13 Years of Activity at Lagu Damai

We are happy to let you know that this month Lagu Damai Foundation is celebrating 13 years of social-educational activities in Indonesia. The Lagu Damai Foundation which in Indonesian means “Song of Peace” has been involved in community projects ranging from sponsoring local youth, environment education and internships to permaculture trainings. In order to celebrate, we have prepared a video which recounts the story of our work through the heart.

“At the base of our programs is the Heart energy and that means all our programs are based on the Heart, Empowerment, leading to Self-esteem”, founder and long term volunteer Dr. Margret Rueffler.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr8vu6UqtK8?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

PDC Through the Heart, Indigenous Mirco Organisms

During the Permaculture Design Course Through the Heart in February 2015 we were happy to teach our students about a very useful local method of creating indigenous micro organisms – IMO.

Using a bamboo cut in half, you have to put boiled rice to fill it. After closing, it is buried in the earth and left there for 3 days to develop a healthy fungus. Then it is mixed with molasses and water to grow more IMO. Why is IMO important? Because it adds microbes to the soil in order to render it more fertile. Find out more here or here.

making imo

Also, don’t miss our photos on Jiwa Damai Facebookpage!

PDC Through the Heart Oct 2015

We find that planning ahead is never a bad idea. Hence we invite you to our Permaculture Design Course Through the Heart, in October 2015, at Jiwa Damai.

Experiencing Permaculture through the heart presents a unique opportunity to combine the theoretical Permaculture design method with “hands-on” experience, complementing active physical engagement with the soil with an inner attitude of appreciation and loving alignment with the earth.

This program is the first of its kind, working with the psychological framework of the mind, theoretical Permaculture principles, design and planning, planting, harvesting - all in alignment with the heart. It grounds the intellectual Permaculture approach through allowing a direct connection with the heart, a loving approach to ones Self, the other and the earth with its life-giving Flora and Fauna, to unfold.

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The 3 module design course content follows the standards, topics, and number of hours laid out by Bill Mollison , the founder of Permaculture. You will receive a Certificate of Completion as a Permaculture designer (72+ hrs). The course is complimented by a daily early morning yoga session and an evening heart meditation.

Module 1 Thur 01 - Wed 07 Oct 2015

Modules 1-3 Thur 01 - Wed 21 Oct 2015

Find out more about application procedurehere. Or if you feel better talking to us, send an email at info [@] jiwadamai [.] net.

Internship at Jiwa Damai: Living the difference

Internships at Jiwa Damaiare a special experience. Our interns are invited to really live the difference. The focus is a personal growth process offering people an in-depth learning on several levels: personal inner growth, conceiving, designing and implementing their own project, cross cultural interaction with a very different Hindu culture, as well as with our international interns form all around the world. In addition to the personalized support, we offer daily morning yoga classes and evening Heart meditation.

Each intern designs his/her individual project with supervision and based on the aforementioned in-depth learning. The internship can cover a wide range of topics. See more about topics, application procedure and more details here.

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We talked to Marie Thimm our intern from Germany about her experience. It was not really an interview but more of a discussion about her project and about how she lived the difference at Jiwa Damai.

Why Jiwa Damai?

I wanted to make a change; I wanted a shift in my work path. Jiwa Damai attracted me because of its variety: a place to do an internship, a permaculture farm, a retreat, the Lagu Damai Foundation and also the work of Dr. Margret Rueffler– the peace psychology. I wanted to experience it and see how they were all working together, how they are inter-connected.

I was also very much interested in foundations because I didn’t want to work in money making oriented companies but in places that take care of the surrounding: be it the nature, the community or the planet, in general.

The location had no impact in my choice, but it was a nice side effect

It was already dark when I arrived at Jiwa Damai but from the very first moment it felt like being in an oasis. When one comes from Denpasar, with all that terrible traffic Jiwa Damai unfolds like a peaceful and beautiful oasis.

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A process of connecting with the inner most self

My internship consisted of a personal project. What we developed was a process through which I could really differentiate all the skills I have into the ones relevant for my future work by applying the Heart-Self Intelligence method. At the same time, I defined my values and I put them into an application letter so that gained a different power and energy.

