Honoring the Land: Nature Awareness through Natural Building Workshop with Starhawk and Ethan Castro How do we live on the land in sustainable ways? How do we listen to the land, honor its gifts and needs, and still provide for human needs? In this workshop we will learn natural building techniques grounded in nature awareness and ritual to connect deeply with the earth and the materials and tools we use in building human structures. Specific techniques will include cob, lime plaster, havesting poles and materials in ways that support the health of the forest, and a living roof, as well as an introduction to the concepts of permaculture and nature-based spiritual practice. We will start and complete a small structure during the course. Starhawk is an author, activist, and leading voice in earth-based and feminist spirituality movements. She is an experienced permaculture design teacher and cofounder of Earth Activist Trainings. Ethan Castro is an artist, natural builder, basketweaver, and teacher with the Solar Living Institute. Intention and goals: To teach and share natural building techniques that integrate with a deepening awareness and connection to nature, so that the physical act of building becomes a sacred process that helps us reshape our lives as we shape clay and stone. And to ground that learning in the practical, physical skills and techniques that can let us build beautiful, safe, lasting, energy-efficient, healthy natural structures. Course outline: Friday evening: Introductions, Waters of the World ritual, creating sacred space and course overview Saturday morning: Opening circle, grounding and wide awareness, observation practice The element Earth—introduction to cob and stone work Saturday afternoon; Meditation: asking Earth to be our ally Cob building session Saturday evening: Natural building slideshow—questions and answers Evening circle Sunday morning: Morning circle—Plant communication, trees as allies Introduction to sustainable forestry—using forest resources (poles, etc.) in ways that improve the health of the forest Sunday afternoon: Pole building and additional cob Eco-spell casting Sunday evening: Ritual—What are we building in our lives and communities? Charging our spells. Monday morning: Morning circle—energy awareness Natural plaster session Monday afternoon: Living roof session Closing circle Ritual and Ceremony The day will begin with the creation of sacred space. Work sessions will be grounded in ritual and awareness techniques. Each evening will end with a circle. Sunday evening will be a full session of ritual. Starhawk is an elder in the Wiccan Goddess tradition of Europe and the Middle East. She has written ten books, including the classic Spiral Dance and her most recent, The Earth Path. She has taught and led ritual for over thirty years, worldwide and is a founder of the Reclaiming tradition. Ethan Castro brings his own rich spirituality rooted in the California Indian traditions of his ancestors of the Wailaki tribe. People of all religious traditions and spiritual persuasions are welcome. |
DATE: Note that two of these workshops took place
in 2005 -- stay tuned for 2006 dates, and/or visit www.earthactivisttraining.org
for more info. |
