# Vision Stewardship School empowers young adults to live a wholesome life by combining hands-on land stewardship with inner development through yoga. Through practical skills, community connection, and personal growth, students learn to care for the Earth and cultivate a regenerative way of life. As an immersion program, students and staff design and install a food forest system into the landscape of a local non-profit organization. This same design process is paralleled through yoga and mindfulness to cultivate the students inner landscape. Students and staff will live as a community for 10 days during each program. It is an immersive experience as the group will eat, lodge, play, work, learn and grow together. During the program, the group will work with the non-profit organization to implement a permaculture design into the landscape. Students will learn how to do this process from beginning to end. The group will also move through daily self-care for body, mind and spirit with practices like yoga, meditation, group discussion and personal hygiene. # Problems Modern education educates young adults for tests, trained to be employees — leaving them overwhelmed, uncertain, and disconnected from their own well-being. They’ve lost touch with the natural world, failed to set worthy goals and lack the ability to nurture their bodies, minds, or relationships, all of which leaves them dependent on a fabricated society that lacks the conditions for true fulfillment. Health Problems - **Burnout & lack of direction** – Stuck in a cycle of stress, distractions, and feeling unmotivated? No clarity on what’s next? - **Health & energy are low** – Tired all the time, sleep patterns are off, not feeling strong in body or mind. - **Tech addiction** – Phones and screens dominate life, leaving people disconnected from natural rhythms, leading to poor sleep and a feeling of ungroundedness. Mental Health Issues - **Mental health struggles** – Stress, anxiety, and burnout are way too common, and people don’t have tools to deal with them. - **No idea how to handle stress** – Overthinking everything, easily overwhelmed, and no real tools for managing emotions or challenges. - **No confidence in leadership** – Afraid to take initiative, don’t know how to handle responsibility, and not sure how to guide others. Lifestyle Problems - **No real-life skills** – School doesn’t teach you the skills that will support you outside of their fabricated reality. Learn to build, grow, cook, or fix things—taking you past basic survival into creating a world of your own. - **Struggle with focus & discipline** – Scrolling for hours, starting things but never finishing, feeling overwhelmed by simple tasks. - **Consumer culture is a trap** – Buying junk, throwing it away, and working jobs just to afford more stuff is unsustainable and unfulfilling. Sense of Place Problems - **Disconnected from nature** – Most young adults don’t know where their food and water comes from, let alone how to grow it. - **Stuck in virtual life** – Everything happens on a screen, but real experiences feel distant and unattainable. - **Weak community & relationships** – Friendships are surface-level, mentors are rare, and deep, supportive connections feel out of reach. - **Lack of real community** – People are isolated, craving connection but not sure how to establish it. - **The land is hurting** – Pollution, poor farming practices and overconsumption are wrecking ecosystems, and too few people know how to fix it. Spiritual Problems - **Desire for something real** – Sick of the fake, the performative, and the shallow. Want something hands-on, immersive, and actually useful. - **Everything is theory, no practice** – Most learning happens in a classroom, not in the real world where it actually matters. - **Lack of purpose** – Doing things just to do them, but nothing feels meaningful. Society pushes jobs and degrees, but none of it feels right. Stewardship School meets these challenges head-on—not with skills to pass a test or with an empty motivation, but with real-world skills, deep personal fulfillment, and a hands-on experience that reshapes how you see yourself and your future. We are able to lead our students from these problems to the solutions because we have been there ourselves. Raised in the same kind of system that failed us, we found mentors, teachers and education that helped us to experience a more fulfilling lifestyle, capable of bringing what we felt in our hearts to be possible into reality. # Solutions Most young adults don’t wake up thinking..._I wish I could go weed a garden today._ So how do we make Stewardship School appealing to those who might not initially be drawn to working with nature? The focus shifts from _"come work outside"_ to _"come learn how to build a strong, capable, and purposeful life."