Holidays with spirituality

Madhyamaka Centre

Ethos
This is a living, breathing Tibetan Buddhist community of about 40 monks and lay residents housed in a beautiful 18th-century English Heritage listed building near York. Surrounded with all the impressive green trimmings anyone would expect from an old English aristocratic home, it's an incongruous mix of the worldly and non-worldly. It hosts meditation and other Buddhist-inspired courses throughout the year, as well as offering 'working holidays'.

Who can join?
Anyone fit and able to muck in - couples included. Families with small children are not suitable for a long stay, although all applicants are considered. There's no need to be Buddhist as there's no pressure to join in the spiritual life of things.

What's the deal?
In exchange for 35 hours work (usually spread over 5 days) you become a part of the community - with lodging, three good vegetarian meals a day and free access to any teachings going on at the time. The house needs constant upkeep (much of it is still being restored) so some tasks can be quite physical, although there's endless cleaning and kitchen work for the less robust. Some stay for a few weeks, and others have even become residents over time. Summers get busy.

The Madhyamaka has many other sister communities in the UK that offer similar 'working holiday' deals - such as the Manjushri Centre, Ulverston, http://www.manjushri.org.uk/; the Tara Centre, Derby, http://www.taracentre.org.uk/; and the Losang Dragpa Centre, Todmorden, http://www.losangdragpa.com.

Madhyamaka Buddhist Centre, Kilnwick Percy Hall, Pocklington, York, YO42 1UF
Tel: +44 (0)1759 304832.
E-mail: info@madhyamaka.org
http://www.madhyamaka.org/

And if it's Buddhism you are particularly after, another option is to join as a volunteer at the celebrity-endorsed Samye Ling Tibetan community near Lockerbie, Scotland. A working monastery (with a stunning temple), it also works to preserve the Tibetan culture and houses a therapy centre. Summers are very popular.
Tel: +44 (0) 138 73 73 232
Email: scotland@samyeling.org
http://www.samyeling.org/About/about.htm

Findhorn Community

Ethos
Perhaps one of the best known (and largest) communities in the UK, Scotland's Findhorn has paved the way for sustainable co-operative living. It originally forged itself a reputation in the 1960s with its 'different' spiritual work with nature - in short, it believes that nature has intelligence and is part of a much greater plan. It now has an international reach and is involved with UN work. It goes without saying that everything is eco-friendly.

It is now a major centre of adult education (with over 4,500 visitors each year), attracted to the seven 'core programmes', and 60 week-long workshops. It is supported by a growing number of 150 community members who live between two campuses - other associated members live nearby.

Who can join?
The Findhorn is a tightly operated outfit and anyone interested must be wholly committed to entering the community vibe and all that goes with it. Members stress that they are not guided by any formal doctrine - the only emphasis is on meditation. Buddhists live alongside Christians and atheists- toleration is a guiding principle. Families are welcome.

What's the deal?
Unless you can pop in for a day and hang out, the first step for any interested person is to join an 'Experience Week', which has been running since 1974. It offers an introduction to Findhorn's spiritual principles (such as 'attunement' and 'group work') and presents many of the major aspects of life there through discussion, meditation, sacred dance, nature outings and community members' sharings. The important bit is the help you give in the gardens, the kitchens, the home or with general maintenance, as this is when most spiritual guidance takes place. There are tailored 'Experience Weeks' for youth, families, gay men and women, and for those with a particular interest in the satellite ecovillage (as well as some for non-English speakers).

(It's not free, although there's an income-related pricing scheme: £325 low income /£390 medium income/£485 high income).

The Findhorn Foundation, The Park, Forres, Grampian IV36 3TZ, Scotland.
Tel: +44 (0) 1309 690 311
Email: enquiries@findhorn.org
http://www.findhorn.org