Staying at TBH: Practical Information

Accommodation, costs, and other useful information

If you are attending a retreat, course or other training event, you are welcome to stay in The Buddhist House. At the Buddhist House we also welcome visitors who would like to come and stay to practice Buddhism with us and learn more about our way of life. Individual visits and retreats are possible at most times.

We offer two sorts of accommodation in the house. If you would like basic accommodation you need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow case. You will be given space in a shared bedroom or in another room which will probably be a mattress on the floor. If you would prefer, you can book guest room accommodation. This consists of a made up bed in a twin bedded room. At quieter times you may well have the room to yourself. If you are coming to The Buddhist House for a course or other event, please confirm which nights you wish to stay and what accommodation you want.

Accommodation Fees
If you bring a sleeping bag you contribute £12 per full day and if you stay in one of our twin bedded guest rooms you contribute £22 per full day. Sometime we can offer single rooms at £30 per full day. If you have extra meals we suggest £4 per main meal (ie for a one night weekend we suggest £16/£26). Students and others who are attending courses for which they are paying are offered a 10% discount. They are welcome to stay extra days before or after a course or event if desired. As a community we are dependent on the contributions of visitors to finance the running of the house. To book contact courses@amidatrust.com

Main Scheme Volunteers and Trainees
Those who come as full-time volunteers or trainees pay £800 as a once only non-refundable fee. Their stay is conditional upon following instructions. Volunteers will be accommodated at The Buddhist House for a period of training and until there is an opportunity to send them to a placement overseas. In practice this means that they receive between one and three months accommodation in UK and about five months accommodation in India or Africa and their airfare is paid. Trainees are accommodated indefinitely and undergo Buddhist training. They staff The Buddhist House, have domestic duties, educational assignments, a full lturgical life, and participate in in-house and socially engaged activities of the community. They may be sent abroad or remain in UK according to the needs of the community from time to time.

Ad Hoc Volunteers
Volunteers who are not planning to go outside Europe or who will be paying their own airfares or not participating in the whole scheme generally pay £50 per week, but individual cases are assessed on their merits.

Exceptions
We have no wish to exclude those who have a sincere wish to study Buddhism yet have particular financial difficulties. Please discuss your situation with us if you are unable to contribute at the suggested rates. Equally, if you are able, please do be generous as this helps others.

The Community
The Buddhist House community generally consists of around eight long term residents. This community as well as all our oversea work in Africa, India and elsewhere, is supported by income from the courses we run and donations we receive. Nobody i nThe Buddhist House receives a salary. Please be generous if you can.

We have a house schedule of Pureland practice, work periods and seminars that visitors are welcome to join. If you are attending for a course, we welcome your participation in most other house events including practice periods, but there is no obligation to do so. During course times, there is generally Buddhist practice at 8.00am and pm. You can check the house notice board for details of the daily schedule.