_ The outdoors, the land and the work are just the tools. The transformation is the real hook. - **Escape the burnout cycle** – Tired of feeling stuck, drained or unmotivated? This is a reset button. No screens, no distractions—just real experiences that give you clarity and energy. - **Upgrade your mind & body** – This isn’t just about being with nature or gardening. Integrating with your ecosystem helps you to develop focus, discipline, and mental fortitude faster and easier. - **Build something real** – Whether it's designing a landscape, growing your own food, or creating a project from scratch, you’ll walk away knowing how to transform your world. - **Hack your habits** – Want to be more productive, healthier, and actually excited about what you do? Stewardship School gives you the tools and knowledge to make it happen. - **Meet your people** – No shallow small talk, no fake networking—just a tight-knit group of people who actually care about doing something meaningful. - **Experience something different** – This isn’t school, this isn’t summer camp, this isn’t some corporate leadership retreat. It’s hands-on learning, personal growth, and adventure, all in one. - **Learn the skills they never taught you** – To truly help yourself & others, manage your energy, navigate the mind, handle stress, to live with purpose. - **Level up your leadership** – Want to stand out? Want to actually be capable? This program teaches you to take initiative, be an effective problem solver and bring your dreams to life. - **Hands-on, not hands-off** – Philosophy & knowledge are only part of the equation. You’ll be doing, making, moving, and learning in a way that engrains permaculture & yoga into your core. - **A fresh start** – Whether you’re looking for a new direction, a mental reset, or just something different...this is where you begin. # What? Summary of how we intend to solves modern day problems for young adults. Stewardship School is 10-day immersion program that teaches Permaculture Design and Yoga Philosophy, providing students with hard and soft skills for personal and community well-being. Through a structured curriculum, workshops, therapeutic sessions, and hands-on projects, students develop practical skills while working on land regeneration and self-awareness. The program is hosted by non-profit organizations around the country. Program mentors act as designers, providing permaculture designs that provide ecological restoration and new systems that enhance the organization's landscape. Counselors do this for inner landscape for each student. - **Permaculture Design & Hands-on Gardening** _Solution:_ Teaching sustainable farming, eco-friendly design, and how to work with nature to create systems that support a wholesome life for themselves and their community. _Payoff:_ Students build a deep, practical connection to the rhythms & principles of nature, gaining the skills to grow their own food, reduce their ecological footprint, and understand the interdependent systems that sustain life. - **Yoga Philosophy & Lifestyle Integration** _Solution:_ Integrating yoga principles that emphasize mindfulness, mental clarity, and physical health into daily living. _Payoff:_ Students develop a stronger sense of personal connection, manage stress & emotional well being, improve physical health, and connect spiritually—leading to more grounded and intentional lives. - **Relational Therapy (Mentorship & Counseling)** _Solution:_ Offering mentorship and counseling that helps students navigate emotional challenges, build healthy relationships, and heal past trauma. _Payoff:_ Students leave with healthier coping strategies, better communication skills, and more confidence in themselves and their interactions with others. - **Dharma Design Lifestyle Plan** _Solution:_ Personalized lifestyle plans that combine principles of yoga and permaculture to help students align their actions with their higher purpose. _Payoff:_ Students create a life plan rooted in their values, giving them direction, clarity, and a sense of purpose for the future. - **Hard & Soft Skill Development** _Solution:_ A balanced curriculum that combines practical skills like gardening, building, and cooking with inner skills like emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-awareness. _Payoff:_ Students leave with a unique combination of tangible skills and mental tools that equip them to thrive in any environment, whether in the wild or in a community setting. - **Connection to Community and Ecosystems** _Solution:_ Creating intentional communities where students engage with each other and the land, learning how to give back and strengthen both. _Payoff:_ Students gain a sense of belonging and responsibility to their environment and community, breaking free from isolation and becoming stewards of the land and each other. - **Mental & Physical Health Focus** _Solution:_ Holistic approaches to well-being, including nutritious food, hygienic practices, and techniques like movement, breathwork, and meditation. _Payoff:_ Students improve their physical fitness, reduce anxiety, and gain mental clarity, leading to an overall healthier and more balanced life. - **Immersive Learning Environment** _Solution:_ A 10-day immersive experience that challenges students to step outside their comfort zones and engage deeply with both their inner and outer landscapes. _Payoff:_ Students leave feeling empowered, with real-world skills and confidence to apply what they've learned in their everyday lives. # Why? What is the problem or opportunity directly addressed in the charter with this project? The project addresses the need for young adults to gain practical, ethical, and holistic education in sustainability and self-realization. By merging permaculture and yogic sciences, students learn to cultivate both external landscapes and their inner world, empowering them to create sustainable, fulfilling lives and contribute to their communities. # Students: Young adults participating in immersive learning, hands-on projects, and personal development activities. We are looking for students who are **gifted in unique ways**—not just academically, but in their curiosity, resilience and potential for leadership. These students may not fit into traditional education