04/05/2016
To SMU Faculty from Jean MacGregor
CURRICULUM FOR THE BIOREGION
"Sustainability and Contemplative Practice" Network in the South Sound Potluck Dinner and Informal Conversation with Ajay Rastogi, Principal, the Foundation for the Contemplation of Nature
Friday, April 15th at the Evergreen Organic Farm at 5:30 p.m.
Please RSVP if you plan to come, to Jean MacGregor; [email protected]
Ajay Rastogi is a yoga teacher and a sustainable development practitioner. He lives and works amidst farming communities in a central Himalayan village. They have designed a residential programme, ‘Pathways to Sustainable Development’; targeted at school and college students from India and overseas. The 11-day learning module is grounded on concepts of cultural immersion, understanding the landscape and ecological integration, service learning and contemplative education. Over the last 6 years, several institutions such as the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), University of Pittsburgh, Realms of Enquiry, and the Lakeside School in Seattle have participated as a part of their India Semester/ study-abroad programmes. The village community is fully involved in this programme for home-stays, project work, sharing knowledge and skills and participation in cultural events.
Ajay is passionate about promoting deep connection with nature – external and internal. He is part of the Foundation for Contemplation of Nature. The foundation has been actively promoting contemplation of nature approach in mainstream scientific and public events such as the COP in Convention of Biological Diversity and the World Parks Congress etc. Having worked in areas of environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture, fair-trade and applied ethics; Ajay has experienced that without strong inner motivation to adjust our behaviour in favour of the natural environment and the disadvantaged sections of our society, it would not be possible to sustain the beautiful world that we have inherited. Contemplative practices lend that extra help in appreciating the real beauty of beings and things and enjoying the peace and the quite amidst action in daily life.
Ajay is a recipient of International Youth Leader Award; Erasmus Mundus European Union Fellowship and was a Fulbright Scholar. His education has been in Indian and overseas universities and he has worked for Regional Intergovernmental Organisations, United Nations and currently leads a programme on Smallholder Bio-cultural Innovations for Resilience.
Ajay Rastogi
Village and PO Majkhali Ranikhet,
District Almora – 263 652 Uttarakhand, India
Tel: +91 9456597171; Email:[email protected] www.foundnature.org