It was really interesting for me because I discovered that some skills that I thought were important were not really relevant for my future path. However, new ones came up. It was a process of connecting with the inner most self and from there working towards finding a new path in life.

I also learned about self-awareness. I learned what it is needed for my self/ for my project in the moment and thus to enjoy the things that I am doing instead of just finishing them. I learned to transform the “I have” into “I want to” or “I would love to”.

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The perfect environment for the process to take place

I really appreciated the structure of the day and what opportunities the intern has besides the personal project: yoga classes in the morning, meditation in the evening and three delicious Balinese meals with vegetables from the garden in between.

During a normal internship you are not working on your own project or on your personal growth. The special thing about Jiwa Damai internship is that you can choose on what you would like to work. Could be permaculture projects in the garden or a personal life shift/career shift. And you still have the daily supervision and support.

Moreover, I could chose where to do my work, for instance next to a pool or in a hammock. I had the opportunity to take a break whenever I needed and go in the garden and feel the earth under my hands. I didn’t have to stick to office ours.All these aspects set the perfect environment for the process to take place.

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A genuine exchange of knowledge with people from all over the world

I studied international business communication and I am very interested in cross-cultural issues and would love to work with people from all over the world in the future.

Here you have the opportunity to meet people with different cultural backgrounds who are like-minded, who want to make a difference. The daily discussions with Margret and the volunteers create a genuine exchange of knowledge. One can also get in touch with local people and learn about the local challenges and how to deal with them.

The little light spots

At JiwaDamai I learned that it is important to create places in the world as Margret says “little light spots” everywhere, just living the difference or living a life connected to nature again. I also discover the beauty of welcoming people who are working in their own way for a sustainable and healthy future.

The little light spots are an inspiring example for people because they reveal that we can live in harmony with nature again by building and creating eco friendly homes and communities, not relying on governmental systems.

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Bali:the place for adventures

Bali is such a beautiful spot on Earth. The people are always friendly. They are happy if you talk to them, even if it is only a few words in English. The nature is amazing: rice fields, mountains and beaches. And there is also place for little adventures such as riding the motorbike or climbing a volcano to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain or snorkeling to see an underwater temple. It is hard to believe that it is only one island of the thousands that exist in Indonesia.

Future: we make a difference already

I will definitely use the Heart Self Intelligence for future steps along my path.

Before I already used to rely on my feelings rather than my mind but really to trust in the wisdom of the heart brings a new perspective. The entire process gave me self-confidence that there are other people who are out there having the same goal or the same interest.

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Jiwa Damai was a nice booster to following the dreams that really fit me. It would be difficult to change entire systems such as the governments, food supply, the world economy, but we can create spots of light. We can focus on a positive approach towards a sustainable and healthy world. We make a difference already by finding new ways of living in harmony with nature, by focusing on the true needs of people, by listening more to the wisdom of our heart.

Find out more about the internship at Jiwa Damai in Bali here.

Lemon & baking soda benefits

The combination of #lemon and #bakingsoda has 10,000 times stronger effect than chemotherapy! Why was this fact kept as a secret? Being totally aware of the powerful properties lemon provides is completely opposite to the interest some world organizations have. For that reason, we recommend you share this article and help a friend who needs it!

Do you have any idea what’s the recent number of deaths caused by the fact that this is being kept secret, in order to protect large corporations?

lemon and baking soda

Numerous studies have proven the anti-cancer properties of lemon. Lemon also provides other benefits, including its strong power in treating cyst and tumors.

Lemons have the power to cure cancer, since it has been tested on all cancer types. Adding baking soda makes it even more powerful, because baking soda brings pH to normal level.

Lemon also has potent antimicrobial effect in treating bacterial and fungal infections. It is effective in the fight against internal parasites and it regulates blood pressure. Lemon is beneficial for the nervous system as well – it is a powerful antidepressant, reducing stress and calming nerve crises.

One of the largest drug manufacturers claims that 20 laboratory experiments, conducted since 1970 until recently, proved that:

Lemon destroys cancer cells in 12 cancer types. It prevents metastasis of cancer cells and it is 10 000 stronger than drugs like Adriamycin, chemotherapy and narcotic products.

