Biodynamic course in TTG

learning to observe

EURASIA LEARNING INSTITUTE – ELI

BIODYNAMIC COURSE IN TỊNH TRÚC GIA

 Hue, from 10th to 13th, Jan, 2017

Tinh Truc Gia=TTG=The Peaceful Bamboo Family was the first vegetable garden, working according to the biodynamic method, in Vietnam.

In 2007, right after the foundation stone ceremony of the Peaceful Bamboo Family, a community for youngsters living with disabilities in Hue, Vietnam, Hans Mulder from Australia taught us how to make the biodynamic preparations that he had brought for this occasion and we sprayed the then still bare and uncultivated land.

Since 2009 we apply the biodynamic methods in the TTG vegetable garden.

Mr Hung, the gardener of TTG, has since been trained by Mr. Marc Blachère, who came 3 times to TTG, each time over a month, to train him and his team. Mr. Hung and Mr. Hai also went to the US, to Copake, to train there in biodynamic agriculture.

Mr Hung also spent 1 month in Navdanya with Vandana Shiva to learn about organic agriculture and the importance of seeds.

More and more people are interested in organic agriculture and biodynamic agriculture. Many young people, even school children want to learn, experience an ecological life style.

This gave us the courage to organize a first “open” biodynamic workshop in TTG in order to share our experience and to build up a network of people wanting to promote organic agriculture.

 For this first workshop we had participants from all over Vietnam. It was a joy to meet people from the North, the South, Middle of Vietnam, all committed to “healing” the earth, to reconnecting to themselves, and nature together with others.

 PLANTS, EARTH and COSMOS

2017 BIODYNAMIC WINTER INTENSIVE at Tinh truc Gia created by Eurasia Learning Institute

Every morning we started by walking silently through the garden, observing the plants, “feeling” nature, “feeling our relation to the nature surrounding us”.

We then had theoretical explanations about “what is biodynamics” and various subjects related to this. We had plenty of practical exercises in the garden, observation exercises, question and answer sessions, and…highly appreciated: time to be with the TTG community.

Being with the youngsters and the community of TTG was a strong and healing experience for all participants.

Here some feed-backs:

What was positive?

1. Smile from everyone in TTG,
2. Very wholehearted sharing by Hung, Marc
3. Youngsters guided very well in the work and in TTG introduction
4. Being in the community,
5. Many different experiences, practical experiences, not only talk
6. Learn more about the whole Universe
7. Holistic view from garden
8. To see love and care from everyone in the community
9. Environment very conducive to experience, learn

10. Healing of environment,

11. New knowledge about bio-dynamics

12. Participants come different parts of VN, different ages, we learn from each other

13. The Trainers very enthusiastic and experienced

14. Hung Marc, the way they care, look after the group

15. Preparation for the course good

16. We should create more opportunity to come back to TTG

17. Balance between theory practice, open conversations

18. Number of participants good

What is the most important thing you took away from this course?

1. Love Compassion Respect
2. It affected all participants to experience the community
3. Soil Earth as a Human Being: we need to nourish and respect Soil Earth
4. Everything can start from small things love respect and truth
5. Not only agriculture but life in Community
6. Believing in Bio dynamic
7. No more fear of insects
8. Understand and experience a Holistic system
9. Need to observe, practice more

10. Listen to the plants, to the Earth

11. Not only healing the Earth but also healing ourselves

12. Believe! When we believe in one thing we try our best

13. Following our heart

14. Relationship between human/nature

15. Understand Nature/plants/respect Nature

We, the ELI TTG team, we know we can improve the preparation and the follow up of the workshop and we already start thinking of how to translate documents before hand and keep the network alive.

If anyone can help us with translations and networking please do contact Hai! Life in TTG is very busy we need help for this kind of work!

We are very thankful to Marc for coming all the way from Copake, for sharing his long experience and for guiding Mr. Hung to become a bio dynamic trainer

Thank you Mr.Hung for your dedicated and great work as a pioneer biodynamic gardener, thank you to your garden team, to all the youngsters who with their constant and joyful work create a biodynamic “paradise” in TGG

Thank you to Hai for preparing, translating and caring and to TTG for hosting this course

And thank you to all participants, for your openness, sincere interest and work and your commitment to bring about healing and a to create wholesome nature for now and future generations.

With a smile from the happy ELI team