Elements of Natural Building
Tzununa, Guatemala
March 23-31, 2025
From roof to floor we will explore the art and practice of natural building in this immersive 9 day experience. The course is crafted to enhance your ecological literacy, allowing for you to appropriately analyze landscape and build effectively any place in the world. Rooted in the wisdom of Permaculture we utilize this framework as the basis of our exploration of Natural Building.
This course was created to empower its students through hands on experience with the art and practice of natural building. Combining classroom learning with song, ritual and practical experience to ensure that our students walk away from the course feeling empowered with a new set a practical skills and a deepened sense of connection to the world around them.
9 day immersive
Experience
Root into Elemental Wisdom
Through traditional practices of communion we reweave ourselves into the ecological web to which we belong. Embodiment practice, alter creation, Temazcali/Sauna and song as our allies we enter the realm of deep relating as a community exploring what it means to create cultures of belonging.
Join us for the Journey
Upcoming Courses
Tzununa, Guatemala
March 23 - 31, 2025
Please know our courses fill up so please register early! The full cost of this course includes your stay at the site of the course, all meals and snacks, facilitation, daily yoga, field trips and materials. If you wish to stay off site during the course and receive only one meal please follow the no lodging link above!
-Translation is available to those who are more comfortable speaking Spanish. If this applies to you please contact us!-
We understand that this may not be accessible for all, if you would like to join but are having difficulties making it happen connect with us.
Please email Ashley at Roottorisedesign@gmail.com if this applies to you!
What is Natural Building?
Natural Building is many things. Broadly speaking, it is use of natural and renewable materials to create shelter for ourselves: something humans have been doing for millions of years. Natural building helps us to connect to the ecosystems we are a part of and ask what resources are abundantly available around us for creating structures. It allows for endless creativity with the raw and minimally processed materials that nature provides. Each bioregion on earth has historically developed a building vernacular that was based upon available resources.
There are many styles of natural building that we utilize: cob, adobe, straw bale, rammed earth, wattle and daub, wood, bamboo, and stone work to name a few. But beyond the techniques and materials used, natural building also means connecting deeply with the place you are in; valuing and honoring the ecosystem to which you belong. It gives us the opportunity to build with consciousness so that our homes do not contribute to planetary destruction but rather the regeneration of the environment.
The course begins in the morning with embodiment practices to prepare us for the work of building and to ground ourselves in to presence and community before jumping into the learning space.
Each day is split into two parts: a hands-on practical exploration of the techniques of natural building and classroom sessions which delve deep into course curriculum.
The course weaves diverse activities, group work, journal prompts, pair shares, storytelling, song, home tours, presentations, guest speakers and demos appealing to a wide range of learning styles.
After the days work we have optional evening activities which you are welcome to enjoy, temazcali/sauna, fire circle, yin yoga, storytelling circles and more!
Daily Schedule
I’m Ashley your community
Natural Builder
Ashley’s work focuses on resurrecting our relationship to the natural world through the development of earth based skills that deepen our connection to place while increasing our sense of sovereignty and resilience. Devoted to the arts of permaculture, natural building, herbalism and birth work as her mediums, Ashley explores with humility the diverse modalities that support us in living in right relationship with the world around us. She views permaculture as a practice that not only creates healthy ecological communities but one that helps to reweave the very fabric of who we are as people. Her work is an offering to the future.
Lodging and food
During the course participants will stay in Casa Kula, a beautiful eco-retreat space in the village of Tzununa owned and operated by Coby and Ananda of Kula Collective. With stunning views of the serene Lake Atitlan and her volcanoes seen through banana palms, avocado trees and lush green coffee forests we will immerse ourselves in one of the best examples of natural building and permaculture design the lake has to offer.
All students will stay in small cabins nestled throughout Casa Kula’s beautiful gardens, and come equipped with shared bathrooms with hot water, wifi access, comfy beds and amazing views of Lake Atitlan. Each shared room has between 2-3 people in it. You can request a private room if desired for an additional cost.
Casa Kula serves 3 fresh, delicious meals a day plus snacks, tea and coffee.
This land proves that luxury and sustainability can go hand-in-hand!
If you do not need lodging during the course and would like to stay off site please select the ticket option with No-Lodging this option still includes lunch!
Guest Teachers
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Philipp Kirshfink
Blacksmith/Carpenter
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Elisa De La Roca
Architect / Bambu Specialist
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Charlie Rendall
Designer / Contractor / Bambu
Testimonials...
“This course was so powerful, it was life-changing. Yes, it was about building structures the natural way, but really it was also so much more. It was about how we create our homes and lives most aligned with our true nature as connected beings living on a shared planet. It’s about respect, reciprocity, and being in deep relationship with something greater than ourselves. thanks to this course I feel empowered with the fundamental concepts I need to know to create a badass structure and a way of life in harmony with the earth and the deep calling of my spirit.”
“Participating in Ashley’s course has by far been the most transformative immersive learning experience of my life. Through a brilliant balance of structure and freedom, the micro-community we build becomes a life-long family that can hold and empower one another to be the creators our hearts know is possible.”
“If you have any spark of curiosity to what natural building is, this course will show you: what it is, has been, and can be. Know that there is much to learn. A lot. Know that you will climb mountains. Know that you will be held. ”
Join the Journey
Tzununa, Guatemala
April 14-22 2024
FAQs
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First of all, only you can know what is right for you! However, if your curious about sustainability, traditional skills, building or permaculture this course goes to the depths of those topics while infusing it with just the right amount of spiritual practice!
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No, I do not offer certificates of any nature. This practice is a lifelong learning journey, only experience in the field can give you credibility. If you are looking for a certificate program there are a few but this is not it.
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Accessibility is important to me, which means I try to create a course with multiple price options! Check the ticket options on the registration page for more details. One note, I have heard from many past students that they wish they would have stayed on site to allow themselves to be fully immersed in the container.
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The course curriculum is designed to gift you with as much as I can during the 9 days. It’s days are full and rich, however, we place a huge emphasis on self care throughout the time and you are welcome to do as you please throughout the course! Take breaks, nap, stretch as you please! We celebrate you meeting your needs here!
