Explore life in an intentional community, small-scale farm, and retreat center based on universal spiritual principles. It’s ideal for anyone seeking a summer internship, gap-year program, mid-life transition, or lifestyle change, to develop healthy habits and routines for a balanced and vibrant life.
- Develop a daily practice of yoga and meditation
- Learn life skills through vegetarian cooking, organic farming, construction, and facility maintenance.
- Making lifelong connections with like‑minded friends.
- Contribute to a new vision for the world, based on small communities that value a meaningful inner life through simple living and high thinking.
Would you like to learn more? Call 503-746-6229 or write to efl@anandalaurelwood.org.
Visit Living in Community to explore our community philosophy and residential programs.
We strongly encourage you to begin your internship with a First Timers’ Weekend, which will give you a full introduction into meditation practices and community life. The cost of one First Timers’ Weekend is waived for interns.
Learn life skills while incorporating universal spiritual principles into your everyday life.
- Vegetarian Cooking
- Small-scale Farming
- Compassionate ElderCare
- Retreat Center Hospitality and Marketing
- Buildings & Grounds
- Creative Arts
Fees for the Karma Yoga Internship include:
- Experience in developing life skills in cooking, construction, maintenance, hospitality trades
- Daily classes on meditation, yoga, universal truths, and yogic principles
- Three delicious vegetarian meals each day
- Dormitory-style housing with private bedroom with one twin bed, and bathroom down the hall. No pets, please.
- All utilities and reliable wifi included
- Access to 225 acres of rural land, hiking trails, and communal spaces for meditation, art, study, exercise, and recreation
- Personalized support in developing spiritual practices, navigating community living and life transitions, creating special projects, and integrating your experience
- Cost of First Timers’ Weekend, if one occurs during your stay
You can start the process of joining Ananda Center at Laurelwood with three simple steps.
1. Application – Download the application to your computer, complete it using your processing software, and email it as a text or PDF file to efl@anandalaurelwood.org. You may also complete the application by hand and mail it to 38950 SW Laurelwood Rd, Gaston, OR 97119.
Internship Application – For the Karma Yoga Internship ($500/month plus cleaning deposit).
Cities of Light Application – For the Cities of Light residential-student program ($1350/month plus cleaning deposit).
2. Application fee – Submit your $30 application fee on-line
Your typical day of community life will look something like this:
6:30 – 8:00 am Meditation
7:00 – 8:45 am Breakfast (in silence until 8:30)
9:00 – 12:45 pm Service shift or free time
12:15 – 12:45 pm Midday meditation
12:45 – 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 – 2:30 pm Class Time
3:30 – 6:00 pm Service shift or free time
4:30 – 6:15 pm Yoga & meditation
6:00 – 6:30 pm Dinner
6:45 – 8:15 pm Service shift or free time
7:30 – 9:00 pm Evening class or activity
Interns agree to attend one group meditation or yoga session each day, all intern classes, and 25 hours of helping others each week.
