ECOVILLAGE DESIGN EDUCATION
The Ecovillage Design Education is a comprehensive course in Integrative
Whole Systems Design for Sustainability.
It is organised as a mandala that we call the sustainability wheel, encompassing what we perceive to be the four primary dimensions of human experience –Worldview, Ecological, Social and Economic aspects.
To view the learning outcomes and the curriculum, click here
To read the reports of the previous EDEs in Glarisegg, click on the year.
By fulfilling the course requirements, you will receive:
Certification by Gaia Education, which was founded 2005 within the "Global Ecovillage Network".
TRANSFORMATIVE ADVENTURE
SOCIAL TOOL BOX
- Collective processes for community building, including:
- Scott Peck
- Sociocracy 3.0 - Group Decision Making
- Possibility Management
- Forum
- Conflict Resolution
- Way of Council, Fishbowl
- Trauma informed processes
WORLDVIEW / CULTURAL
- Deep Ecology
- The Work that Reconnects
- Holotropic Breathwork
- Meeting Ecovillage founders
- Global Ecovillage Network
- Sweatlodge
- Exploring indigeneity
- Singing Culture
ECOLOGICAL
- Permaculture Design & Principles
- Global Chocolate Production
- World Food production & Distribuition
- Ecological Gastronomy
- Dynamic Agroforestry - Food Forests
- Hands on gardening
- Food Waste
ECONOMIC
- Regenerative Economics & Degrowth
- Global Economy
- Leadership and Entrepreneurship
- Community Economies
- Empowered Fundraising
- Money, You and the Economy
HOLISTIC DESIGN
- Dragon Dreaming
- Embodied Leadership
- Mentoring on group projects
- Permaculture Principles in Design Functions
- Various theoretical approaches, like Theory U
COLLECTIVE DESIGN PROCESS
Small working groups will organize around projects of their choice. Not all project ideas will be selected. The course is anchored by applying the elements learned in each of the four dimensions to these real life dreams.
get help making your dreams come true,
bring your dream projects!
CO-CREATORS
We have separately gathered a lifetime of experience in fields of holding space, psychotherapy, music, breath work, environmental science, anthropology, social ecology, community building and founding, vipassana meditations, deep journeys and have selected a committed team of assistants from the EDE Alumni which add cutting edge tools to the EDE package.
Together we co-host the EDE, whole heartedly as we share a vision of global transformation.
We are ready to openly and passionately share this learning journey with you.
Sonja-Vera Schmitt
Glarisegg, Creator & Trainer
Since 2003 Sonja-Vera has been one of the founders of the Schloss Glarisegg community. Her interests in structural developments, communication and improvisation in groups enabled her to help develop the joint project. In her commitment to encounter processes in the social life of the community, she was able to easily apply her training as a voice and speech therapist and her love of music/dance. Coupled with stamina, her gift as a village weaver became a key in a much larger game of empowerment. The complex processes of the project awakened her entrepreneurial spirit. As a member of the Board of Directors of Schloss Glarisegg AG, she familiarized herself with the long-term financial and construction planning of this property, coordinating the maintenance, renovation and expansion of the large, historical property.
Through Vipassana meditation and genuine love for people, she stays vital. In 2010, the discovery of the Global Ecovillage Network was a very important milestone in community development. Since 2016 she brought the Ecovillage Design Education course named "Creating a Transformative Culture" to Schloss Glarisegg.
Jashana
Hawaii, Creator & Trainer
Jashana has always had an intense desire to figure out how humans could live in harmony with the natural world. For this goal, she got degrees in Anthropology and Environmental Science which lead to a Masters in Social Ecology. Having identified Indigenous Wisdom as a base she could not help but to try and stop the war in Guatemala that killed 200,000 Mayan people in the 80’s. Having failed that mission, she began exploring intentional communities 'to be part of the solution', eventually moving to the Findhorn Community in Northern Scotland. She then traveled for Findhorn teaching workshops throughout South America for two years. Returning to the US, she immersed herself in the world of awakening consciousness studying every offer from Holotropic Breathwork with Stan Grof, Vipassana Meditation, Yoga, Skydancing Tantra, 5 Rhythms, Deep Ecology, Contact Dance and sitting with Adyashanti. Preparing for the world to collapse she helped found a reforestation community in Hawaii.
