Our mission at Mangalam Center is to explore the inner world of experience and how it shapes our way of being in the world. We are grounded in teachings of the Nyingma Buddhist tradition about ourselves and our minds, as presented in the writings of our founder, Tibetan master Tarthang Tulku. Mangalam Center is a member of the Nyingma Association of Mandala Organizations.
The Mindful Living program provides a comprehensive introduction to Buddhism as a philosophy, practice and way of living. You will join a close-knit group of practitioners at Mangalam Center, which is part of a Buddhist community founded by Tibetan lama Tarthang Rinpoche that has been living, learning, and working on projects together since 1969. The program will present teachings developed by Rinpoche, a master in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, while also including classes on the history and fundamental teachings of Buddhism.
Mindful Living integrates qualities of a residential retreat with those of a volunteer or work-exchange opportunity. You will be joining our spiritual community at Mangalam Center for nine months to help with our projects, see what it is like to live in a Buddhist community, and learn different ways of meditating and studying the mind.
During the Mindful Living Program, you’ll gain insight into how to ask questions that are significant for understanding the mind. We will explore the inquiries through sitting and movement practice as well as our daily activities. The special focus is geared towards bringing awareness to daily life – at work, washing the dishes, hiking a trail, eating an apple, drinking a coffee, debating an issue, connecting with others, changing the world. Being aware of what is happening allows us to keep the flexibility of life – the right amount of spontaneity, adaptability, discipline and focus.
Developing a mindful life, can be difficult on your own. This is a difficult move to make without the right space, knowledge and timing. What is special about this program is that it provides a supportive environment, traditionally informed classes and ample time to practice different aspects you want to explore in developing a mindful life.
The program is a 9-month, residential work-study program that introduces students to our approach to the study and practice of Buddhism and participate in the community’s way of life. Students live, work and attend classes in our downtown Berkeley residential community.
Mangalam Center explores new ways of bringing Buddhist wisdom to the modern world. We embrace spiritual, secular, and integrated approaches to learning about our mind and ourselves, opening as many doors as possible to the means of healing and transformation.
Our goal is to communicate the heart of traditional teachings in an accessible way, while still maintaining their depth and authenticity. Recognizing the difficulty of translating ideas across time, cultures, and communities, we focus on having conversations and asking questions. We also emphasize bringing meditation or mindfulness practice into ordinary activities, to allow our own embodied experience to guide our understanding.
Mangalam Center is rooted in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and the teachings of Tarthang Tulku.
Interested applicants can submit a resume or CV to he***@************er.com
If your application proceeds, there will be a full group interview and a separate interview with spiritual leadership.
Contact he***@************er.com
One person or partnership has ultimate authority.
A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.
Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Regular fees: $700
Labor: Yes (25 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Financial support is available through a separate scholarship application process. Scholarship recipients may receive a stipend of up to $350/month.
Common House, Library, Workshop, Large Scale Kitchen, Internet
Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.
Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
kitchens, dining, and social areas.
Residential communities focused on providing space for meditation, spiritual practice, and personal growth retreats.
Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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