Earthville Stories
Announcing Our 2024 Programs!
Earthville Institute’s 2024 program season will weave through the spheres of natural building, organic gardening and permaculture, meditation and the creative process — and, as always, our caring community and contemplative approach will provide rich opportunities for connection, reflection, insight, and joy.
Leadership Training in the Himalayas
We have some big news to share with you about the future of our Himalayan sister campus, Dharmalaya Institute, and the headline is that you’re invited to be a part of it!
Reflections on Touching Earth 2023
Following up on the success of last-year’s 27-day Natural Building and Inner Exploration Workshop Series, we opened the doors again this year to make the ongoing construction of our Colorado eco-campus available as a learning opportunity for anyone wishing to explore earthen building and our relationship with nature.
Straw-bale Buildings Rising!
We’re delighted to report that our 27-day Natural Building and Inner Exploration Workshop Series has wrapped up with results that surpassed even our lofty aspirations. Over the month, around 100 people joined us from across the US and beyond for learning, building, reflecting, and connecting.
Traditional Timber Framing
In preparation for Earthville Institute’s inaugural 27-day Natural Building and Inner Exploration Workshop Series in 2022, Earthville’s cofounders set out on a mission to add traditional mortise-and-tenon timber framing to their natural building repertoire, embarking on a grand adventure with Robert Laporte of EcoNest.
How to Make Himalayan-style Adobe Bricks
Dharmalaya Institute’s localized recipe for Kangra-style Himalayan mud bricks. Building an adobe structure that will stand the test of time begins with using best practices for each individual brick. As the saying goes, “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” The same is true, to an extent, for buildings.
Introduction to Earthen Building
There are as many techniques for building with locally available natural materials as there are traditional cultural groups. Throughout human history, each culture has used materials differently depending on their context and its particular challenges, and on the relative strengths and differing properties of the materials available on or near their sites. But one thing most of them have in common is the use of soil — the earth beneath our feet.
Pedagogy of the Heart: Education for Compassion
Earthville founder Mark Moore discusses the power of contemplative experiential education and service learning to awaken compassion and help empower sensitive and effective agents of change.
Designing an Outdoor Seating Area with Earth and Upcycled Waste
The latest addition to Dharmalaya Institute’s dormitory building is an outdoor seating area for al fresco classes and discussions. Dharmalaya architecture intern Anushka Joshi breaks down the process as part of our How-To series.
What is Compassionate Living?
Everything that matters most — from the quality of our character to the survival of our species and the health of our planet — depends greatly upon our practice of compassion.
Retrieving the Elemental Essences from Nature
In this video, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche teaches us how to open ourselves to the beneficial qualities of the natural elements - which the ancient Bön teachings place much emphasis on. The longer you spend in relationship with the elements of nature, the more you feel their essence coming alive in you and nourishing your soul.
Meditation Is Easier Than You Think
In this video, Mingyur Rinpoche explains the essence of meditation and describes some common misunderstandings about practicing meditation. He also shares some tips for bringing meditation into our day-to-day lives. What is your reaction to Mingyur Rinpoche’s statement that you don’t have to be calm and peaceful in order to meditate?
Make Your Own: Encaustic Tiles
Dig clay, make tiles, dance. Sourabh Phadke shows us how it’s done.
The Thatch Micromanual
A scruffy treatise on straw roofs — the combed wheat reed thatch micromanual, from Sourabh Phadke.
Didi Contractor Receives India’s Highest Award
On International Women’s Day of 2019, Didi Contractor, was presented with the Nari Shakti Puraskar, India’s highest civilian honour recognising women who have made great contributions to India. The award was presented by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
Have 10 minutes to spare? Learn “Three Pills” meditation
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche offers a succinct description of a meditation technique he calls the "Three Precious Pills” as well as instruction on how to practice it. He adds, with delightful humour, that these are three pills you can take everyday at any time and as much as you want, with no side effects!
Beyond Mindfulness: A Secular Perspective
A profound yet lighthearted talk by Mingyur Rinpoche held at the London School of Economics Old Theatre in the UK. Rinpoche talks about his own path of learning meditation, and about going beyond mindfulness as we take our meditation practice off the cushion and into our world.
Bringing a Vision to Life: Dharmalaya Institute
Reflecting on the birth of Dharmalaya Institute (Earthville’s Himalayan sister school), from the early design conversations between Earthville founder Mark Moore and award-winning eco-architect Didi Contractor, and the epic volunteer-driven adventure to bring Didi’s inspiring designs to life.
How to Make Chappals
Multivitamin supplement for soleful peeps — a how-to on making your own Indian-style sandals, from Sourabh Phadke
Didi Contractor Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
Didi Contractor, co-founding Professor Emeritus of the Internship in Vernacular Eco-Architecture at Dharmalaya Institute, was honoured with WADe Asia’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in natural building in the Himalayas.