Sign up for our upcoming International Ecovillage Design Education Course
Join our courses
We are having Deep Ecology & Natural Farming, Permaculture, Natural Building Internship and Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) courses every year.
Be a volunteer
We are looking for volunteers who are genuinely interested to learn about taking care of nature, ourselves & each other. We take volunteers throughout the year and we ask volunteers to arrive on Monday.
Support Us
To help us grow the project, you could donate to natural building projects, offering scholarship in our courses to help those in need, and many other projects.
Our Journey
Past Event & Review
Gaia Ashram is a wonderful place to reconnect with ourselves and nature. The environment made me feel very safe, surrounded by warm-hearted people in the community.
Kangsom
Volunteer, Thailand
I like the good vibes and the atmosphere, having nature sound around me all the time. I like to learn something new everyday and to get it fresh food from the garden.
Charlotte
Volunteer, Germany
A few years back I had a realisation about the great turning point, and how we humans needed to change the way we live, think and act. I was curious to know how can we design this change, this alternative life? As a design student, I observed how the world we live in now was not an accident but created by us. I was not less than a dream to be able to attend EDE, but the key learning for me was the balance, ecovillage is a process and not an end result.
Somdutta
EDE participant, India
The knowledge from this EDE really useful for me to design my life more holistically. Although I don’t know if I will ever start an ecovillage, but it is still very useful at personal level
Non
EDE Participant, Thailand
Gaia is not an hidden lazy spot, it’s a tiny bit risky and challenging! You may fail, make mistakes at different levels, and you will not be stoned for that. You start the next day “brand new” and the whole story seems fresh. There is always a smile at the corner waiting for you that says: “it’s okay, we love you the way you are”. It’s a human experience before everything else, it breaks shells, armors, bondages, preconceived ideas and concepts. It takes courage, it takes guts, patience… you learn a lot about kindness, tolerance, humbleness. You rejoice for the successes of others and feel compassionate for, forgive your own errors. To make it short: GAIA IS ENCOURAGING. It caresses the doors of your heart more than it knocks. To have been attending this EDE has been one of my best decisions ever. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Jean-Pierre
EDE participant, France
The most inspire sentence from this course is “if human are the problem of today, we also can be the solution”. My understand of that sentence is that problem can be a system that nature give feed back and we can develop that problem into creative solution. My way of thinking begin broad because I use to have negative energy when I encounter with problems and blame on that but now, I started to think how I can response creatively to the problem. This is the huge though that I receive from EDE course.
Joy
EDE Participant, Myanmar
I love staying in nature and be inspired everyday. I often come to the moment where I really feel like a part of nature. I learned deeply about my way of thinking. Deep in gratitude.
Eva
Volunteer, Austria
You can be yourself. You do not need to try to be someone or something, but YOU! I received so much energy from nature also. It made me realize that I was super detached from myself and nature in my past life. Thank you!
Azusa
EDE Participant, Japan
Sign up for our upcoming International Ecovillage Design Education Course
NextGENOA EDE 2017
One month Eco-village Design Education for NextGENOA (Next Generation of the Globale Eco-village Network of Oceania and Asia) people. 26 participants 11 countries from Asia and Oceania
Natural Building Internship 2016
Natural Building Internship 2015
Natural Building Internship 2014
Deep Ecology Retreat 2013
Once in every two months we want to do a deep ecology/nature retreat in a near by national park. We hike, we meditate in nature and try different ways to connect to the energy of nature, to trees, rivers, cliffs, rocks, animals, forest etc.
Our Team
Om Sunisa Jamwiset
Co-Founder & Program DirectorShe lived and worked as a facilitator at Wongsanit Ashram, social engaged spiritual community, and Panya project together for in Thailand for 9 years.
She has facilitated courses for NGO workers, young Buddhists activists, international students and children. She uses participatory teaching methods and her focus is on deep ecology and nature connection.
Tom Deiters
Co-Founder & Regenerative Farm ManagerHis sensitivity to nature led him to a deep commitment to help nature in its healing process.
In his role as documentary maker he has raised awareness about environmental problems as he collaborated with local NGOs and activists.
Tom spent several years working with nature by working on organic and permaculture farms throughout Europe.
Maria Bliklen
Facilitator & Volunteer ManagerShe has a deep passion for nature connection, personal growth and everything that can help us humans to live together with peace, joy and in harmony with all beings. She started walking her path towards becoming a facilitator of Deep Ecology Work and Ecovillage Design Education and a spaceholder of the community. 
Lars Blume
Renewable Energy Expert in SE AsiaOne of his ways to achieve social just energy transition is to introduce appropriate technologies within rural areas; which increases the living conditions and boosts local value creation. Lars believes that sharing positive examples, ideas and inspiration will transform our lives beyond sustainability. He co-founded Flowful to connecting the dots, spreading stories and sharing about change makers, pioneers and knowledge around food, being and lifestyle.
Karla Franielczyk
Yogi, Gardener and Natural builderAlways attracted by nature, she deepened her connection with Mother Earth, became a vegan and did her Permaculture Design Course at the Panya Project, Thailand. She now is a who is passionate about natural products, building and fermentation. Having experienced the power of community, she believes that community living (in whatever way and with all its challenges) is key for a happy life and a sustainable future.
Mae Maethawee Promsuwan
General ManagerGraduated with a Master’s degree in tourism management, from Assumption University, majoring in Ecological & Sustainability development. May was working for a non- profit organization called LAW (Lanta Animal Welfare) in Thailand as a community outreach person and responsible for taking care of wild and abandoned animals for more than a year.