2013 Courses, Workshops & Events

Following is a listing of our previous and featured courses, workshops, and events both produced by Living Mandala and by our affiliated partners and friends. If you are interested in working with Living Mandala to produce or promote a course, workshop, or event contact us.

For Upcoming Courses, Workshops, & Events Click in Permaculture, Ecovillage Design, Sustainable Living Skills, & More Click Here.

For 2014 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2013 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2012 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2011 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2010 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2009 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2008 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

Permaculture Design Course

November 10 - 24, 2013

In the Heart of Bodhgaya, India

“7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS)" is a collaboration road map, Asset Based Community-driven Development (ABCD) framework, philosophy of self determination and a curriculum empowering people, businesses and organizations to turn local assets into holistic solutions from the ground up. Developed by Empowerment Works’ several years of 7SS global grassroots community action, and the success of a first 7SS service learning curriculum in China, 7SS is being taken to new heights in northern India. While the 7 Stages to Sustainability is an Asset Based Community-driven Development (ABCD) framework, philosophy of self-determination and a curriculum, this seven stage pattern is also a proven to catalyst for business, technological and social innovation. We are exciting to be partnering with with Sacred Earth Trust, an Indian-based NGO, & Empowerment WORKS - a US 501c3 global sustainability think-tank in action dedicated to the advancement of whole-system, locally-led solutions...  to bring the 7SS curriculum along with a Permaculture Design Course to the villages of Bodhgaya, India. In addition to delivering essential 7SS tools for effective implementation of community-led solutions, this 2 week + sustainability intensive will be integrated with a full Permaculture design course focused on utilizing the 7SS and Permaculture Design curriculum towards real projects in the local community. Read More.

Urban Transformation, Placemaking, & Village Building

With Mark Lakeman

October 24 - 26, 2013  

Venture Greenhouse, San Rafael, California

Over 50% of the world's population now lives in urban centers and the number is growing. Adopting strategies to meet our needs in a sane and ethical way is critical. In this workshop, we will learn how to design and implement strategies which can transform your life, your neighborhood, your city, and the world!

This workshop will present urban permaculture strategies that anyone can use to transform their local and regional circumstance. Read More.

Building Resilient Communities

Northern California

Permaculture & Transition Convergence

October 11 - 13, 2013

Solar Living Institute, Hopland, CA

This gathering is a combined effort of the 9th Northern California Permaculture Convergence and the 2nd Northern California Regional Transition Town Conference. This event is bringing together permaculture designers, transition initiative organizers, sustainability enthusiasts, and communities in Northern California, the West Coast, and beyond for a weekend of intensive focus on a common goal: to build resilient communities and to design sustainable communities habitats, in accordance with nature, for humans, plants, animals, our greater bioregion, and the Earth at large. Practitioners across a wide-spectrum of skill-sets exchange ideas through concurrent workshops and discussions including themes of Permaculture & Transition concepts, movement and capacity building, regenerative enterprise and local economy, re-skilling, communities, and much more. In addition to a plethora of workshops and amazing speakers on a diversity of topics, there will also music and live entertainment, collaborative discussions, amazing networking, children's activities, next generation youth education, educational displays, a market place with specialist vendors. Participants will have opportunities to socialize, strategize, network, and connect with others in the permaculture and transition town movements through meals and the activities listed above. Read More.

Urban Transformation, Placemaking, & Village Building

On-Line Course With Mark Lakeman

6 Sessions, Wednesdays (bi-weekly), July 31 - Oct 9, 2013

3:30 p.m. PDT, 6:30 EDT

The places where we live will be as fulfilling and abundant as we decide. Though much appears out of balance on our path to resilience, we actually have all that we need to transform the conditions of our lives, to repair, rebalance, and restore the our neighborhoods, towns and cities where we live. This workshop is for any person who wants to inspire and guide their own community to create places for gathering, localized food, energy, and water systems, invisible structures that sustain collaboration, and community-based visions for reconsidering and repairing every scale of community habitat. Read More.

Living Compassionate Communication & Permaculture to Sustain Self-Connection

6-week Tele-Course on Thursdays from August 8 - Sept 12, 2013

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm San Francisco; 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm New York

This course is growing like a garden itself. It’s seeds began growing in the Mayan ruins of Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico when Sri Nath first started apprenticing Compassionate Communication with a Choctaw Medicine woman. The pilgrimage of learning “the language of the heart” carried him all around the world to farms, intentional communities, permaculture classes, massacre zones, spiritual centers, prisons, Nonviolent Communication Family Camps, slums and meditation retreats during the grace of the last 6 years through North America & Asia.  Along the way he was gifted by many with wisdom stories about nonviolent composting and conscious inner & social change with, Sages, Saints, ordinary luminaries, and Barbara Larson and Alan Seid and many mentors familiar with the language of our true nature. This is the third year Sri Nath has played with the evolutions of this offering and delighted its taking a life of its own, synergizing with Living Mandala, Barbara Larson & Alan Seid who are Certified Trainers with The Center for Nonviolent Communication. Together, they offer you an extraordinary seed ball of summer learning with a dynamic and interactive course design to serve your Soul to flourish and your unique gifts to thrive, brilliantly. Read More.

