LUNAR INTERNSHIPS

We hold spaces for Permaculture interns to join us for a month period of growth and learning centered around the phases of the moon.. We hope to simplify our lives by planning our daily tasks, workshops and classes around a lunar schedule and therefore create a holistic learning experience and environment at The Yoga Forest.

Deepen your yoga practice with daily yoga classes and learn Permaculture principles and practices in our forest gardens whilst exploring the dynamics of community living.

Interns must commit to a minimum period of one lunar cycle, beginning either on the new or full moon.

Each work day begins with yoga practice, breakfast and a Permaculture workshop. Putting into practice the various principles we are learning according to where we are in the lunar cycle, we spend the mornings and afternoons deep in various forest explorations.

Interns are asked to participate in communal contributions to sustain the everyday needs of the community such as watering the garden, grinding corn or coffee and helping to prepare and clean-up after communal meals. We like to think of this as a karma yoga practice giving back to our community.

Return interns/ volunteers/ forest workers will be prioritized in our lunar scheduling. We also welcome people to work stay who are more interested in sharing skills in kitchen supervision, carpentry, aquaculture, animal husbandry and artistic/ graphic design.

INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM

The Yoga Forest is excited to be offering dynamic internships where students focus on completing an independent study in Permaculture principles and techniques. The formalities of the independent study are dictated on an individual basis between the university and the student. We offer a semester long internship three times a year (fall, spring and summer) in which we provide guidance and materials for students to carry out their independent study. We have a capacity to take on four students each semester.

We provide students with an in-depth education focused on the Permaculture principles and techniques varying across all landscapes and lifestyles. The first month follows our Lunar Internship curriculum rooted deeply in the principles, allowing students to gather insight and put theories into practice first hand on our farm. The following two months are focused on each person’s individual preference and university requirements as necessary. The internship is led by our certified Permaculture designer who also holds a bachelors degree in sustainable food and farming. Each independent study can choose a narrow or broad focus in the field of Permaculture.

Potential projects include:

• Product making i.e., Kombucha and other fermented products, natural soaps and shampoos, medicinal products like balms, salves and flower essences
• Forest garden work involving nutrient management of soils, rearing plants in a greenhouse, preparing potting mixes, planting and maintaining both perennial and intensive annual systems
• Food Forest management and design; maintaining a diverse area of plants that together create and maintain a forest geared towards producing food
• Greenhouse management; preparation, organization and seed saving
• Earth works; terrace construction and pond making
• Aquaculture; irrigation design, installation of drip-line systems, pond and pool construction
• Natural sustainable building with earth, local hardwoods and bamboo
• Animal husbandry; goat pen design and implementation, chicken coop construction, management of rabbits, introduction of ducks to system
• Holistic homestead management, management roles covering all farm and administrative aspects of a small scale intensive operation
• Fine carpentry using natural wood for furniture and small structures on the farm
• Natural fiber weaving & natural dye workshops; organized with outside facilitators if desired