What is more interesting is the fact that the combination of lemon extract and baking soda destroys cancer cells only, without harming healthy cells and tissues.

The experiments have shown that patients diagnosed with cancer should drink lemon juice and a teaspoon of baking soda. This treatment can not cure the disastrous side effects of chemotherapy.

The best way to be sure that lemons are organic without any chemicals used is to grow this fruit in your own garden or in a pot. Organic lemons are 100 times more efficient than lemons cultivated with chemical fertilizers and treated with chemicals.

Testimonies on Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) by Dr. Sircus

The following testimonies from the bicarbonate book highlight bicarbonate’s use as a pain reliever:

“After suffering from a 4 hour-long blinding headache for which nothing I took brought any relief, I tried the sodium bicarbonate, 1 tsp mixed in a glass of water. Within a few short minutes I could feel the headache abating and within the hour it was completely relieved! I tried this again when another headache occurred, and it worked just as miraculously.”

“This is the best pain reliever of all the ones I have been trying. I am amazed that something so simple would be so potent! I haven’t exceeded 7 a day; but wish I could. It takes the pain away for about 2 hours. Nothing seems to work more then 2 hours at a time.”

My father was a veterinarian and as far back as I can remember (I was born in 1938 so my memory goes back to maybe 1943) he would take sodium bicarbonate dissolved in a full glass of warm water whenever he felt a cold coming on. I don’t remember him ever coming down with a full-blown cold. He would treat my cold symptoms likewise and I responded equally as well.

He also treated farm animals for various illnesses with sodium bicarbonate via a gastric tube and they recovered quickly. So I’ve known about the benefits of sodium bicarbonate from early childhood on. Glad to see that its benefits are being more widely touted. Although my father was a doctor of Veterinarian medicine, he sometimes referred to himself as an MD (Mule Doctor). Related: Sea Salt & Baking Soda, Best All Natural Remedy For Curing Radiation Exposure And Cancer Woman Rejects Chemo, Overcomes Ovarian Cancer With Nutrition Baking Soda– True Enemy Of The Pharmaceutical Industry Chemotherapy Ineffective 97% of The Time Credits: Dr. Mark Sircus, Dr. David B Winter | Testimonies on Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)

Credits:

Dr. Mark Sircus, Dr. David B Winter | Testimonies on Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)

Lemon, cleanser for the body

What do you know about the powerful attributes of lemons?

1.      Lemons are alkalizing for the body: Lemons are acidic to begin with but they are alkaline-forming on body fluids helping to restore balance to the body’s pH.

2.      Lemons are rich in vitamin C and flavonoids that work against infections like the flu and colds.

3.      Your liver loves lemons: “The lemon is a wonderful stimulant to the liver and is a dissolvent of uric acid and other poisons, liquefies the bile,” says Jethro Kloss in his book Back to Eden. Fresh lemon juice added to a large glass of water in the morning is a great liver detoxifier.

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4.      Cleans your bowels: Lemons increase peristalsis in the bowels, helping to create a bowel movement thus eliminating waste and helping with regularity. Add the juice of one lemon to warm water and drink first thing in the morning.

5.      Scurvy is treated by giving one to two ounces of lemon juice diluted with water every two to four hours. In 1747, a naval surgeon named James Lind cured scurvy with fresh lemons. To this day, the British Navy requires ships to carry enough lemons so that every sailor could have one ounce of juice a day. In the past, lemons were replaced with limes; this is where the English got their nickname “limeys.” Watch this video: “Scurvy Pirates and the Lemon of Love”

6.      The citric acid in lemon juice helps to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones.

7.      Vitamin C in lemons helps to neutralize free radicals linked to aging and most types of disease.

8. The lemon peel contains the potent phytonutrient tangeretin, which has been proven to be effective for brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease.

9. In India, Ayurveda medicine values the lemon as a fruit and for its properties. It is sour, warm, promoter of gastric fire, light, good for vision, pungent and astringent.

10.     It destroys intestinal worms.

11. When there is insufficient oxygen and difficulty in breathing (such as when mountain climbing) lemons are very helpful. The first man to reach the top of Mt. Everest, Edmund Hillary, said that his success on Mt. Everest was greatly due to lemons.

