Why I volunteer at Lam Rim Wales

It was a warm welcome by the team at Lam Rim Wales one cold summer afternoon. They kindly  prepared me a meal of garden beans, mashed potatoes and hand made vegetable burgers and talked me through the scene. 

“For now, enjoy yourself and when you wake up tomorrow, follow Graham to the garden and he will show you what to do," they said. 

After a day of surrendering to the shrine room and the library, I woke up the next day and followed Graham to the garden. 

“This is where all our food comes from. Almost nothing comes from the supermarket," he said and had me planting seeds and collecting food. 

I looked at the office which was in need of repair and asked to settle there. “I can help you with the admin and social media if you want,” I told Graham and the rest of the team over lunch. 

“Great,” they said and I settled into the office. 

That’s when my life with Lam Rim really began. I´m now five months into volunteering and still planting seeds, enjoying the shrine room and needing the library. 

It was perhaps by the grace of my karma, the grace of my own desire or by chance that I arrived at Lam Rim Wales. But with a good team of hearty trustees, well respected teachers and a garden full in bloom, I suppose my heart felt that I needed to be here and said “yes, be here.”

I bowed to that and now find myself hoping to stay close to Lam Rim Wales. My heart says thank you for allowing me belonging, giving and receiving all the same. 

I would say that if you’re a person seeking spirituality, Buddhism, tranquility, beauty and well deserving people, then Lam Rim is a good place to be. 

Thanks for reading my words. 

Anneka