Yoga Retreat

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We hosted a 24 day yoga training retreat at Jiwa Damai organized by School Yoga Insitute, it was a most interesting and intense experience.

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About 30 young people training day after day, getting up at 6 am to Meditate, then doing their Yoga postures, getting lectures about anatomy and sutras and much more. Our kitchen was working high speed, providing the vegetarian cuisine and many smoothies and of course, fresh coconut juice.

It was a pleasure to see so many young people learning and exploring themselves through this training. They will be back next year and are very much welcome.

The Art of Learning by Doing

Land before Chinampas

Permaculture in Practice - The Art of Learning by Doing 6th - 30th January 2014

Jiwa Damai encourages a combination of theory and hands on practice in a supportive environment as an important approach to learning and growing. Our internships offer the possibility to design and actualize a project, either as a group or on an individual basis. Our interns receive expert support and guidance while being given the chance to take responsibility for their own learning outcomes.

At this time we are offering places for up to 6 interns to take part in a one-off group permaculture, aquaculture design project, facilitated by our in-house permaculture design trainer Stephanie Garvin.  The project will involve designing and implementing an aquaculture project, including building a chinampa system, a technique used in Latin America by the Incas to successfully grow food in wetland areas.  We have several swamp areas at Jiwa Damai which lend themselves ideally for such a project. To our knowledge it is the first of its kind to be implemented in Bali. It is an exciting pilot project.

This project includes free theory sessions on permaculture design for chinampa systems.

Following this internship the we offer a Permaculture through the Heart course www.jiwadamai.net/education-activities/

Our offering The Art of Learning by Doing is open for people interested in permaculture, sustainable food production and environmental conservation. No previous permaculture knowledge or experience is needed. We also invite Permaculture Design Certificate holders desiring to expand their practical knowledge and design skills. Participants need to be in good health and physical condition since the project will involve manual work in a tropical environment.

Skills that participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice during this internship include:- Permaculture design methodologies Assessing needs and yields Building a stable, productive ecological system Nutrient recycling Using local and on site resources Water management Aquaculture systems Creating energy efficient systems Planning for diversity and habitat creation Using edge effects to increase yield Teamwork and task management Plant propagation techniques Soil building and composting

For more details or information, or to apply for a place on this internship programme, please contact us at info@jiwadamai.net or using the contact form attached.

Optional Extras We can provide on-site, basic accommodation and meals at Jiwa Damai Retreat Centre and Organic Garden at a discounted rate.

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Building a new pond at Jiwa Damai

Our volunteer Shoshi from the US and our intern Andreas from Germany are working close to our parking lot on developing a new pond on our premise. They were digging very hard and now they are preparing the pond lining which should prevent the water from being re-absorbed into the earth.

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For that purpose a lining of newspapers and green banana leaves are left for a few days. Then this is covered with earth  tightly compressed on top. The underlying layer will then create a water resistant lining.

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Building a natural pond by using the old Russian method of 'gleying': 

The different steps:

- Dig the pond and compact the soil really well.

- Clear the pond of stones and rocks.

- Cover the bottom and sides with a thick layer of organic material (fresh grass cuttings and bananas leaves) and waste paper

- Spread out EM all over to add the bacterias which are necessary for the process

- Add a layer of soil and press down firmly all over.

- The soil keeps out the air and allows a biological process known as ‘gleying’ to take place (its an anaerobic process)

We shall see how well that works. Lets hope for the best ;-)

Coconut Shells

At Jiwa Damai we are using a special way to place our coconut shells around the base of our plants. Since we are producing our coconut oil form our own coconut trees , the shells are available and we are using them for several purposes. During the rainy season they can collect some of the water with their inner softer hairy material thus allowing to keep some water away form the plants.

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The second reason is to have them soak up the water we are distributing in the dry season  around the fields. They will hold the water longer for the plants to feed .

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Last but not least when they decompose they will make an excellent nutrition to be added to the soil. On some plants we are just setting them directly around the root of the plants.

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Permaculture through the heart

Last month we were hosting our first Permaculture Internship – Permaculture through the heart at Jiwa Damai. This innovative program blends the core principles of tropical Permaculture gardening with Self exploration from a transpersonal psychological perspective.

The internship is a combination of personal growth processes, allowing our heart energy to flow into our work with the earth, environment, water, soil, plants and people. This program is the first of its kind, working with the psychological framework of the mind, theoretical Permaculture principles, design and planning, planting, harvesting and food preparation - all in alignment with the heart energy.

Participants came from Germany, Switzerland, France, Canada, Ireland, Indonesia and Australia to participate in the first two weeks. Some of the participants stayed on for the complete 4 weeks training.