12.     Lemons have powerful antibacterial properties; experiments have found the juice of lemons destroy the bacteria of malaria, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid and other deadly diseases.

13.     Blood vessels are strengthened by the vitamin P (bioflavinoids) in lemon thus prevents internal hemorrhage. Also, making it useful in treating high blood pressure.

14.     The symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy have been shown in research to improve due to the rutin, found in lemons.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/16-health-benefits-of-lemons.html#ixzz3MyQL1nuJ

Nutritional Benefit

The #vitaminC in lemon juice (and lime juice) is a powerful #antioxidant. It travels through the body neutralizing any free #radicals with which it comes into contact. Free radicals can interact with the healthy cells of the body, causing damage to the cell. Depending on the cell, the results can be inflammation or disease. Vitamin C has been shown to be helpful for reducing the inflammation caused by #arthritis. In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, lemon juice has been long used as an antiscorbutic (to fight scurvy), an astringent, a diuretic (faor water loss) and a febrifuge (to lower fevers). • Lemon juice in hot water has long been taken as a daily laxative and preventative (hot lemon water is offered at the best spas). • Lemon juice and honey is used by some as a cold remedy. • Some people feel it prevents the common cold, although Vitamin C in pill form may be the better way to go, as daily doses of straight lemon juice can erode teeth enamel.

Origin of lemon

The origin of the lemon has not yet been determined, although science suggests it may be northwestern India, where they have been cultivated for more than 2,500 years. Arab traders brought the lemons to the Middle East and Africa sometime after 100 C.E. It is believed to have been introduced into southern Italy around 200 C.E.; and was being cultivated in Egypt and in Sumer, the southern portion of Mesopotamia a few centuries later.

At first, lemons were not widely cultivated as food: It was largely an ornamental plant (as were tomatoes), until about the 10th century. The Arabs introduced the lemon into Spain in the 11th century, and by 1150, the lemon was widely cultivated in the Mediterranean. Crusaders returning from Palestine brought it to the rest of Europe.

The lemon came into full culinary use in Europe in the 15th century; the first major cultivation in Europe began in Genoa. Lemons came to the New World in 1493, when Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds to Hispaniola. Spanish conquest spread the lemon throughout the New World, where it was still used mainly used as an ornamental plant, and for medicine. Lemons were grown in California by 1751; and in the 1800s in Florida, they began to be used in cooking and flavoring.

The name “lemon” first appeared around 1350–1400, from the Middle English word limon. Limon is an Old French word, indicating that the lemon entered England via France. The Old French derives from the Italian limone, which dates back to the Arabic laymun or limun, from the Persian word limun.

Lemons In America

Commercial cultivation of lemons blossomed in both California and Florida in the 1800s, but due to a killer freeze in the winter of 1894-1895, commercial lemon culture in Florida ceased. Planting resumed in 1953 due to a need not for fresh lemons (of which there were plenty from California), but a market for frozen lemon concentrate, which had become popular (along with frozen orange concentrate), and for natural cold-press lemon oil.

Of the 200 or so cultivars (distinct varieties) of lemon that can be found in the U.S., some are best for lemon oil, some for juice and some are the best all-around. Some cultivars are more vigorous (disease-resistant), some are more productive (they bear more fruit), some have fewer seeds, some are better in humid climates like Florida, in arid climates like Arizona and Texas or in colder climates.

Lemons are hand-picked (they can’t be machine-harvested, or picked wet). They’re then sorted according to color, washed, coated with a fungicide to prevent stem-end rot, coated with a thin layer of wax for preservation and attractiveness and cured (stored) until ready for shipping.

The Lisbon lemon (above) and the Eureka lemon are the two most prevalent in the U.S.Photo courtesy Pachd.com. During curing, which can take days (or can happen in transit, as the lemons take days to be shipped to their destination), the peel of the picked fruit, which is green, turns yellow. It also grows thinner and the pulp gets juicier.

Johanes Wibowo, PDC Teacher

Jiwa Damaiis a learning space. We bring knowledge from all the corners of the world and share it with people who in turn will spread it to all the corners of the world. During our Permaculture Design Course Through the Heart in February, we have an international team of experts: Neil Willmann, Daruma eco farm founder in Thailand; Margret Rueffler, founder of Jiwa Damai permaculture center Bali and Lagu Damai foundation and Johanes Wibowo, head of Green School Bali gardens.