models, but they have a spark that, when nurtured, can make a real impact on their communities and the world. Who They Are: - Big Thinkers & Deep Feelers – They ask the big questions. They want to understand how things work, why people suffer, and how they can contribute to something bigger than themselves. - Creative Problem-Solvers – They think outside the box, challenge norms and may already be experimenting with alternative ways of living, thinking, or creating. - Resilient & Adaptive – Many have faced challenges—whether social, financial, or personal—but instead of breaking, they’ve found ways to survive and grow. - Spiritually or Philosophically Curious – Whether through yoga, nature, art, or introspection, they are drawn to the unseen connections in life. They seek meaning and transformation. - Hands-On Learners – They don’t just want to sit in a classroom. They want to do—to build, plant, move, and practice. They learn by experience, not just theory. - Community-Oriented – While they may have felt like outsiders, they also crave deep, meaningful connections with like-minded people who respect them for who they are. Who they are not: - Traditional Overachievers – This isn’t for kids who are chasing perfect grades or a polished résumé. It’s for those who care more about mastery than validation. - Entitled or Passive – Students need to show a willingness to engage, take responsibility, and contribute. This is a hands-on immersion, not a spectator event. - Afraid of Challenge – Growth requires discomfort. Students must be open to facing their edges—whether that means working through tough emotions, learning new skills, or stepping into leadership. Selection Process: 1. Community Out-Reach – Students will be sponsored by a community, organization or mentor local to the Hosting Organization. 2. Application & Self-Assessment – Students reflect on why they want to attend and what they bring to the experience. 3. Interview – Getting to know fit and feel of the student and mentor connection by discussing their interests, challenges and what they hope to gain. # Staff The entire team works collaboratively to ensure students receive comprehensive education and mentorship so that they can become Designers, Mentors and Counselors themselves. Internal Staff - **Designers**: Work with Hosting Organizations to create a permaculture design that merges the needs of the organizers and the land with regards to repair, restore and regenerate damaged landscape so that wildlife, humans and the land itself benefits. - **Mentors**: Guide students in permaculture and yoga, providing instruction and real-world applications. - **Counselors**: Offer one-on-one support, helping students develop a personalized Dharma Design (lifestyle plan). - **Support Staff**: Handle logistics, meal prep, and accommodations. Cooperating Clients - **Hosting Organizations**: Hosts our program and allows access to their landscape for hands-on projects and real-world experience. - Client: Will be the main contact from the hosting organizations that will act as the client for the permaculture design. # When? What is the project timeline, including milestones? ### Phase 1: Initial Funding & Strategic Partnerships (Now - 1 Month) - Meet with Connie O'Brien to align business and funding strategy. - Meet with Diamond Mountain & Project Oasis to explore collaboration opportunities. - Find Investors & Grants to secure startup capital. - Legal & Financial Stability: - Secure Non-Profit Status with advisors for grant eligibility - Establish board and directors - Setup bank accounts for non-profit - Formalize long-term budgeting & financial strategy. - Fundraising Setup: - Finalize website - Create fundraising campaign. - Start outreach to potential sponsors and partners --- ### Phase 2: Recruitment & Infrastructure Development (1-3 Months) - Find & Onboard Staff: - Confirm Mentors (Maya Stackhouse + Benji) - Confirm Assistant/Production Manager (TBD) - Confirm Counselors (Amber Moon) - Find & Interview Students: - Identify partner organizations for student referrals. - Develop an application and screening process. - Create assets for confirmed students with immersion guidelines, pre-immersion coursework, etc. - Finalize Curriculum & Logistics: - Complete RACI for logistics & production. - Finalize Dharma Design & SEER assets for counseling sessions. - Print necessary materials (comp books, worksheets, assessments, waivers). - Prepare Physical Infrastructure: - Staging supplies for on-site projects - Purchase gear packs for students - Set up staging stations for hygiene, cooking, yoga, honor circle, and sleeping areas. --- ### Phase 3: Program Execution (4-6 Months) - Run First Immersion Program: - Ensure all students have gear packs & necessary personal items. - Conduct onboarding & personal inventory check with mentors. - Implement curriculum, workshops and counseling sessions. - Monitor & Adjust: - Gather feedback from students, mentors, and counselors. - Evaluate program success metrics & areas for improvement. - Post-immersion curriculum: - Establish ongoing mentorship & alumni community for students. --- ### Phase 4: Expansion & Sustainability (12+ Months) - Community Development: - Launch ongoing yoga, gardening, and permaculture workshops. - Grow network of supporting organizations & referral partners. - Scale Funding Efforts: - Expand corporate sponsorships & grant applications. - Develop fundraising strategies (e.g., sponsor-a-student model, selling herbal medicine & prayer flags). # Scope What are the major deliverables? What