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2008, Living Mandala
creative services by: 360 Degrees

REGISTER HERE.

Cost: $195- $225

The cost for this workshop is $195 Early Bird, $225 standard.

Light beverages, snacks, and a nutritious vegetarian lunch will be provided.

1. *There will be a small registration fee in addition to the above prices.
   

To Register Click Here.

Dates & Times

The workshop will begin on Friday evening Feb 28, from 7pm - 9pm, and on Saturday and Sunday (March 1 - 2) from 9:00 am - 5:30 pm.

Seven Stages to Sustainability (7SS) Permaculture Design Course: March - May 2014

This weekend workshop is part of a longer 13 day Permaculture Design Course that will continue with 4 additional weekends from March - May, 2014. We are very excited to be partnering with Empowerment Works and some exceptional teachers from the Bay Area Permaculture Teachers Guild for this unique course: 7 Stages to Sustainability Permaculture Design Course: Permaculture for International Sustainable Development & Social Entrepreneurship

Learn the art and science of Permaculture based as we make our way through the curriculum over 5 modules from, March - May 2014, taught and facilitated by a diversity of exceptional instructors from the Bay Area Permaculture Teachers Guild.

During this unique, 13 Day, 4 part module training, we will also learn the process of the Seven Stages to Sustainability along with Permaculture Design as powerful frameworks to transform communities into resilient human settlements in greater harmony with nature. With a focus on international sustainable development and social entrepreneurship, we will look at successful case studies, move through design processes, and learn potent and practical tools for localized food, energy, water systems, community,and invisible structures for re-designing every scale of human habitat. As part of the course, students will apply the 7SS & Permaculture framework and process towards live design projects to be developed during the full course from March - May 2014, and delivered to stakeholders in the community on the final session on May 18.

7SS + Permaculture

Whether addressing poverty, promoting health, education, or a sustainable environment, “Seven Stages to Sustainability (7SS)” serves as an interactive guide on how to turn local problems into solutions. Created by to empower community-led solutions; 7SS approach to community development honors the unique values within all cultures, economic sectors, and disciplines that lie at the core of creating a sustainable world. Together and integrated with Permaculture Design - this creates a powerful framework for cross-sector collaboration and implementation of locally led solutions towards community sustainability and resiliency.

This training is an ideal capacity building opportunity for NGO leaders and others interested in international sustainable development to increase their skill sets in the field, while also completing an internationally recognized certificate in Permaculture Design within the context of integrated sustainable development. With a special focus on social permaculture and cross-sector collaboration, this unique course is also perfect for permaculture enthusiasts seeking to expand and apply their skills for greater impact. Students will learn the skills to apply 7SS and Permaculture in their own organization's, communities, and project initiatives.

Through learning simple program development and sustainability approaches (including program evaluation, microfinance, fair trade, local asset building), along with the a potent tool bag of permaculture strategies and on-the-ground and solutionary technologies.... students will as emerge as more confident leaders, designers, and community facilitators able to engage, and inspire diverse stakeholders in local solutions.

This is a rare opportunity to learn both of these powerful frameworks and regenerative design processes, how they can work together, and how they can be be applied some of the most pressing problems facing the world and communities today on a local and international level through cross-sector collaboration and grass roots implementation.

For More Information Click Here.

Entire PDC + 7SS or Individual Modules

Sign up for the entire course to receive the complete Permaculture Design + 7SS Certification, or attend specific modules. Details on the Specific modules below.

4 PDC Modules:

1. •Module 1: (March 27 - 30, 2014):  $295 / $325             Seven Stages to Sustainability + Permaculture Design
   

2. •Module 2: (April 10 - 13):  $195 / $225: Permaculture Fundamentals
   

3. •Module 3: (May 1 - 4):  $295 / $325: Invisible Structures & Community Design
   

4. •Module 3: (May 18):  Free Open to Public - RSVP                                        Design Presentations, Graduation, Celebration!
   

Bay Area Accessibility & Global Connection

This course is accessible to those who are unable a to take two-weeks off or more from their lives, jobs, and family responsibilities to attend a residential intensive course, we are excited to offer this 5 part Permaculture Design Certification Course + 7SS Training at Green Friends at the centrally located beautiful east bay beautiful site of the M.A. Center / GreenFriends Farm in the East San Francisco Bay Area - U.S. headquarters of international humanitarian & India Saint - Amma. The beautiful 180 acre grounds of the M.A. Center are becoming a demonstration & educational hub of leading permaculture, holistic management, and regenerative design practices in the San Francisco Bay Area. The MA Center and GreenFriends International have a strong global focus as well, and leading and supporting many humanitarian and ecological projects around the world.

