevolunteers@blossomfoundation.com 

CAN I VOLUNTEER PART OF THE RETREAT, MEANING JUST ONE DAY OR HALF A DAY?

We are seeking full-time volunteers for a minimum of one 3-day retreat. We do not have open spots for part-time volunteering at this time.

CAN I SPEND TIME ON THE SACRED GROVE CAMPUS POST VOLUNTEERING FOR A RETREAT?

The Sacred Grove campus is only open to retreat participants and volunteers during scheduled retreats.  For any other queries around the volunteering program or your participation as a volunteer for one of the retreats, please email us at sacredgrovevolunteers@blossomfoundation.com

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