will be done and what is not included? **Deliverables:** - A 10-day immersion covering Permaculture Design, Yoga Philosophy, and therapeutic practices. - Hands-on projects, such as garden building, water catchment systems, and land restoration. These projects are agreed upon by Hosting Organization and the Designers - A personalized **Dharma Design** lifestyle plan for each student and a Dharma Design for the hosting organization on next steps and maintenance of their new systems - A structured curriculum blending theory and practice. **Exclusions:** - No long-term accommodations beyond the immersion period. - No certification beyond the skills acquired unless specified. - Not a replacement for formal higher education or therapy, but a complement to personal development. - Hosting Organization does not receive on-going maintenance from Giving Tree. Maintenance will be discussed in the design phase prior to installation to ensure needs & expectations are established. # Risks What risks can occur, how can they be prevented, and what is the path of action if they occur. Potential Risks & Prevention Strategies: 1. Emotional or Mental Overwhelm → Daily check-ins with counselors and weekly check-ins with mentors for support. 2. Logistical Issues (e.g., weather disruptions, supply shortages) → Flexible scheduling and backup plans. 3. Interpersonal Conflicts → Clear guidelines on communication and conflict resolution practices. 4. Physical Injuries (e.g., working with tools, outdoor activities) → Ensure proper training, safety gear, and supervision. Action Plan for Issues: - Immediate safety measures for injuries, including first-aid and emergency protocols. - Emotional support through mentors and counselors. - Adjusting schedules or activities if environmental or logistical issues arise. # Introduction to Giving Tree Giving Tree is a collaborative group of Permaculture Designers, Healers & Philosophers collaborating to regenerate land & people. Our projects are designed to uplift & empower our community, creating abundance for our neighbors and global community. Stewardship School is one of Giving Trees major projects. # Introduction to Stewardship School Stewardship School educates young adults in Permaculture & Yoga. Teachers, mentors and counselors empower young adults with hard & soft skills, knowledge of universal principles and methods for self-realization. To provide our students with hands-on skill building and real life experience, we curate Immersions in the landscape of a partnering organization. Students will be immersed in a 10 day immersion that teaches Permaculture Design and Yoga Philosophy, giving them the hard and soft skills needed to be useful to their community and achieve their personal goals. It will be a time to also connect with peers and participate in a wide range of workshops and therapeutic experiences. Our goal is to provide students with the skills and tools needed to become a Steward. Stewards are gardeners of the Inner & Outer Landscapes, equipped with the sciences of Permaculture & Yoga to create a more ideal world for themselves & their community. They learn to expand their capacity to empower community, benefit wildlife & feed our families. The work of the Steward brings abundance into the landscape, inside and out. Steward Schools' teachers, mentors & counselors guide students to their Sacred Self using our Wholistic Curriculum and the SEER Therapeutic Process. Through this process, each student will leave the immersion with a tailor made Dharma Design lifestyle plan. Every Dharma Design equips students with personalized habits & practices to weed out their Thistles & Thorns and cultivate the Fruits of their Sacred Self. Students will meet one-on-one with a Counselor to create their Dharma Design. While attending a full day's schedule of classes, service, meals and free time for leisure & hygiene, students will be supported by Mentors every day to integrate their Dharma Design and meet their therapeutic goals. # What Students Can Expect # Wholistic Curriculum General Overview Our class and activity structure is rooted in our Wholistic Curriculum, a parallel process that teaches students how to tend to the outer garden through Permaculture Design while cultivating their inner landscape through Yoga Philosophy. Students will leave our program equipped with hard & soft skills that establish a foundation for a life long career, self-care routines and being a valuable asset to any community. The Wholistic Curriculum is a framework to bring students to a place of wholeness and balance through an understanding and application of Permaculture and Yoga sciences. It also creates the ecosystem for mentors and counselors to get to know students. They will identify student's pain points, provide mentorship and show them that another way is possible. ## SEER Landscape & Lifestyle Design A process to Know, Heal & Embody our Sacred Self. Students will be guided through a parallel design process where students learn to work in the landscape while simultaneously addressing their mental and emotional well being. The SEER Design Process includes four stages: S - Survey - Site & Self Assessment E - Evaluate  - Patterns & Energy E - Envision - Permaculture Design & Dharma Design Lifestyle Plan R - Realize - Implement & Maintain This four step process is used by mentors to create a permaculture design for the landscape that host each Immersion. This design determines the main projects and activities students will work. While in the field, mentors will teach students how they