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🌄Help in a Swiss Alps Retreat – Qi Gong, Nature & Hospitality

The experience

Volunteers help with household tasks, cleaning rooms, cooking meals, gardening, occasionally taking care of our dogs🐕, and handling small creative or maintenance projects.
Days include shared meals, 4–5 hours of work, and optional Qi Gong sessions🧘.
We value kindness, teamwork, and mindfulness. Enjoy a private room with a bathroom, vegetarian meals, and time to explore the Swiss Alps while supporting our meditation center :)

What you offer

20 hours of help per week

Housekeeping: Help with changing the bed linens and general housekeeping.

Pet Sitting: Taking care of and looking after pets.

Cleaning: Help clean the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas.

Cooking: Choose the menu, pick ingredients and cook delicious dishes.

Additional fee required

Amount: US$ 5 Per day

Description: Mandatory Tourist Tax. If you decide to stay more than a month there is the possibility to pay a "one year" tourist tax for 144 CHF (instead of the 4.80 CHF/day), which allows you to take free transportation in the valley such as several other advantages here!

What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Fast Internet Access: High-speed internet for you to work remotely

Dedicated Workspace: Specific space for you to work remotely

Requirements

Fluent English or Intermediate German

Over 25 years old

Only hosts solo volunteers (doesn’t accept couples or partners)

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

Dear Volunteer,
Welcome to our page!

My name is Jamilah, and in 2022 my mother and I bought an old hotel in the heart of the Swiss Alps and transformed it into a meditation center🏔️. My mother, Brigitte, was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. During her recovery, she discovered the healing power of Qi Gong, which supported her through chemotherapy and beyond. Over the years, this practice became her anchor for health and well-being, and she felt called to share it with others.

Her dream was not only to create a meditation center, but also to make these teachings accessible to everyone. That’s why we established The Shen Foundation, so that even people who cannot easily afford retreats have the chance to benefit from Qi Gong and this way of life.

Today, our former hotel has become a meditation and retreat center, where we practice daily Qi Gong and welcome guests through Airbnb and Booking.com for short- and long-term stays🌿

Activities & Shift

A typical day at our center looks like this:

7:45 - Optional Qi Gong session (learn to center and calm yourself)
8:00 - Shared breakfast preparation and meal
9:00 - First task (around 2 hours)
11:00 - Break (siesta time)
11:45 - Shared lunch preparation and meal
13:30 - Second task
15:00 - End of the work day! Free time to explore the valley🏞️
17:00 - Optional Qi Gong session
18:45 - Shared dinner preparation and meal

The help we need most often includes:
- Cleaning and keeping the building tidy
- Preparing guest rooms and assisting visitors if needed
- Taking care of our two friendly dogs occasionally🐶
- Prepare meals for several people (up to 10)
- Watering indoor and outdoor plants🌱
- Reorganizing spaces and sometimes painting

Rules

As a meditation center, we welcome calm and respectful volunteers who enjoy peace, reflection, and self-discovery. We ask everyone to respect silence in the building from 22:00 to 6:00 and warmly encourage joining our Qi Gong classes. The valley offers hiking in summer and winter sports in winter⛷️great for nature and peace lovers.

Located in a remote alpine valley, our village is surrounded by mountains, forests, and silence. There are no bars or shops (only one small grocery store), and the nearest city is about 30 minutes away. It’s ideal for those who love nature, simplicity, and being away from the rush of society.