17 days intensive certified permaculture Design course (PDC) in Thailand!
Next PDC Course Dates:
19 June - 7 July, 2023
15 october - 2 November, 2023
16 June- 4 July 2024
Join Us As an Early Bird!
The early bird catches the worm. Join us now for our Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at Gaia Ashram and get the 10% early bird fee! The regular fee for the PDC is 29,500 and the 10% early bird discount is 26550 THB.
This fee covers 17 days intensive Permaculture program, delicious vegetarian/vegan food & comfortable accommodation are included!
There are 5 early bird tickets available for each course.
PDC June, 2023 early birds spots taken.
PDC October, 2023 book before July 1st, 2023
PDC June, 2024 book March 1st, 2024
Early Bird Discount of 10% off according to availability!
You are invited to join us at our beautiful Gaia ashram community and eco learning center!
Gaia Ashram is an Permaculture Education Center established in 2012 on 6 hectares of land in the North East of Thailand. Gaia Ashram has over 10 years experience of practicing permaculture and applying permaculture principles to the design and the development of our land.
Gaia Ashram aims to keep progressing the land towards absolute abundance for nature and people. Increasing biodiversity and life throughout the land. At the same time Gaia Ashram aims to increase resilience for upcoming challenging.
Gaia Ashram is strongly rooted in the local community as our founders are from the local area. Gaia Ashram is working with the local community on different projects promoting ecological resilience.
We strongly believe that there never was a bigger need for spreading knowledge of Permaculture and related sustainable living practices. Especially with increased climatic changes and the growing awareness of the ecological crises we are facing.
In these times people’s empowerment and community experience is the right response to change.
Join us & Lets Regenerate Earth together!
Interest in joining email us:
What is Permaculture?
Permaculture was created in the 70s by the Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren as a response to the myriad of environmental crises. Permaculture is a holistic design system that reconciles human communities with the ecological imperatives of a living planet.
Permaculture, the word coined by the Australian Bill Mollison, aims to create permanent culture that can go indefinately and is in harmony with mother earth. Permaculture seeks to consciously design and maintenain agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems.
Permaculture is not restricted to land management though as it is a way of organizing knowledge, a connecting system that integrates science, art, politics, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and the diverse experiences and resources available in any community. In essence it is also a tool to transform culture and consciousness to align ourselves with Mother Earth.
WHAT Is a permaculture Design Course (PDC)?
A Permaculture Design Certificate Course, short PDC, is an internationally known and accepted 72-hour theory course resulting in a Permaculture Design Certificate. The PDC provides an introduction to permaculture design according to the movement’s founder Bill Mollison and it is designed on his international course curriculum.
The Permaculture Design Course equips you with the knowledge and an understanding on how to design sustainable living systems for a wide variety of landscapes and climates.
To date, thousands of permaculture designers worldwide have been certified through this course, and now comprise a global network of educators, ecological activists, consultants and practitioners who are influencing the decisions of major corporations, small businesses, and people from all walks of life to change the way we view and design our landscapes, our surroundings, our relationships, and our daily lives so we can grow the revolution that our planet needs.
The PDC serves as a foundation for further permaculture work and studies.
What will be covered during the 17-days PDC?
The PDC course at Gaia Ashram will provide you with the knowledge, practical skills, and experience. The PDC has a team of experienced facilitators that will cover the PDC 72 hours curriculum. Usually a PDC takes 12-14 days to complete but at Gaia Ashram we belief in the importance of experiencing the knowledge. This is why we made the course 17 days to allow for time to incorporate hands-on activities to make sure you experience the knowledge through the hands.
Here are just a few things you’ll learn:
• Philosophies, ethics, and principles of permaculture
• Patterns in nature
• Methods of design; how to apply permaculture design tools and methodology
• Climatic factors and strategies for all major climates and how to work with them
• Trees, forests, and forest gardening
• Agroforestry and propagation
• Gardening techniques for self-sufficiency, plant guilds
• Water management
• Properties of soil
• Natural building techniques
• Urban permaculture strategies and approaches
• Community living and alternative lifestyles that harmonize people and the planet
Why taking a PDC with Gaia Ashram?