used the SEER process to create the design. four steps students the power of systems thinking and ethical design through SEER. Through this design process Mentors & Counselors use this same design process to create a dharma design. Using the fundamentals & practices of Permaculture & Yoga, counselors use SEER to design a path for each student to access their **Sacred Self** - who Self they were always meant to _Be_. Permaculture is a design science that incorporates the wisdom of the world's many disciplines & traditions as a way to redesign our relationships, landscapes, businesses and even our personal lives. SEER is a four step design process that can be used on the Inner and Outer Landscape. In the landscape, SEER regenerates land through the intentional design of waterways, trees, earth moving and human interaction. When used to design a lifestyle plan like a Dharma Design, SEER is used **for Regenerating Human Awareness**. Utilizing Natural Principals, Ancient Wisdom Traditions & the Self Healer practices, this SEER process identifies the causes to pain, weeds out those causes and sows the seeds for wholeness and balance in their place. When students use this process and follow their personalized dharma design, they have the potential to reinvigorate the body & mind, expand their capacity to serve the world and live a purpose-driven & authentic life. ## Dharma Design Dharma Design provides personalized Lifestyle Plan that guides students to their highest potential. Dharma Designers are highly trained and experienced counselors that create a student's Dharma Design and provide 1:1 support. Alongside their mentors and counselors, students will be guided through practices and new ideas to open their eyes to themselves and the world more clearly. Each student will receive a personalized Dharma Design and learn the methods so that they can lead a fulfilling life of wellness and service. This lifestyle plan will help students set intentions, meet goals and embrace a new way of living. Most of all, the Dharma Design process aligns client's to their uniqueness; their Sacred Self. A Dharma Design a living document that provides solutions for students to incorporate into their daily life. It is available on PDF format and updated by counselors after each counseling session. Each Dharma Design includes: - 1:1 meetings to review student's self-assessment, pain survey and evaluations - Goal Setting: Achievable Steps, Long Term Paths, Ultimate Vision - Options & Decisions - Schedule for Success - Self Healer Training - Treatment Plan - Sacred Ceremony ## Four Teachers The core teachings of our school's Wholistic Curriculum are derived from the Four Teachers and their Four Tools. Teachers are archetypes each of us can embody with proper practice and self-realization. They are the path, the practice and the goal. The Teacher's tools are the foundational skillsets to a successful life. The tools show up in our classes and in every Dharma Design as prescriptive methods. The study and practice of these Teachers' tools instills new habits for wellness, builds skillsets that can applied to any job or career, and expands capacity to serve the global community. The Scholar & The Map Scholars study what the great thinkers and master sages have to say about Universal Principals; learning how the Nature of Reality works — to learn how We work. The Seer & The Compass Applying Natural principals, Seers are designers, able to see the highest potential of any landscape. With Yoga philosophy, Seers create Dharma Designs, the Lifestyle plans that help others realize their Sacred Self. The Sovereign & Three Arts Sovereigns are versatile practitioners with a toolbox of Inner & Outer Methods to self-soothe & self-regulate, cultivate personal power, deepen relationships, establish self care routines and actively serve in their community. The Saint & The Wings Being in right relationship with ourselves & the world is the foundation for all wisdom. Adhering to a practice of Self Control from what is harmful and Committing to what is beneficial, we define and develop a felt sense of our core values. ## Outer Landscaping The **Outer Landscaping** component empowers students with hands-on experience in regenerative land management, permaculture design, and sustainable lifestyle. This section is designed to transform both landscapes and lives by fostering deep ecological awareness and practical skills. **Key Benefits:** - **Environmental Regeneration** – Students actively participate in restoring soil health, water cycles, and biodiversity, turning degraded land into thriving ecosystems. - **Self-Sufficiency & Resilience** – Equips students with skills in food production and ecological design - **Community Impact** – Creates scalable models of regenerative living that can be replicated in neighborhoods, schools, and larger communities. - **Economic Empowerment** – Provides pathways for green careers, entrepreneurship, and local economic revitalization through sustainable practices. - **Sacred Relationship with Land** – Shifts perspectives from land ownership to land stewardship, fostering a harmonious relationship with the natural world. **Students will learn:** - Students will learn Permaculture Design methods - Students will learn to assess patterns in a landscape and implement ethical design principles to improve the landscape and generate yields that benefit Earth, People and Wildlife. - Students will learn to use various tools and develop hard skills in the landscape. - Students will learn to communicate with the