Foundational Systems Design

Weekend Intensive

Aug 31 - Sept 1 2013  

Venture Greenhouse, San Rafael, CA

Aquaponics is a combination of Aquaculture and Hydroponics. It is one of the most sustainable and productive farming systems in the world. At a time of global climate change, depletion of resources, pollution of water and huge losses of top soil worldwide, there has never been a more important time to learn about Aquaponics. Join us for this weekend intensive to learn how Permaculture based Aquaponics can produce large amounts of organic food using only a fraction of the resources, time and energy needed in other methods of farming. You will lean basic system designs for several systems, and also look at business models that can be applied towards turning this exciting technology into a thriving business. Read more.

On-Line Course - Hosted by Starhawk

Special Guests - Joanna Macy, Pandora Thomas, and Diana Leafe Christian

6 Sessions, Tuesdays, July 2 - Aug 6, 2013

5:00 p.m. San Francisco • 8:00 p.m. New York

In this live, interactive video course, Starhawk will share tools for clear communication, conflict transformation, constructive critique, and facilitating group decision-making.  You will examine how a group’s vision and structure can support healthful functioning. The Empowerment Manual will be the course's foundation.  Insights from both permaculture and earth-based spirituality will help us learn to be more effective and joyful as we work together to regenerate ourselves and our world. Starhawk has invited 3 experts with deep experience in community building to take part in the conversation: Joanna Macy, Pandora Thomas, and Diana Leafe Christian. This 6-session course takes place on consecutive Tuesdays starting July 2. You will be part of the discussion, able to ask your questions on camera, just like a Skype call. If you can watch a YouTube video, you can take part in this course. Read more.

Kevin Bayuk & David Cody

Summer: June 26 - Aug 4, 2013

San Francisco, CA

Develop professional skills and get valuable sustainability education to enhance your current career, prepare you for your next venture and change your life at home. It is one of the few permaculture design trainings that match the schedule and tuition to the busy lives of urban professionals and full-time students. Through a mix of classroom discussion time, small group work and hands-on activities, we explore methods of designing and establishing regenerative communities and economies. We visit and participate at several permaculture projects here in San Francisco and the Bay Area, observing and interacting with Permaculture principles in practice. Read More.

How To Create Transformative Community

Free Webinar With Starhawk

Friday, June 21, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm PDT

Re-membering and Living Our Essential Nature

With James Stark & Kerry Brady

Tuesday, June 25, 5:30 - 7:00 pm PDT

Organizing Ourselves To Get Things Done

May 24 - 26, 2013  

San Rafael, California

Do you want to learn to become more effective together? Get things done and have more fun? Good governance is no accident. We create it, by design. This foundational training gives you essential tools and experience for applying whole systems governance design in your existing or forming organization. Enable your teams to lead their own work. Value and use change to innovate rapidly. Generate an organization that can run itself. This workshop is equivalent to "Foundations of Sociocracy” - Dynamic Self‐Governance: Become More Effective Together as offered by The Sociocracy Consulting Group. Read More.

Mushroom Cultivation for Home, Garden, & Farm

Saturday, June 1, 1 - 5 pm or

Solstice Grove, Marin County, CA ... or

Sunday, June 2, 1 - 5 pm

Windsor, Sonoma County, CA

* Note: This is a 1 Day Workshop at Either Location *

Join us for a presentation, hands-on workshop, and interactive dialogue exploring the world of fungi, their powerful role in ecosystems, and how to cultivate edible and medicinal mushrooms at your home, garden, or farm! We will introduce participants to fungal biology, mycelial applications, and mushroom cultivation tecniques. Learn simple and proven techniques to grow edible and medicinal mushrooms in your backyard such as shitake, reishi, oyster, lion’s main and many others!  Also learn how mushrooms can be utilized to restore damaged soil and ecosystems. Participants will leave with mushroom kits that will enable them to grow edible mushrooms at home! Read more.