Taking a PDC at Gaia Ashram, A part from learning about PDC you will also learn ; –
- Ecovillage Lifestyle and Ecovillage Design. We will provide introductory sessions on Ecovillage Design Principles with experienced teachers in Ecovillage Design Education. Gaia Ashram has also been consciously living together as a community. You will also be experiencing and learning about Ecovillage living while taking PDC course here with us.
- Deep Ecology and The Work That Reconnects : Gaia Ashram was inspired by Deep Ecology philosophy, Ecovillage Movement and Permaculture. These three movements have been our guides in developing the project. This PDC will also offer sessions on Deep Ecology and The Work That Reconnects. Deep Ecology and The Work That Reconnects will help participants to gain deeper connection with the earth and life as the whole. Deep Ecology, Ecovillage Design Principles and Permaculture greatly complement each others.
- Join our Permaculture Internship after the PDC with a significant discount: If you take a Permaculture Design Certificate Course with us. You will be able to join our three months – Permaculture Internship with great discount. Usually taking a three months internship at Gaia Ashram costs 29,650 THB for the living and mentorship fee. If you take a PDC with us you can join our Permaculture Internship Program for 50% discount which is 14,825 THB for the three months Internship. This will also include you joining our Ecovillage Lifestyle Experience Week program.
Please Note: If you wish to join the Permaculture Internship Program with us please make a booking before and we ask for the full payment of the fee prior to arrival. We only take 6 Interns at a time.
- Becoming Permaculture resident at Gaia Ashram : After you having done the three months internship program with us, you can become a resident at Gaia Ashram. To become a resident at Gaia Ashram would require a minimum of 1 year commitment required after doing the internship.
- Working with local community: Gaia Ashram has been consciously aware of the importance of local communities and we are working with the our local community. Building connections with local communities is important for any Permaculture or Ecovillage project. Good connection with local communities will lead to great collaboration and vise versa the miss communication and misunderstanding with local communities could lead to some challenges. Gaia Ashram has got knowledge, skills and experience to share with you in this area.
- As part of our current outreach Gaia Ashram is collaborating with the village and the local Khonkaen University to building a natural school building at the local school.
Facilitators:
Ben Murray is an Ecological designer, consultant, and teacher with a background in organic and biodynamic gardening/agriculture, natural building, horticulture & andscape architecture.
Ben is the founder of Holistic Regeneration, has 25 years of experience in the realm of Horticulture and has been consulting, practicing and teaching permaculture, organic gardening and natural building for almost 10 years in England, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Kenya and India and is currently working as an itinerant trainer of transformational and empowering workshops and courses.
Sunisa Jamwiset Deiters (Om) lived and worked as a facilitator at Wongsanit Ashram, a socially engaged spiritual community for about 9 years, and later at Panya Permaculture project in Thailand. She helped create the Next Generation of Global Ecovillage Network of Asia & Oceania (NextGENOA). She has facilitated courses in many countries for NGO workers, young Buddhist activists, international students, and children. She founded Gaia Ashram with her partner in 2012. Now she divides her time Teaching, managing Gaia Ashram project, and taking care of her kids.
Gaia Ashram Team : Gaia Ashram Team will also be your program facilitators.
Permaculture Design Course fees:
- The PDC fee is 29,500 THB
- This fee includes 3 vegetarian/vegan meals, accommodation in our recently renovated dormitory or your own tent, course materials, and teacher fees.
- Early bird fee gives a 10% discount which is 26550 THB. We offer 5 early bird fees on first come first serve basis.
- Separate single rooms or a double rooms available for an extra cost. See below for more information.
- Joining our 3-months Permaculture Internship program after the course for a 50% discount i.e. 14,825 THB. Please check out the website here and mention this in the email:
Internship at Gaia Ashram
Registration Process!
