2015: A Big Year for Programmes at Dharmalaya Institute
Baijnath (HP), India — The new year is here, and 2015 is shaping up to be the busiest year yet for the Dharmalaya Institute. The institute’s 2015 programme schedule is the fullest ever, with an expanding variety of courses, workshops, retreats, and other events for volunteers, students, interns, learners, and seekers.
All of these programs are open to the public and most are offered on a donation basis or for a modest tuition fee.
1 January to 5 March: Open Volunteer Period — Informal, unstructured volunteer opportunities doing various kinds of physical service work related to traditional, eco-friendly earthen building, organic gardening, and natural landscaping. Please note: It is very wet during this period. (1 July to 14 October 2015 — participants may arrive and depart anytime during this period, with a minimum stay of one week.)
7-8 March: A special service-learning workshop for forty architecture students from Kaarwan and IIT Roorkee.
10-23 March: Vernacular Eco-Architecture Intensive Workshop — Unique service-learning programme providing hands-on learning through diverse activities related to earthen building and natural landscaping, with an optional group meditation programme. Explore the theory and practice of vernacular eco-architecture of the Himalayas, with a focus on the Kangra style as expressed in the neotraditional designs of esteemed eco-architect Didi Contractor. (10-23 March 2015 — must attend from the beginning, but leaving early is permitted.)
25 March to 2 April: Silent Meditation Retreat with SanghaSeva — A one-week, (mostly) silent meditation retreat in the Insight Meditation tradition, led by Zohar Lavie and Nathan Glyde of SanghaSeva. (25 March to 2 April 2015) › More
3-13 April: SanghaSeva Work Retreat — A ten-day ‘meditation in action’ retreat, providing those who have completed the silent meditation retreat (see above) with opportunities to practice mindful engagement doing various forms of service work related to earthen construction, organic gardening, natural landscaping, and more, helping to build and beautify the Dharmalaya campus. (3-13 April 2015)
15-29 April: Open Volunteer Period — Informal, minimally-structured volunteer opportunities doing various kinds of service work related to traditional earthen building, organic gardening, and natural landscaping. (15-29 April 2015, subject to change — participants may arrive and depart anytime during this period, with a minimum stay of one week.)
1-8 May: Sustainable Living in the Himalayas — A Service-Learning Retreat — A week-long mindful adventure in sustainable and compassionate living, providing opportunities for exploration of both inner and outer sustainability. We will explore meditation not only stitting on the cushion but also in action, performing mindful service work doing organic gardening, eco-friendly earthen construction, and natural landscaping around the beautiful Dharmalaya campus. (1-8 May 2015 — must attend from the beginning and stay for the duration.)
10-30 May: Open Volunteer Period — Informal, minimally-structured volunteer opportunities doing various kinds of physical service work related to green building, organic gardening, and natural landscaping. (10-30 May 2015 — participants may arrive and depart anytime during this period, with a minimum stay of one week.)
1-15 June: Vernacular Eco-architecture Workshop — Unique service-learning programme providing hands-on learning through diverse activities related to earthen building and natural landscaping, with an optional group meditation programme. Explore the theory and practice of vernacular eco-architecture of the Himalayas, with a focus on the Kangra style as expressed in the neotraditional designs of esteemed eco-architect Didi Contractor. (1-15 June 2015 — must attend from the beginning.)
17-30 June: Open Volunteer Period — Informal, minimally-structured volunteer opportunities doing various kinds of service work related to traditional, eco-friendly earthen building, organic gardening, and natural landscaping. (17-30 June 2015 — participants may arrive and depart anytime during this period, with a minimum stay of one week.)
17-27 June: Yoga Course — Ten-day intensive course in the yogas of the Indian Mahasiddha tradition (17-27 June 2015)
1 July to 30 September: Rains Retreat — A traditional three-month meditation retreat period for experienced meditation practitioners. There are no teachings or programmes; just a serene and beautiful place to do your own practice. (1 July to 30 September 2015) Please contact us to let us know if you are interested.
1 July to 14 October: Monsoon Open Volunteer Period — Informal, unstructured volunteer opportunities doing various kinds of physical service work related to traditional, eco-friendly earthen building, organic gardening, and natural landscaping. Please note: It is very wet during this period. (1 July to 14 October 2015 — participants may arrive and depart anytime during this period, with a minimum stay of one week.)
15-28 October: Vernacular Eco-Architecture Workshop — Unique service-learning programme with diverse activities related to traditional, eco-friendly earthen building, organic gardening, natural landscaping, and an optional meditation programme. (15-28 October 2015 — must attend from the beginning.)
1-7 and 8-15 November: Nada Brahma — Music & Meditation Retreat — An exploration of creativity as expressed through music, and of the nature of reality as expressed through the vibrations of sound. The retreat will include workshops in individual and collaborative songwriting as well as intruction in sound meditation with daily practice. The retreat will be in two parts: The first week is required for all participants and the second week is optional, so that those on tight schedules may leave after the first week while those who wish to stay longer to deeper their explorations and continue their songwriting projects can stay for the full two weeks. (1-7 November 2015, with optional extension from 8-15 November 2015)
16-23 November: Open Volunteer Week — Informal, minimally-structured volunteer opportunities doing various kinds of service work related to traditional, eco-friendly earthen building, organic gardening, and natural landscaping. (16-23 November 2015 — must attend for the whole week.)
25 November to 5 December: Sustainable Living in the Himalayas — A Service-Learning Retreat — A ten-day mindful adventure in sustainable and compassionate living, providing opportunities for exploration of both inner and outer sustainability. We will explore meditation not only stitting on the cushion but also in action, performing mindful service work doing organic gardening, eco-friendly earthen construction, and natural landscaping around the beautiful Dharmalaya campus. (25 November to 5 December 2015 — must attend from the beginning and stay for the duration.)
7 December 2015 to 7 March 2016: Open Volunteer Period — Informal, unstructured volunteer opportunities doing various kinds of service work related to traditional, eco-friendly earthen building, organic gardening, and natural landscaping. (7 December 2015 to 7 March 2016 — participants may arrive and depart anytime during this period, with a minimum stay of one week.)