Requirements and Terms for Residency at Embracing Simplicity Hermitage

  

Embracing Simplicity Hermitage is a Buddhist practice community and retreat center. Its purpose is to preserve the Buddha’s teachings through providing residential training for Western monastics and dharma teachers, and retreat opportunities for practitioners who cannot live the secluded life on a full-time basis.

The Hermitage also provides harmonious, meditative living for sincere contemplatives of all compassionate traditions who value the Buddhist path. Residency at the Hermitage can range from one month to one year, or to longer term in certain situations (to be determined on an individual basis).

Residents should participate as fully in the life of the community as possible:

  1. Practice Orientation
    Buddhist path as primary practice. May embrace complimentary spiritual practices. All residents take the Five Precepts, but the Three Refuges and additional Buddhist vows are only offered upon request.
  2. Meditation
    Three sittings daily. Residents are asked to consider meditation a primary aspect of our community. Those who perform puja may incorporate this practice before and after the meditation periods.
  3. Dhamma Discussions and Meditation
    Offered daily by the Hermitage abbots. May be offered from time to time by qualified residents or Dhamma teacher trainees. Abbots Ven. Pannadipa and Ven. Pannavati are available for meditation interviews and personal private consultations by appointment.
  4. Retreats
    Usually, once a month there is a formal meditation retreat open to the public. Residents may participate as permitted by their duties, with permission by the facilitator. Sometimes outside facilitators have set fees or other restrictions. In addition, there may be a dhamma talk or special workshop given from time to time by a residential teacher or trainee.
  5. Work
    Average four hours daily. However, the work schedule is very flexible. Duties may include original creative projects or retreats conducted by residents. Chores may include cooking, housekeeping, shopping, buildings and grounds upkeep, gardening, construction of new buildings, coordinating retreats, assisting visitors, and administrative duties. Work assignments will not always be what you would choose to do, but rather what needs to be done. Free time includes Wednesday after work period ends at 11 am, Saturday after Teacher Training Class ends, and Sunday after dhamma talk/meditation ends at approx. 12:30 pm.
  6. Conduct
    • Willingness to control speech and actions
    • Kind, cooperative, supportive, self-content, respectful, quiet demeanor
    • Willingness to contemplate the effects of your behavior on others and make changes as needed
    • Severly limited "entertainment" needs. TV in use only during designated times; no personal radios or CDs without earphones.
    • Cheerful working attitude
    • Out of courtesy, let someone know when you are leaving the Hermitage for a significant period of time
    • Participate in meetings of residents to discuss work or issues (including grievances)
    • If you bring a vehicle to the Hermitage, you are fully responsible for its upkeep, registration and insurance. If it breaks down and is not fixed in a timely manner, it must be removed from the premises.
    • Modest attire, no perfumes and colognes (very limited use of herbal fragrances and oils OK)
    • Accountability for fiscal arrangements
    • Only vegetarian cooking and eating on premises. Food allowed only in designated eating areas.
    • No smoking on the premises
    • Adherence to all Hermitage guidelines
    • Must be flexible, as this is an emerging spiritual practice/monastic community and Western contemplative order and many changes will take place. In keeping with the Buddha's example, precepts are limited and will only be added when necessary to preserve the purpose and harmony of the community.
    • At the present time, committed partners may share accommodations at the Hermitage. However, the relationship may not be sexual in order to avoid distractions. If you come without a mate and find one at the Hermitage, your circumstances will be reviewed to determine if either or both will be allowed to remain as residents at the Hermitage.
  7. Participate in residents’ meetings.
  8. Accommodations

    It is our goal to eventually offer residence on a dana basis. This will be possible when the mortgage is retired and donations are sufficient. Until then, we must receive a minimum contribution from each resident. Contributions include room and board. Minimum contributions may be subject to annual adjustments.

    Currently all rooms are double occupancy. This means you will share a room with a resident of the same sex unless accompanied by a committed partner. (Your room may be private if there are no other residents at the same time, or if not needed to share for a short term retreat.) Contribution of $600 monthly per person (committed partner sharing same room $300).

    Summer College Students

    Student accommodations may be available for the 2010 summer. Please inquire for availability and cost.

Additional Requirements and Considerations:

  1. A return fare (plane, train or bus) if not driving your own vehicle and one month’s contribution on deposit.
  2. Preference is given to applicants who do not have to work outside during their residency. Those accepted who must have an outside job cannot work more than 20 hours a week, must be fully responsible for getting to and from work, must fulfill their financial and work obligation to the Hermitage as well, and attend one group meditation daily.
  3. Good health. Embracing Simplicity Hermitage is not responsible for health problems and cannot incur hospital or physician expenses for any resident. Residents are solely responsible for their own health care (or lack thereof). Health insurance coverage must be valid in North Carolina.
  4. Residents must successfully complete a 30-day trial residency as a personal retreat. Contribution of $334/week for regular room in the main retreat residence hall or silent retreat residence hall (share bath); or $499/week for the room w/private bath in silent retreat residence hall, and a 90-day probationary residency at the regular resident rate before approval will be granted for long term residency of six months or more. The Hermitage reserves the right to ask residents to leave at any time. Residents may give notice of intent to leave the Hermitage at any time. Therefore, no person is encouraged to cut off worldly ties, liquidate property or assets. The Hermitage cannot take responsibility for a resident's failure to prepare for the possibility of tenure at the Hermitage being terminated.
  5. Acceptance is not automatic and will depend on space availability, apparent aptitude for life in a spiritual/monastic community, recommendations, background check, your aspirations and the qualifications of others who may apply at the same time. ALL ASPECTS OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENCY WILL BE CONSIDERED WHEN YOUR APPLICATION IS REVIEWED.

Please contact the Hermitage for more information and an application for residency, or download the Application for Residency.

Embracing Simplicity Hermitage
41 Wisdom Lane
Hendersonville, NC 28739
828-338-2665

Retreats, Workshops, & Events

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