With Applied Permaculture Design

Backyard, Family & Commercial Systems

June 6 - 9, 2013  

Ukiah, California

Aquaponics is one of the most sustainable and productive farming systems in the world. It combines Aquaculture and Hydroponics to create more self-sufficient, closed-loop, systems that use only a fraction of the water, labor, energy, etc. that other methods use. Combining Permaculture Design with Aquaponics creates an even more sustainable, dynamic, productive & regenerative system. In this training you will learn some of the most cutting-edge pioneering aquaponics systems and gain a solid foundation from which to create your own Aquaponics System, Farm & thriving Green Business appropriate to your climate, ecology, dreams, & desires. Read More.

Foundational Systems Design

Weekend Intensive

April 13 - 14, 2013  

Venture Greenhouse, San Rafael, CA

This Aquaponics with Applied Permaculture weekend intensive includes: a detailed exploration into aquaponics; system designs from all over the world; its design, functions, adaptability, uses, variations and improvements; and over 30 pages of course materials. We will touch on basic formulas, calculations, estimates, guidelines, business models, permaculture design integration, and more. This course is intended to give you an in depth introduction to creating integrated regenerative aquaponics systems. Read More.

Changing Our Relationship with Money

FREE WEBINAR

With Elyssa Serrilli & Sri Nath Barker

Saturday. Jan 19, 10:00 am - 11:30 am PST

1::00 pm - 2:30 pm EST

Thich Nhat Hanh states that "Climate change is an inside job." What does this mean?  In order to create nourishing and regenerative business structures, we have to first look at our own relationship with money. Money is not inherently bad; it comes from Mother Nature, the provider of all things.  When we have compassion for money and recognize it as just one of many strategies for meeting our needs, we begin to feel spacious around how this tool can be used in regenerative business development.  This webinar will ground a discussion of basic human needs in the context of permaculture. Read More.

& Local Business Summit

January 21-25, 2013

Miami Dade College,

Homestead Campus

Miami, Florida

At the end of January, 2013 Financial Permaculture and Local Business Summit will host community investment and financial experts, Permaculture designers and regenerative entrepreneurs for this dynamic gathering and integrative learning experience of building community resiliency. Participants will learn tools and skills to address the economic and ecological challenges of 21st century as we explore creating forward looking businesses, resource cycling, local investments, and optimizing the local natural systems and human capacities to implement models of regenerative business and local resiliency. Read More.

Permaculture Design Certification Course

Jan 19 - Feb 3, 2013

Peruvian Amazon Rainforest - The Paititi Institute

The goal of the course and the center is to share how we can live and be in a more sustainable and harmonious relationship with nature while creating a supportive, self sufficient and nurturing community around us. In collaboration with international experts in Permaculture and indigenous Shamans of the Peruvian Amazon, we will immerse ourselves into one of the most bio-diverse regions on the planet. Entering the Amazon, we will experience deeply how we are interconnected to this magnificent organism, earth. We will study Permaculture design while learning to truly be in relationship with ourselves. The course will intertwine three main areas of experience: Earth Wisdom. Body Wisdom, & Universal Wisdom. Read More.

With Gaia University

Beginning Dates: Jan 10, 2013  

Planet Earth

This Diploma program provides support, encouragement and qualification credits to people engaging in constructive action towards the goals of personal, community and global resilience. It commences with our comprehensive online orientation comprised of four course modules: Learning Online with Gaia U, Life and Career Review, Learning Intentions and Pathway Design, and the full Transformative Action Learning Certificate. Following these orientations we move into a design process in which you thoroughly survey your intended community of action to establish who else is on the case for action for resilience. These people will likely include local permaculture designers, Transition Town activists, Food Sovereignty advocates and more. You may well be able to augment the efforts of these people and yet you may need to start your own, fresh projects. If you are already engaged in a project, taking a Diploma program will significantly raise its strategic value and give you access to mentors who will support you to strengthen your project and time management skills, entrepreneurial acumen, organizational design and more. Read More.

With Gaia University

Beginning Dates: Jan 10, 2013  

On-Line Education / Planet Earth

The International Diploma of Permaculture Design (IDPD)  is a Gaia University International program, launched in February of 2012. Its goal is to train and empower the next generation of action-oriented permaculture designers. Through active permaculture mentoring and digital documentation, the IDPD supports real people and real projects to regenerate ecological, economic, and social landscapes while maintaining a high level of quality assurance. This action-learning educational program is process-oriented, learner-directed, and focused on designing and implementing real-life permaculture projects. Participants in the program (Diploma Candidates) carry out projects in their communities with the support of advisors, mentors and a global network of permaculture practitioners. Diploma candidates document their work online in a shared ePortfolio format so that it can be reviewed by peers & mentors and, as appropriate, released to the public to showcase permaculture to the world.  Read More.

