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Newsletter: March 2008
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This newsletter brings you the thoughts of visiting teacher, Mary Aver with a sneak preview of some of her writing on the power of nature, a piece by faculty member Stephan Harding on Intelligent Growth, and an update on the Certificate in Education.
This summer, we are running a series of courses focusing on the interconnections between nature, art, science and activism. This is a wonderful time of year to stay at the College and enjoy the bounteous gardens and natural beauty of Dartington. We hope to see you soon.
Journey from the Mountain
Extract from work by Mary Aver
I defy anyone to spend time in communion with the earth in Ireland and not feel it. It will insist on whispering in your ear and sending your mind a – wandering, it may be a song or a poem or simply relaxing into life ‘for a change’. I still cannot tell you for certain who first inspired me but I inspired I was and for six years I took groups to the west coast on retreat…
Read more of this extract from Mary’s forthcoming book
Mary Aver will be teaching on Reconnecting with Nature as Healer in May. Participants on this course will look at two different dimensions of our relationship with the natural world; the way interacting with soil and plants helps individuals and how we relate to plants and the elements on a spiritual level.
Get more information about Reconnecting with Nature as Healer May 5 – 16 (one or two week options)
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More on Summer courses at Schumacher – Creating Nature: Art in the Landscape
A highlight of our summer series will explore the resurgence of interest in nature as an inspiration and a medium for artists.
Creating Nature: Art in the Landscape
May 26 – June 6 (one or two week options)
Participants will discuss the relationship between art and the natural world. The course will involve exploration, discovery and creative practice in landscape.
Satish Kumar, Programme Director at the College and narrator of the renowned BBC 2 programme ‘Earth Pilgrim’ says: The wondrous, awesome beauty of the natural world is both the artist’s muse and the artist’s toolkit. As humans we are inherently creative, and on this course we look to nature and learn by divine example how to design intelligently and create something of intrinsic beauty.
Expert teachers: Susan Derges, James Marriott, Lynne Hull
More information about this course and teachers
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Intelligent Growth
Article by Stephan Harding
An economist speaking on Radio 4 in the UK recently insisted that a third runway at Heathrow Airport was a good thing, otherwise we would “risk our competitive advantage, which we are already in danger of losing to France”. There was no discussion of the environmental costs of such growth, either to local residents or to the climate. How much longer can this suicidal thinking possibly hold sway, and how can we persuade economists and governments to see ‘growth’ in another light?...
Read more this article, originaly published by Resurgence
Stephan Harding is the Co-ordinator of the MSc in Holistic Science at Schumacher College. Holistic science makes use of qualities as well as quantities to understand the earth and all of its inhabitants as an integrated, living whole.
Get more information about the MSc in Holistic Science
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Schumacher College experts meet in London to discuss solutions for sustainability crisis
Thank you to all faculty, teachers, participants and volunteers for your contribution to the event on Saturday 8th March London. We had some fascinating discussions around the themes of the environment, education and international development.
We are currently reviewing materials from this event. In the meantime you can post your responses to a selection of seminar questions on the Schumacher College forum. These questions include:
- What is meant by sustainability? For example, one can refer to economic sustainability. Is it sustainability a contradiction in terms?
- How do you get a critical mass of people to want a change?
- How can we ensure that education reform goes beyond formal education?
- Is there any way we can take anything positive from ‘development’? Is transformation of development possible?
To register your response to one of these questions on the Schumacher College forum
Get more information about Cultures of Sustainability event in London
Read our press release: Schumacher College Goes to London
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Global learning at Dartington: An update on the Schumacher Certificate in Education
The Certificate in Education was established at Schumacher College in 2007 to provide a platform for participants to develop their professional practice in adult education for sustainability. The aim is to broaden the reach of the ‘Schumacher educational experience’ whilst bringing in other ideas to create new models. It is also hoped that in empowering participants to create similar centres or projects in their local communities, people can find this inspiration and learning within their own region rather than needing to fly across the world; a global education with a smaller carbon footprint.
Read programme details for the Schumacher Certificate in Education
Story to tell?If you have a story about work you have done, which has been inspired by Schumacher College we would like to hear from you. We want to share the experiences of our alumni through our newsletter, our publicity work and the website. If you would like to share and encourage others to enjoy your work and be transformed by the College email your stories to us |
Programme 2008 – courses open for booking
Inspired Leadership: Seeing organisations as living systems
21 – 25 April, 2008
Reconnecting with Nature as Healer
5 – 16 May, 2008
Creating Nature: Art in the landscape
26 May – 6 June, 2008
Soul of Science
16 – 27 June, 2008
Sacred Activism
14 – 25 July, 2008
MSc in Holistic Science
Starting September 2008
Schumacher College
(E) admin@schumachercollege.org.uk
(T) +44(0)1803 865 934
Schumacher College is an initiative of The Dartington Hall Trust, a registered charity, bringing ideas on sustainability to life.
Schumacher College is part of the Dartington Hall Trust, a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and as a charity (company no. 1485560, charity no. 279756). Registered office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL, UK.