Lodging & Transportation

Participants are responsible for their lodging and travel arrangements. Lodging is not available at the M.A Center except to members of the ashram community with limited space availability. Room costs in San Ramon or Castro Valley range form $40/night to $120/night. We will send you a list of local hotels and online hotel booking options upon request. We will also assist in coordinating carpools with participants coming from different parts of the S.F. Bay Area.

Site Details - M.A. Center / GreenFriends Farm

M.A. Center is the U.S. headquarters of international humanitarian & India Saint - Amma. www.embracingtheworld.org. The beautiful 180 acre grounds of the M.A. Center are becoming a demonstration & educational hub of leading permaculture, holistic management, and regenerative design practices.

Site Projects Include

1. •1,000 tree holistic food forest
   

2. •Dynamic watershed restoration
   

3. •Broadacre land contouring & water infiltration
   

4. •Keyline patterning & ploughing
   

5. •Native reforestation & agroforestry
   

6. •Holistically managed grazing
   

7. •Soil food web management
   

8. •Solar energy
   

9. •Community garden & orchards
   

10. •Sustainability & spirituality programs
    

GreenFriends Projects

About GreenFriends

GreenFriends is a global grassroots environmental movement that promotes environmental awareness and participation at the individual and community levels in activities aimed at preserving our precious environment. GreenFriends’ baseline philosophy is that we should strive to preserve and protect our environment because not only does nature provide us with resources we need to sustain ourselves, but she also sustains all life forms on earth. GreenFriends advocates that each one of us strives to reawaken our awareness of unity with all of creation, and cultivate an attitude of love and reverence towards nature. Developing love for nature will lead to a change in our attitudes, helping us work together towards restoring the harmony between humanity and nature that has existed throughout the ages. For More information visit: http://greenfriends.org

GreenFriends: A Global Environmental Movement

Check Out Our Recent Project in India!

Transforming Plastic Pollution Into an Eco-Training Center in Bodhgaya

TO WATCH VIDEO CLICK HERE

Including

PEOPLE AND PATTERNS

STRATEGIES IN INTERNATIONAL SETTINGS

HOUSEHOLD AND VILLAGE DYNAMICS

CLIMATE PROFILES & APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY

DESIGN FOR DISASTER

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PERSONAL PATHWAYS FOR INTERNATIONAL WORK

SEVEN STAGES TO SUSTAINABILITY

In Association With

Empowerment Works

GreenFriends Farm

M.A. Center

Common Vision

Quail Springs

Facilitators & Instructors

Warren Brush

Melanie St. James

Jay Ma

Course Description

During this weekend workshop we will look deeply at Permaculture applied in varies environments and situations around the world, from a diversity of climates and ecologies to a diversity of cultures, with a particular focus on strategies for the developing world. We will also look at strategies for social entrepreneurship.

Topics Include:

1. •People and Patterns - Shifting worldviews and worldview formation, dispelling myths that we and others may carry, honoring the myths of place
   

2. •Understanding and designing household and village dynamics based on natural patterns and cycles
   

3. •Invitation, Approach, Consensus, Demonstration, Nurture and Ongoing Relationship Tending in community work domestically and internationally
   

4. •Techniques, Strategies, and Pattern application in international settings
   

5. •Discovering personal experience pathways and creating demonstration in your own life as a jumping off point to international work
   

6. •Climate Profiles & Appropriate Technology
   

7. •Design for Disaster
   

8. •Social Entrepreneurship
   

Practical and Group Work May Include:

1. •Envisioning exercise
   

2. •Building a cob rocket stove
   

3. •Designing a fuel forest for a small village
   

What is Permaculture?

Permaculture in Developing Countries

From its inception Permaculture has quickly spread to over 120 countries where farms and other sites are successfully applying its' ideas, techniques and strategies. As further testament to its applicability, Permaculture is now being applied in many urban and suburban areas. In many developed countries these applications hold much promise for dealing with the many issues associated with mass populations.

Seven Stages to Sustainability

“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. In short, 7 Stages to Sustainability is a tool to transform poverty into prosperity in the world's most economically challenged communities. 