In this article we will tell you more about Johanes Wibowo. You can read more about our facilitators here. And you can find more information about the course here.

It wouldn’t have been right to do a permaculture design course in Indonesia without accessing the local knowledge. Johanes Wibowo is a certified Permaculture Designer with years of experience teaching locals on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan and East Java (Indonesia) in the transition from conventional to organic farming. He received his training in traditional Javanese farming methods at KPTT Salatiga in central Java as a designer and planer.

We asked him why people should study permaculture and who should attend this kind of course. His answers came from the heart showing how much he loves nature.

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Why permaculture?

Permaculture reminds me of the time when I was a kid. In my village we were growing so many trees, there was a huge variety. Permaculture talks about the diversity of plants or animals. In my village they were following the traditional calendar: the wind season, the rain season, the dry season, the breeding season and so on. They were following the rhythm of nature so they were using in a sense Permaculture principles.

Permaculture means learning from the nature. And there are so many new things to discover every day. This is how permaculture design works. Therefore, it is a life long learning process and no matter how many permaculture courses one had before, each course brings something new. One can read a book on Permaculture design but the reality is always different because every experience is different.

Jiwa Damai is following the permaculture standard so it is a great place to learn about the permaculture principles here. The garden is very generous and one can experience a lot and explore different possibilities.

Who should attend the course?

I think everybody should attend this course. People have to learn what nature needs. It isn’t only farmers or permaculture designers, or only for students or trainers. Everybody could come and should come. Because nature is not a place out there somewhere. It is everything that surrounds us: sun, energy, plants, animals. And everyday we should get closer to nature.

When I give trainings I am really happy if people tell me afterwards that they applied what they learned from me in their own gardens, in their own offices, in their own schools or in their own beautiful spaces.

Neil Willmann, PDC Teacher

Less than one month to go until the February Permaculture Through the Heart Design Course begins! Here, at Jiwa Damai we are getting very excited. Our international team of specialists is waiting for you!

Although we are very eager to know you, let’s first introduce our facilitators: Neil Willmann, Daruma ecofarm founder in Thailand; Margret Rueffler, founder of Jiwa Damai permaculture center Bali and Lagu Damai foundation and Johanes Wibowo, head of Green School Bali gardens. Find more about the structure of the course here.

In this blog post we will talk about Neil Willmann but follow us. Soon we will come back with information about our other facilitators.

Permaculture Design Course

Neil Willmann is originally from Chicago. Neil’s academic studies include a degree in oceanography from the university of Hawaii where he worked on recirculating, marine aquaculture systems.  Later, he returned to his hometown to complete another degree in physics.  Physics, particularly thermodynamics, serves as much of the foundation for ecology in general and even specifically the origins of much of permaculture design theory.

Neil has traveled, lived and worked in many parts of the world and recently (2007) settled down in Thailand, about an hour outside of Bangkok. He currently teaches physics, energy studies, and engineering design methodology at Asian University of Science and Technology where he also conducts research in ecological system engineering using engineering mathematics to validate eco-agrology methods (such as organic farming).

Additionally, Neil is the executive manager of Daruma Eco-Farm and co-founder of the Mosaic School, the first full-time primary school based on permaculture principles offering an alternative, holistic ecological conscious education. Daruma, under Neil’s direction, has hosted numerous permaculture courses, natural and earth building courses, Thai massage courses, and more.  Neil has led and instructed many students in permaculture including many credited undergraduate and graduate study programs with universities in the USA, Canada, France, Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.

Neil is passionate about life-long learning.  “The only true ‘expert' in ecological engineering design is Nature.  Because of this, permaculture design promises a creative, lifelong learning capacity that will always be rewarding.”  As for teaching permaculture, Neil says, “When it comes to teaching subjects like permaculture, ‘rewarding’ doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling of giving the gift of a more complete understanding of a complex subject such as ecology, and a foundation of design methodology that allows others to confidently go forward and effect meaningful change in the world.”