client and the landscape to merge the needs of both harmoniously. - Permaculture Design Methods: - The ethics and principals of Permaculture Design: Earth Care, People Care, Obtain a Yield * site and client assessment * reading maps * zone mapping * life flows * mind mapping * illustrating design * client proposal and feedback * connecting the outer landscape to the inner landscape Hard skills * Using power tools and hand tools * Composting * Mulching - Building a garden bed - Identify plants - Planting tree - companion planting - Sowing seeds - Cleaning a space - Organizing and working in teams - Harvesting and distributing water - Drawing a map - Using a compass - Identify sun, wind and rain patterns - Identify the slope and contour lines - Identify access points and shelter locations ## Inner Landscaping The **Inner Landscaping** component focuses on personal maturity; physical empowerment, emotional intelligence, and spiritual depth. Through yoga, meditation, and contemplative practices, students cultivate the internal landscape necessary for true transformation. **Key Benefits:** - **Personal Transformation** – Develops inner stability, mindfulness, and emotional balance, allowing students to navigate life with clarity and purpose. - **Mental & Emotional Resilience** – Strengthens the ability to handle stress, uncertainty, and personal challenges - **Integration of Ancient Wisdom** – Connects students with time-tested practices from yoga, ancient wisdom, and indigenous traditions, offering a holistic approach to self-development. - **Alignment with Nature’s Rhythms** – Teaches how inner experience mirror outer patterns, seeing how the natural world's princples can be applied to understanding one's self. - **Applied Dharma Design** – Guides students in designing a life path that is ethical, fulfilling and in harmony with their unique purpose. **Students will learn:** - Students will learn Yoga Philosophy through the 9 limbs of Navanaga yoga to cultivate their inner landscape. - They will learn inner and outer methods of the Three Arts: Empowerment for the body, Mindfulness for the mind & Connection for their relationships. - They will go through the SEER design process to create a lifestyle plan called a Dharma Design. This will help them set goals, create new habits and follow a treatment to resolve pain points in their life. - They will learn how diet, lifestyle choices and communication affect their well being - They will develop an awareness of emotional and mental state through self-care and self-reflection Yoga Philosophy - Navanga - The Nine Components of Navanga Yoga - Codes of Conduct: Yamas and Niyamas - Outer Methods: Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara - Inner Methods: Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi - Tristhana - Alignment & Activation - Breath, Life Force - View - Three poisons - Ignorantly liking, ignorantly disliking and ignorance itself * these are viewed as the causes to all other negative states of mind, where they all stem from ignorance. * Snake * Rooster - ignorantly liking. Its okay to like things! We try and eliminate the sort of liking that gets mixed up with ignorance. This type of thinking believes we can get what we want, regardless of the seeds we sow from getting what we want by giving it to others first. The youth today is the most economically wealthy of all recorded history. They are all also the most depressed, suicidal and violent generation of youth. So having stuff is not the cause to happiness. Having the what we believe is the right parts in a specific place, does not paint a perfect picture of happiness. If it did, we would all be happy, but we're clearly not. * Pig * Philosophy - What makes a good student? - what makes a good teacher * What are my Individual Goals * What are my Standards and Boundaries? * Two forms of Happiness: Hedonic Happiness (pleasures from the world) and Eudemonic happiness - Inner & Outer Methods - Three Arts - How to Detoxify Trauma and Pain? * How to overcome challenge? * Movement Practice * Lady Niguma Chakra Series * Hatha Yoga Flow * Yin Yoga - Meditation * Mindfulness - living with awareness * Wrestling our Minds with Meditation. * Battling Negative Bias by **Harvesting Joy**. * Gratitude for whats at home. * Gratitude for what you used to have. * Gratitude for what you may have in the future. * Gratitude for whats right here now. Is there a happiness that's already around us? What do we already have? Let's use our power of observation to discover what we have. Body scan, check-in with the senses and recongize what we have. * If we are hardwired to be afraid, this normal instinct to keep us a live, can we reprogram ourselves to be joyful as our normal state. Our job as Seers is to against the normal and to be adnormal. We can use observation to be grateful for the good things around us. Then, we fight negative emotions by placing our attention on the beneficial, the good already surrounding us. * Then, we can use our mind's to imagine a world of beauty. Try and envision the grandest, most majestic and highest thing we could create and offer to the world. Then we know what we are working towards. Don't chase your negative emotions around the room, fill the home with joy and there will be no placed of those emotions to live in. * Result Refuge - Meditating on the me, in the future, who has already become a Buddha - Compassionate Wisdom - Dependent Origination - karma and the four laws of seeds - Emptiness proofs: One and many, parts and whole, the pen - Life Lessons - How to plant the right seeds - Why do things happen the way they do? - Where do things really come from? * Why do bad things happen to good people? Inner work - individual assignments to help student reflect on the work and principals of the day. * Journaling * Prompts * Rest & Digest Dharma Design Lifestyle Plan - Individual-specific plan of new habits and routine changes for health and wellness * Standards & Boundaries * How to be clean; mouth hygiene, skin hygiene * Diet and meal plans ## Service - Students will go learn how to use the SEER design process to install a useful system in a client's landscape and/or home, such as a garden, water catchment system, recycling system and/or tree planting system. - They will work with the client hosting the Stewardship School Immersion to design and implement a project into the landscape. - Students will participate in daily chores and activities on the land to develop a sense of place and responsibility. - Mentors will guide students through practical activities and skills to start and finish small projects that students can implement at home or as a service to others. Service as Therapy: * Caretaker management * hauling compost and mulch * weeding * transplanting * building raised beds * homesteading * medicine making * processing harvests * Garden building * Structure assembly and installation * Neighborhood clean up Sanctuary Management: * Therapy in grooming and leading * Awareness of body language * Cleaning Stalls * Watering \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Maxims Maxims are affirmations or sayings used to help students navigate their inner and outer landscapes. ## This is the Way Dharma, the path of beauty & medicine that brings us teachings, the unseen path of the guided, Your reality is teaching you how to embody your Essential Self. Life's mechanics are guiding & challenging us to face ourselves and overcome the debilitations that hold us back from your highest potential. ## Ecosystem & Egosystem * An ecosystem is diverse collection of cooperative elements that interact syngestically to produce countless yields * An egosystem has selected elements that appease an unreasonable desire of a minority group to produce yields that serve that group ## Its coming from me - My seeds have created this moment - The lessons I need to learn have created a world of mirrors - The world is a mirror of my mind - Nothing is Random ## As Above, So Below, As Within, So Without - my perception, how I feel, what happens in my life is based on my Karma - I am connected with everything I experience - interconnection, interdependent ecosystems ## Better Together - community - teachers - lineage - holy beings ## Sacred Self - Buddha hood, buddha nature - Authenticity, confidence - connection to the Self - knowing without being told ## Medicine Bundle - Uniqueness - your disposition and purpose # Example Daily Schedule Rise n Shine - 6:00am Hygiene & Chores - 6:00-6:45am Tea Time - 6:45am Yoga Movement & Meditation 7:00-8:30 Breakfast 9:00-9:45 Outer Landscaping 9:45-1:00 - syncs up with inner landscaping practices of the day - Permaculture, Hard Skills, Chores Lunch 1:00-2:00 Rest & Digest - 2:00-4:30 - Free time Inner Landscaping - 4:30-6:00 - syncs up with outer landscaping practices of the day - Yoga Philosophy, Soft Skills, Meditation Dinner 6:00-7:30 Honor Circle 7:30-8:30 - desert - music - talking around the fire Bedtime 9:00 **If students sleep over on property, otherwise they arrive at 7am and depart at 8pm Tea Time, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are provided meals. Dinner is prepped & cooked by on-site staff. Dietary needs are addressed and met upon request. Schedule is flexible to meet needs for travel between locations and sites for chores, hygiene, yoga, etc. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Lesson Plan & Learning Outcomes ## Arrival - Day 0 **Plan to Arrive between 1 & 3pm** Setup 1:00-3:00 Settle In 3:30 Tour & Hike, Intro Circle 4:00 - 6:00 Talking Circle  6:00 - 7:00 Dinner 7:00 - 8:30 Hygiene Bed Setup: Sleeping arrangements, Turn in Personal Items, Paperwork Settle In: Refreshments Tour: stations, bathrooms Hike: Mindful Walking with the Breath Intro Circle: Feeking About Because Talking Circle: Camp orientation, Standards & Boundaries ## Day 1 Introduce concepts Four Teachers Outer Landscaping: Introduce Permaculture Design Inner Landscaping:  Introduce Yoga Philosophy Relational Therapy: Mentors & Counselors, Dharma Design Lifestyle Plan Learning Objectives: - A general understanding of Permaculture Design and Yoga Philosophy - Conceptualize the idea of inner and outer landscapes how they can and should be designed - Get an introduction to yoga asana, meditation and communication with peers ## Day Two Review previous day How to look outside and inside with new eyes Outer Landscaping: Client Interview (what the client wants), First permaculture principles (Observe & Interact) Inner Landscaping: self assessment, Navanga Yoga Learning Objectives: - Have a general understanding of SEER design process. - Work with a client to design the outer landscape - Review the Dharma Design and how SEER is used in the inner landscape - Make connections to how nature works and how the mind works. - Begin the process of introspection and self reflection ## Day Three Review Previous Day Life wants to stop entropy Outer Landscaping: site analysis (what the land wants), Catch & Store Energy Inner Landscaping: Pain Survey, Lady Niguma Yoga Learning Objectives: - Continue to develop hard skills