You are sure that you want to join the Permaculture Design Course at Gaia Ashram then these are the steps to register:
Step 1: sent us an email:
Step 2:
- Fill in PDC registration form:
Step 3:
Make a deposit for the PDC course fee of 5,000 THB to secure your spot through Wise or Paypal and pay the remaining fee in Thai Baht cash on arrival at Gaia Ashram. There are ATMs available locally.
If you followed the step above then you are booked and we will sent you an PDC information package soon after with logistic information!
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please be aware that in case you have to cancel the course due to personal reasons the deposit cannot be refunded. We are able to hold the deposit for you to be used to join a future course at Gaia Ashram if you wish to do so.
The organizers reserve the right to cancel the course, even at short notice, if there is a danger to the well-being of the visitors and organizers, such as viral infections (COVID-19 pandemic), storms, or natural disasters (fire, hurricanes, floods). In this case, the organizer cannot be held liable for personal losses. In these cases deposits will be refunded at 100%. To prevent further personal loss, we recommend taking travel cancellation insurance.
Facilities
• Accommodation: Our recently renovated and upgraded Dormitory, shared rooms, and single rooms available. Mosquito nets, cushions, bedding, and blankets are provided.
Private rooms are available in the Fairy House for an extra fee. Please choose your preferred accommodation during the registration process.
Extra fee for private Room Rates:
Single Rooms: 3,600 Thai Baht (17 nights)
Double Rooms: 8,500 Thai Baht (17 nights)
• Common space for sessions: Classroom sessions will be held in our natural built sala, in our pool sala, our recently build nursery and outdoors. Practical sessions will be happening on different locations on the land.
• Toilets and showers: We provide compost toilets and showers for men and women. We have dry composting toilets at Gaia Ashram and water based vermicomposting toilets (like a regular flush toilet).
Gaia Cafe
As part of our mission to regenerate the land and our bioregion we created Gaia Ashram Cafe and our natural products called Gaia Essence. Here we sell drinks coffee & natural products from the land. This is a nice space to take a break and hang out. At the Cafe we have good wifi connection.
General
• Internet: We have highspeed Wifi available at Gaia Ashram library and Gaia Cafe that participants can use.
We would recommend getting a simcard upon arrival in Thailand. You could get one from the airport. We would recommend AIS as a provider. Good reception and have English call center representatives. There is also an internet shop in a near village that is usually open every day.
https://www.ais.th/travellersim/
- Visa for most nationalities you can get a Tourist visa on arrival of 30 days which is extendable for another 30 days at local immigration office (for us in Udonthani) for a fee. If you want to stay longer we recommend getting a 60 days visa for detailed information make sure you contact your local Thai embassy or consulate.
Please be aware that the important date in your passport is the valid till date on the stamp that you receive at immigration/passport check at the port of arrival (Bangkok airport) and not on the visa sticker that you receive from the embassy. if you overstay from that date it will cost 500 Thai Baht per day overstay fee.
- Food: Healthy local vegetarian food will be served by local cooks. Participants will team up to cook breakfast in turns.
***Please be aware of our policy on drugs & alcohol***
We don’t allow alcohol or drugs on our property. We ask people to smoke at the smoking corner only to provide a healthy environment for learning and living together. We encourage people to take this course as an opportunity to have a break from smoking or drinking.
Who are we?
Gaia Ashram is a community-based education center on Permaculture, Deep Ecology, Ecovillage Design Education and other sustainable living practices. We are a learning center that provides workshops and courses for both international and Thai participants. Feeling the urge to regenerate Mother Earth, Gaia Ashram was founded in 2013 by Tom and Om.
Learn more about us!
Where to find us?
We are located in the Northeast of Thailand, in between Nong Khai and Udon Thani. Where exactly we are and how you can get to us can be found here:
Register & Book Now!
We hope you will join us to spread the seeds of permaculture around the world. Lets work together to design a more sustainable & regenerative future for generations to come and all life. Let us use the magical tools of permaculture to creatively respond to change in unity!
"MAY THIS COURSE BE OF BENEFIT TO MOTHER EARTH AND ALL HER BEINGS!"