On this picture we see our participants with Ketut Badung, our head gardener  at Jiwa Damai, studying the healing qualities of the indigenous Balinese healing plants.

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Here we see the group during a field trip visiting an organic producer on Bali studying an organic way of planting and watering.

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This picture is taken during the 2nd week, which focused on Unfolding the Heart Quality. Participants explore and study the personality as an interactive system, becoming acquainted with their own inner dynamics and peace potential by allowing the qualities of the heart to unfold.

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The 2nd Permaculture internship will take place in September 2013.

Information can be found on our website: jiwadamai.net

Come join us on Bali!

Summer vacations on Bali

Summer vacations are approaching and many people begin to wonder where to spend their free time. How about a trip to the island of Bali ?

How about a stay at Jiwa Damai Retreat Center ?

We offer six spacious guest rooms with view into the gardens with their lush tropical vegetation. The rooms are beautifully decorated in a minimalist modern style and elegantly understated color schemes. Hand colored batiks, stone carvings and furniture reflect the wealth of the local arts and crafts.

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For nature lovers we offer accommodation in one of our three Balinese Lumbungs. These are traditional Balinese houses made of wood and bamboo. They offer rural comfort and are equipped with a private bathroom.

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Filled with natural spring water, our pool offers a refreshing swimming experience. Relax in the sun and cool down in the pool while you listen to the sounds of the teeming wildlife.

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For more information regarding packages and prices please visit our website:www.jiwadamai.net

Helping hands

... from our international friends. Our two wonderful volunteers, Laia from Spain Catalan, and Aitor form Equator are engaging in garden work, using the Balinese sickles to clean an area from Tapioka.

Tapioka is eaten as a vegetable, prepared with grated coconut meat.

Thank you for your contribution to Jiwa Damai!

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Internship: Permaculture Through the Heart

BALI Internship: Permaculture Through the Heart

May 15 - June 14, 2013

This innovative program blends the core principles of tropical Permaculture gardening with Self exploration from a transpersonal psychological perspective. "Experiencing Permaculture through the heart" presents a unique opportunity to combine class room Permaculture learning with “hands-on” experience, complementing the active physical engagement with the soil with an inner attitude of loving alignment with the earth. The internship is a combination of personal growth processes, allowing our heart energy to flow into our work with the earth, environment, water, soil, plants and people. This program is the first of its kind, working with the psychological framework of the mind, theoretical Permaculture principles, design and planning, planting, harvesting and food preparation - all in alignment with the heart energy.

“Permaculture through the Heart” is a modular seminar. You can choose if you want to book the entire program or if you only want to book the 1. and/or 2. week.

Join us !

For more information please inquire at:  info@jiwadamai.net and visit our website 

www.jiwadamai.net

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Yoga class at Jiwa Damai

Earth Day at Jiwa Damai

Earth Day 2013 on April 21st was a wonderful event, which was made possible through the cooperation of Jiwa Damai and Indonesia Organic.All in all we counted about 400 visitors to Jiwa Damai, enjoying the various presentations, vendors, games and activities.

The entrance to Jiwa Damai was decorated with posters reflecting our sad state of taking care of the environment.

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The booths and activities you entered after the entrance were supposed to show answers to the problems.

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In the south building we were showing presentations covering issues from biogas production to meditation.

The meditation area was the place for music and dance performances.

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In addition to the music and dance, we had artists and painters creating and exhibiting their work.

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Furthermore we had games for the children, and also the snake man who was playing with different snakes, animating our visitors to touch them as well.

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The organization of Earth Day was made possible through the cooperation of Jiwa Damai and Indonesia Organic. We were supported by over 60 students from a nearby school, helping  us for days to set up, decorate and organize this special event.

MATUR SUKSMA !

Permaculture through the Heart

BALI Internship: Permaculture Through the Heart

May 15 - June 14, 2013

This innovative program blends the core principles of tropical Permaculture gardening with Self exploration from a transpersonal psychological perspective. "Experiencing Permaculture through the heart" presents a unique opportunity to combine class room Permaculture learning with “hands-on” experience, complementing the active physical engagement with the soil with an inner attitude of loving alignment with the earth. The internship is a combination of personal growth processes, allowing our heart energy to flow into our work with the earth, environment, water, soil, plants and people. This program is the first of its kind, working with the psychological framework of the mind, theoretical Permaculture principles, design and planning, planting, harvesting and food preparation - all in alignment with the heart energy.

“Permaculture through the Heart” is a modular seminar. You can choose if you want to book the entire program or if you only want to book the 1. and/or 2. week.

Join us !

For more information please inquire at:  info@jiwadamai.net and visit our website

www.jiwadamai.net

permaculture through the heart