Modeling the way nature creates, the 7SS pattern is universal and used world-wide to catalyze innovation in business, technology, music and even movies. Although those using it have little or no awareness of one another, the widely distributed 7SS pattern, termed 'monomyth' by author Joseph Campbell (a.k.a. Hero's Journey), is inherent in most (if not all) other functional systems.  

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 and other places. While the 7 Stages to Sustainability is a philosophy and process of self-determination as well as a curriculum, it is also a proven catalyst for business, technological and social innovation.

7SS Case Studies & Action Research

For over a decade, working with local communities affected by humanity's critical issues of AIDS, poverty and climate change across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the USA, Empowerment WORKS has continuously assessed the relevance and need for the 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) framework to expand in a way that enables global collaboration across Public, Private and Voluntary sectors. Representing experiences of what works, what's broken and opportunities for change, the Case Studies here inspire and inform the development of 7 Stages to Sustainability tools.

ONGOING 7SS CASE STUDIES / EW ACTION RESEARCH:

2013 - 7SS + PDC Training in Bodghaya, India

2011 - Nepal - Hamro Forum "7SS Catalyst Action Training" and "Local Summits" 

2011 - Botswana - Peace Corps Volunteer, Kyle Turk "Onsite 7SS tool development" 

2010 - Ghana - Kabissa (NGO) "Capacity Building Symposium/Local Summit 2012" 

PAST  7SS CASE STUDIES / EW PROGRAMS SINCE 2001:

2009 - China, East Asia launched 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) Curriculum

2007 - Kenya, East Africa - Amani Children's Center - Youth Entrepreneur Micro-grant

2006 - Suriname, South America - Micro-grants for Social Entrepreneurs

2002-2008 - Zimbabwe, Southern Africa - Orphan Care & Sustainable Development

2001-2007 - Senegal, West Africa - Casamance Institute of Arts & Sciences, EW Music

About Empowerment Works

Working globally from the ground up, Empowerment WORKS fosters a global network of Partners in Empowerment (PIE) united in action by a universal collaboration framework called 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS).  Through The Global Summit, the African Local Summit, its ongoing Artists in Action event series and other educational forums, these Partners are empowered to contribute their diverse skills, appropriate technologies and markets to catalyze local impact.

Through this holistic mission, Empowerment WORKS inspires people across the globe to realize the value of their existing knowledge, unique talents and collective potential to change the world.

7SS PDC in Bodhgaya, India - Nov 2013

1. • Integrated Social, Economic & Environmental Development
   

2. •Vital tools & practices in locally-led community development
   

3. •Hands-on International Permaculture Design Course Certificate
   

4. •Culturally rich immersion working with locals in Bodhgaya, India - sacred Buddhist Pilgrimidge City
   

WHO’S COMING?

1. •Aspiring & Experienced Sustainability Leaders
   

2. •Grass-roots Organizers
   

3. •Permaculturists (of all experience levels)
   

4. •Social Entrepreneurs, System thinkers, Economists
   

5. •All ready to co-create a healthy, culturally rich, thriving world!
   

WHAT YOU’LL GAIN

1. •Hands on experience in culturally rich context
   

2. •Internationally recognized certificate in Permaculture Design
   

3. •Leading-edge approach collaboration for cross-sector impact
   

4. •Core skills to apply Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) via 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) framework and Permaculture in your own organizations, communities, and projects.
   

WHAT TO EXPECT?

During this unique two-week training, we will learn the process of the 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) along with Permaculture Design as powerful frameworks to transform communities into resilient human settlements in greater harmony with nature. With a focus on international sustainable development, we will look at successful case studies, move through design processes, and learn potent and practical tools for localized food, energy, water systems, community,and invisible structures for re-designing every scale of human habitat.

This is a very special opportunity to learn two of the world most scalable systems for community-led solutions, how they can work together, and how their regenerative design processes can be applied to address the world's most pressing local & global challenges today.

OUR IMPACT

Through this unique course collaboration, we are committed to delivering the highest quality, most informative, and life changing experience for participants. Moreover, this course will be a vital support to the on-going efforts of sustainable development in Bodh Gaya by the people, activists, and Buddhists monks & nuns in the local community.

For More Info on the 7SS PDC in Bodghaya Click Here.

Contact

For questions and more information regarding the course

e-mail: education@livingmandala.com or

call: (707) 634-1461

To Register Click Here.