Being an Apprentice

Apprentices contribute to the development of Evolving Ground’s (eG’s) structures and resources. They have personal guidance from Charlie and Jared and support each other to apply Vajrayana in their lives and practice.

The apprentice role requires committed involvement in the community and is granted through an application process. Apprentices serve as community guardians and role models, which means setting standards of excellent communication, healthy group dynamics, and a friendly vibe for newcomers. They have a lot of fun together creating an enjoyably productive environment for everyone.

Apprentices have a wide range of backgrounds

Some are new to Vajrayana, others have developed some understanding and practice. Some are experienced, long-term practitioners.

We welcome this wide range of experience. We offer insights from diverse Vajrayana traditions to newcomers in a contemporary setting and we provide the space for experienced peers to geek out over the nuances of multiple histories and views. Our emphasis on diversity of experience and expression of differences mitigates against groupthink and cultish conformity without stifling opportunities for shared belonging and friendship.

Apprentices are involved

Apprentices belong to a small group of 6 or 7 yogis. Each group meets on a monthly basis for a practice lab. Additionally, they often meet with each other informally for project work, peer practice, and support. Individually, they have the opportunity to develop a personalized practice and study curriculum with Jared and Charlie. 

Apprentices also meet with pupils and solo practitioners once a month with Charlie and Jared to discuss a topic related to Vajrayana and relevant to the community. Topic examples are ‘skillful communication,’ ‘motivation vs. discipline,’ ‘skepticism and trust’. 

There is no eG prescribed path, but we do expect apprentices to employ eG methods in their practice, particularly our opening awareness meditation training, which we regard as foundational. Usually yogis accepted into the apprentice role have been involved in the community for some time in one of the other roles. Movement between these roles remains an option at any time. We encourage apprentices to discuss their role and path with us if they are unsure about what fits best.

Apprentices are patient, kind, and friendly. They welcome newcomers and gate-keep community boundaries according to congruent involvement and interest in Vajrayana from a meta-systematic perspective. They are responsible for maintaining the high standards of communication outlined in our Community Guidelines, and for creating a happy, industrious atmosphere.

Charlie and Jared consult with apprentices about eG development and resources, asking for suggestions, criticism, and feedback on how things are going.

The minimum monthly pledge for apprentices is $109. Additional support is appreciated and supports the creation of resources, hosted events, and reduced event and membership rates for some yogis.

Apprenticeship is personal 

The heart of Vajrayana is spiritual development through personal relationships in a community of practice and, particularly, through relationships with spiritual guides or teachers. We emphasize the relationship, rather than the individual peers or teachers, as the mechanism for change. 

Vajrayana practice in eG is individualized. It is diverse, by definition, because its purpose is the confident integration of the uncertain aspects of our experience — insubstantiality, impermanence, isolation, discontinuity and nebulosity — with the infinite variety of life’s circumstances.

Our relationships with individual apprentices are highly personalized. Our purpose is to support each apprentice’s practice and its relevance in their lives through exploration, feedback, trial and error, and suggestion. We encourage intelligent inquiry, expression of difference, and respectful disagreement. Our get-togethers with groups and individuals are both serious and light-hearted. We recognize the value of both the spiritual friend (a guide and peer who can make suggestions and act as a sounding board) and the teacher-student relationship — without expecting one or the other and without reifying or fixing our own or apprentices’ roles.

Some apprentices have teachers outside eG. We ask you to discuss your eG involvement with them before applying to become an apprentice or pupil, and to tell us about them. We don’t want to suggest practices that might conflict with other methods. It’s your responsibility to tell us if you think there might be a conflict in approaches or practice.