Workshops

Gaia offers a range of one-day workshops to inspire and strengthen our relationship with the natural world to influence the choices we make in our daily lives towards a more ‘Earth-centred’ approach to living.

Groups are kept small, informal and friendly. All workshops cost £45 including seasonal and organic, vegetarian lunch. A limited number of bursaries are available.

Please book early to avoid disappointment.

For more information and to make your booking, contact Sarah Nicholl by email or tel. 020 7428 0055

Zero Carbon Britain

Saturday 9th February
With Peter Harper, Head of Research & Innovation at the Centre for Alternative Technology.

Many of us are concerned about the planet, but are not sure how best to contribute towards a more sustainable future. This workshop will give practical suggestions for making personal changes & will consider: What do we really want out of life? Are there any ‘non-negotiables’? Why is it so difficult to change? How do low-carbon communities work?

A Transition Town Experience

Saturday 19th April
With Duncan Law – Founder of Transition Town Brixton.
The challenges of Climate Change and Peak Oil require urgent action now, so that communities can build local resilience & reduce carbon emissions. This will be an inspiring, participatory & practical workshop full of ideas to help create, motivate & stimulate change. The workshop will include the story & model behind Transition Town Brixton, as well as awareness raising, visioning, facilitation, relations with local government, and practical projects. It will be a space for sharing inspiration and information.

May Foray - Wild Food Foraging

Saturday 10th May
With Miles Irving, Director of Forager Limited and experienced Forager.

May is a peak time for foraging – participants on this very popular workshop will learn how to identify and use common, wild, edible plants, salads, herbs and flowers from Hampstead Heath. They will also learn about the significance of foraging and the sustainable use of wild resources. This is a special opportunity to rediscover our intimate acquaintance with the seasons and reconnect with our unique place as a species in the ecology of the planet.

Unfolding Earth Justice - Meeting the needs of our time

Saturday 7th June
With Ian Mason, Barrister, Director of Earth Justice Resource Centre, Head of Law & Economics, School of Economic Science.

Real law is discovered, not made. What can be discovered by observing nature? How do we come to a natural way of living? Earth Justice is a search for a new philosophy of law based on reverence & respect for nature, the natural world & human dignity. For lawyers and non-lawyers alike, come and spend an inspiring day discovering the principles and origins of Earth Justice. More detail.

The Spiritual Compass

Saturday 13th September
With Satish Kumar, Editor of Resurgence magazine, & Programme Director of Schumacher College .

To find our direction in life we need a spiritual compass. The ancient Indian tradition of Ayurveda offers us just such a compass. Using the concept of the 3 ‘qualities’ – sattvic, rajasic & tamasic we will look at how all objects, thoughts, actions & relationships have one of these 3 qualities or tendencies & how our own health & wellbeing is integrally connected to a healthy society and a healthy environment.

Does Happiness have to Cost the Earth?

Saturday 15th November
With Nic Marks, Founder of the Centre for Well-being at The New Economics Foundation.

While Western Societies have undoubtedly got richer, recent evidence suggests we haven’t become any happier. So carbon intensive lifestyles are not only wasteful but also ineffective. Is there a hidden opportunity here? This stimulating workshop includes a detailed exploration of positive psychology with a particular focus on strategies to improve our levels of happiness both individually & collectively, without costing the earth.

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Gaia Learning Centre

2008 Programme of Events.

A range of workshops and evenings, to inspire and strengthen our relationship with the natural world and influence the choices we make in our daily lives.

** BOOK NOW **
Wild Law Workshop - 26-28 September - with the Environmental Law Foundation and the UK Environmental Law Association.

Earth Ethics Series

Summaries from recent Gaia Evenings.

Restoring the Mythological Paradigm - by Jules Cashford

The Colombian Amazon: An Indigenous Peoples' Journey - by Dr. Martín von Hildebrand

Changing America's Environmental Laws - by Andrew Kimbrell.

Science's Changing Myth - by Prof. Brian Goodwin.

Countdown: Life on a Hotter Planet - by Mark Lynas.

A New Relationship with the Living Earth - by Dr. Rupert Sheldrake.

Get Involved

Other events and links to inspire you:

The Age of Stupid - the unmissable new climate change documentary for the big screen. Documentary footage, drama and cutting-edge animation asks "Why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?"

Earth is Community - DVDs
For anyone who was not able to make our Earth is Community event, celebrating the vision and path of Thomas Berry. A set of DVDs with the main presentations, now available.

Earth Community Network

Schumacher College and Bija Vidyapeeth offer residential courses on Earth democracy and sustainable living. Visit the Earth Community Network for more opportunities in experiential learning - in Brazil, Kenya, India, UK.