through chores and soft skills through yoga practice and community. - Learn three flavors of emptiness with practical applications for each (anitya, duhka & anatman) ## Post Course - counselor check-up - 3-4 weeks after - reunion workshops - X months after in same landscape - perma-blitz events - promotional events at new landscapes open to new and current students - volunteer at future courses - apprenticeship at Giving Tree # Ask We are seeking funding to cover the costs and payroll of bringing this program to two organizations, this year. We would like to purchase land to establish a permeant educational center, while This center will serve Stewardship School students, but also the local community and long term apprentices. **1. Funding to Support Two Stewardship School Programs** We aim to run two 10-day immersion programs this year, designed to equip 20 students. The funding will cover: - **Student Scholarships**: Providing full coverage of tuition and necessary materials for 10 students per program. - **Program Costs**: Including staff (mentors, counselors, and assistants), food, transportation, accommodations, and supplies (gear packs, yoga mats, garden tools, etc.). - **Administrative Support**: Marketing, application management, and the operational logistics needed to run the programs smoothly. **Total funding needed per program**: $XX,XXX **Total funding for two programs**: $XX,XXX This investment will directly impact the lives of 20 young adults, 4 staff and 2 non-profit organizations this year. Everyone involved will gain the tools & systems to grow, learn, and transform into active stewards of their communities and environments. --- **2. Funding for Land to Create a Permanent Educational Center** In order to create a lasting impact, we are seeking long-term support to secure land for a permanent Stewardship School educational center. Eventually, the school will be hosted on our own land, as an educational center for those creating positive change in our World. This center will provide a sanctuary for those who want to live a wholesome lifestyle, develop skills and participate in healing the land, community and themselves. This land will serve as the foundation for future generations of students and enable us to: - **Build Sustainable Infrastructure**: Develop a self-sustaining center where students can learn permaculture, engage in yoga practice, and work with the land year-round. - **Expand Programs**: Increase our capacity to serve more students and offer longer, more in-depth programs that cover both personal growth and environmental stewardship. - **Implement revenue generating projects**: eco-vacation rentals, orchards, plant nursery and retreat center all support the program while also revenue generating during off-program times. - **Create a Hub for Community Engagement**: Establish a place where local communities can gather for workshops, events, and continued learning. **Estimated funding required for land purchase and development**: $XXX,XXX By investing in this land, you’ll help create a lasting legacy of education and stewardship that will serve future generations of young adults, helping them build a life in harmony with nature, themselves, and their communities. --- **Why Invest?** Your investment will not only create immediate impact but also foster a sustainable future, helping to empower young adults and build communities rooted in conscious living and environmental stewardship. With your support, we can continue to grow, expand, and make a tangible difference in the world. We are grateful for your consideration and excited to partner with you on this impactful journey. # Benefits for Organizations that host Stewardship School on their land - Installation of permaculture design in their landscape. Each program implements a food forest system as part of the educational curriculum. These systems are aimed at healing, sustaining and regenerating ecological and human systems by cooperating with land, wildlife and people. Eventually, these designs should help the system produce useable yields - Increased awareness of the organization by students and their communities - the energy of bright young minds engaging with the mission of the organization. # to add - pictures of nursery, what the legacy land would look like. - basics of permaculture design - campaign - day workshop: how to repair a garden after hurricane damage - breakfast, lunch and dinner - how a spring can water your garden - how to use the landscape to your advantage - how to make your garden resilient agWhainst flooding - how mulch and raised beds create healthier plants - plan for a spring - choosing seed - intercroppping veggies with fruit trees - how to use bare root trees - day workshop: planting a syntropic food forest - day workshop: planting pawpaws to stabilize waterways - day workshop: building air pruning beds - day workshop: planting bare root trees - what are my fears - nobody comes - Where do I do it - reaching out to people - How do I find people to come - can I ask local experts to come and attend? - how to promote? - fliers at co-op, YAM, Wild Lotus # Extra Text Lecture: My story, Your Story, Our story Why are we doing this? How can we create more happiness and end pain for ourselves and others? Challenge and triumph To stop suffering and create more happiness in our lives. This will be challegning, but will eventually ensure there are less challenges. Its challenging because of the things you did and didnt do in your past. Clean up your inner world, your outer world will change!