Integrative Ecosocial Design

Beginning Dates: Jan 10, 2013  

With Gaia University

On-line Education / Planet Earth

Gaia University bachelor's degrees are suited to young adults who are seeking to transition from the more typical other-directed (teachers, professors, parents) learning approaches found in conventional education to becoming discerning, self-foraging action-oriented learners and unlearners capable of substantial self-direction. This transition to autonomy is highly significant. Many adults in our conventional culture never make this leap as it involves us facing up to the fears and oppressions that prevent us coming into our own power in a culture which prefers us as powerless consumers. The journey is likely to be bumpy and scary at times (which is why we recommend re-evaluation counseling for its capacity to assist us in noticing and releasing what is getting in the way of our full emancipation) and Gaia University is structured to provide good levels of peer and advising support for the willing adventurer. Read More.

Integrative Ecosocial Design or Open Topic

Beginning Dates: Jan 10, 2013  

With Gaia University

On-line Education / Planet Earth

Gaia University master's degrees are suited to adults making the transition from functioning at an operational level to becoming strategic. They are not suited to young adults who have not yet acquired any hands-on field experience. At the master's level, taking leadership is an important thread. You will be exploring your capacities for taking on leadership roles and looking for opportunities to challenge yourself using Gaia University's support structures to process any resistances and fears that may arise (we recommend re-evaluation counseling for its insights into developing leadership and creating a leaderful culture).

You have a choice of pathways – Integrative Ecosocial Design (IESD) and Open Topic. Both pathways assist you in developing transferable skill-flexes much in demand by project leaders, non-profits and other employers in the world change field. You will enhance your project design and management skills; develop your digital documentation skills; expand your leadership abilities; develop additional research capacities; hone your action learning skills and more. Read More.

An Intensive Course With Dr. Elaine Ingham

February 4 - 8, 2013

MA Center, Castro Valley, CA

This workshop, with Dr. Elaine Ingham the internationally revered soil expert of our time, is for farmers, landscapers, ranchers, creators and distributors of agricultural products, waste management professionals, soil and garden enthusiasts of all types, and anyone who touches the earth.  Simply put, this information needs to be central to any sustainable agriculture or land management. Read More.

ON-LINE COURSE & FREE

VIDEO SERIES

With John Young

You see birds in your yard everyday, but did you know they have a lot to say about YOU?  Learn about the art of understanding Bird Language in these fun free videos with Jon Young, author of What the Robin Knows: How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World. Read More.

Permaculture Business Innovation:

Applying Permaculture Ethics, Principles and Strategies to Business

With Kevin Bayuk

Thursday, Jan 17th, 6:30 - 9:00 pm

The Venture Greenhouse

San Rafael, California

Or Watch Live On-Line!

As Permaculture design surges into popular consciousness it is often misconstrued or pigeonholed as a method of landscape design or a set of farming techniques.  While permaculture design will likely continue to be recognized by hallmark strategies like perennial polyculture food forests and natural buildings, all its techniques and strategies emerge from a ethical and principle-based framework and associated methods of design that can be applied to any facet of human settlement - including why and how we do business. Read More.

Team Synergy

Financial Permaculture Webinar Series:

With Shiloh Boss

WATCH ON-LINE FREE!

Tuesday, Jan 15th 4:00 - 5:00 pm PST

Join Living Mandala team member and Evolutionary Strategist, Shiloh Boss as we launch the Designing the New World with Living Systems Principles Series and begin our exploration of key themes, helpful tools and critical considerations facing us as designers of the new world. This months Designing the New World webinar will be focused on “Team Synergy” and will take a look at a few of the underlying principles and ethics that make up vital groups that can embody the vision of regenerative systems and culture, while aiming to bring it fully into play through grounded practice and awareness. Read More.

FREE WEBINAR

Eric Toensmeier

Wed, Jan 9, 12 - 1:30 pm PST

We'll review considerations in selecting enterprises for commercial-scale food forests and other perennial farming systems. Topics including market research, value-added products, and marketing strategies will be covered briefly. The bulk of the webinar will introduce potential enterprises and their products, marketing channels, legal and permit issues, and equipment and infrastructure needs. Product categories will include tree crop foods, wood and bamboo products, foods from the understory, non-food products from the understory, livestock products, biofuels and industrial feedstocks, nursery and seed sales, and professional and land management services. Read more.

For Upcoming Courses, Workshops, & Events Click in Permaculture, Ecovillage Design, Sustainable Living Skills, & More Click Here.

For 2011 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2010 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2009 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.

For 2008 Courses, Workshops, & Events Click Here.