Ingrid Cryns will discuss her integration of a feminine perspective of creative and intuitive abilities with building projects and sustainable living teachings.

BIO: Ingrid Cryns is an Architect, Certified Bioenergetic Therapist, artist, dowser and intuitive energy worker. She has an architectural practice specializing in natural buildings. www.somaearth.com.

Petra Hroch will speak about new materialist and posthumanist theory as a useful mode of feminist discourse in relation to sustainable design.

BIO: Petra Hroch is a SSHRC Doctoral Canada Graduate Scholar, Killam Memorial Scholar and PhD Candidate in Theory & Culture in the Department of Sociology at the University of Alberta.

Sylvia Plain will discuss her participation in the Mother Earth Water Walk, a series of spiritual walks around the Great Lakes organized by Anishinawbe Aboriginal women to 'bring healing to the water'.

BIO: Sylvia Plain is an undergraduate student in Political Science at the University of Toronto. She is working on youth input to environmental assessment.

Creating your Healthy, Organic Dream Home

EVENING TALK March 21 7:00-9:00pm $10 Suggested Donation

Location: Ecoexistence, Toronto 766 St. Clair Ave. West

Conducted By: Ingrid Cryns

Please join us for a talk about how to create a healthier living environment for you and those around you. Learn to clear away all the toxins and negative pollutions that surround us every day.

Learn about the 7 zones of a healthy home - from your carpets to walls to your finishes
Understand how EMF and electrical pollution can harm your health and find out what you can do about this!
Discover sustainable design & building materials options that can revitalize your home and enhance your health!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

OSBBC – AGM & Weekend Conference on Natural Building

Weekend Conference March 24 & 25 – All Day $125 - $155

Conference Fees depend on membership and number of days, please visit website for more details: www.osbbc.ca Accommodation is available and meals are included.

Location: Camp Kawartha Summer Camp in Lakefield (Near Peterborough)

Conducted By: Ontario Straw Bale Building Coalition

The Ontario Straw Bale Building Coalition is hosting its Annual General Meeting Conference on the weekend of March 24-25, 2012. Ingrid Cryns is vice president of the OSBBC and is co-organizer of the event.

We invite you to join us for two days of professional development. We look forward to exploring with you the current trends and controversies in various natural building systems including wood, earth and straw biofibre.

This year the entire weekend will be round table discussions, and presentations on a variety of topics of interest to builders and potential owner-builders. The Saturday night will be an opportunity for social networking, while the AGM meeting of members will take place on Sunday.

Key Note Speakers:

Ross Elliott on 2012 building code energy requirements and the Passive House standard in natural buildings
Ace McCarlton discusses thermal modeling, envelope strategies and air leakage
Tina Therrien will be providing Timber Frame Construction Details
Chris Magwood will compare building rating systems

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO REGISTER

Invisible Environmental Energies

Hosted by the Uxbridge Dowsers & Geomancy Connections, a chapter of Canadian Society of Dowsers

www.meetup.com/Uxbridge-Dowsing-Geomancy

EVENING TALK March 26, 6:30 -8:30pm $10 Suggested Donation

Location: Uxbridge Library 9 Toronto St. S, Uxbridge

Rear Entance, Lower Level Free Parking!

Conducted By: Ingrid Cryns

An introduction to the history of dowsing & geomancy up to current practices presented by the Uxbridge Dowsing & Geomancy Connections Co-Founder, Ingrid Cryns. Come to be inspired and open up your mind to the wonderful world of unseen energies that surround us on a daily basis, whether you know it or not!

From discovering underground water veins, to how ancient sacred buildings were oriented with the planets & stars, to what are Hartman & Curry earth energy lines, to listening to shamanic visioning practices or Nature's energies of fairies & devas, to learning about how EMF fields can seriously affect our health, to understanding current Egyptian pendulum tools and other North American dowsing & feng shui systems - we will cover many new concepts in a short 1 1/2 hour talk, with half an hour afterwards for questions.

Enjoy a wonderful slide show and engaging conversation with experienced dowser, intuitive healing practitioner and Eco-Architect Ingrid Cryns of soma earth ARCHITECT.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Sustainable Building with WOOD – Part 1

WEEKEND WORKSHOP March 30 – April 1, 2012 Cost $350 (lunches included)

Location: Udora & Uxbridge area (Details provided upon Registration)

Conducted By: soma earth ARCHITECT

soma earth TEACHINGS offers evening, weekend and week-long teachings integrating holistic principles of design, building and living sustainably with Nature. All week/end courses have a consistent format of Circle Form Principles, Energy Balancing techniques, various meditation methods, holistic & healthy gourmet food.

Sustainable Building with WOOD Part 1 will create and build a small scale project to integrate carpentry basics, different options of sustainable wood building practices (branch/twig, reclaimed/recycled, & FSC certified) and design principles into a weekend workshop. This is intended as an introduction to those with little or no skills for a full weekend of hands-on work and learning. You will come out of this course with the knowledge and confidence of how to build and design your own small wood building project (tool shed, dog house, wood shed, chicken coop or meditation hut) and learn a fresh understanding of simple, sustainable living.

Evening Seminars:

Sustainable Building with WOOD (Friday 7 - 9 pm)
Chicken Coop for the Soul with Mike Jones & Ingrid Cryns (Saturday 7 - 9 pm)

Evening seminars are included in the workshop or can be attended separately in Udora ON

Included are two evening seminars, 2 meals (lunches) and two full work days. Accommodation is not included. There are various options of camping, billeting and bed & breakfasts nearby with possible options for extra meals.

We welcome designers who have little building experience or people with some building experience but little knowledge of sustainable, self-sufficient living and building practices to take this training. We also encourage, women, elders, youth and children to take this workshop and empower themselves to become their own beginning ‘handyman’ with a sustainable awareness! Discounts are available for groups or family registration. Max. is 15, so please register early to assure your place.

Be prepared for great fun, amazing gourmet food, fast paced learning and an inspiring community building experience!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO REGISTER

APRIL

Green Living Show

TRADE SHOW April 13 - 15, All Day
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Admission $15

The Green Living Show is Canada's largest consumer show dedicated to all things green! It is an enormous show promoting all sustainable products and information. Please come visit us at the Greening Homes booth to learn more about our work and meet Ingrid Cryns in person on Saturday afternoon only, from 1 – 4 pm!

Splash Festival Volunteer Day 1

Sunday April 22 10:00 – 4:00pm FREE!

Location: Udora, Ontario

Conducted By: soma earth ARCHITECT

The 2nd annual SPLASH Festival in Georgina Ontario will be taking place on Friday evening, August 17th and Saturday, August 18th, 2012. We need volunteers to help create some wonderful nature inspired building structures.

We are a sponsor of this event and will be assisting in creating a large curved twig band shell as well as decorations and event props for the festivities and will need as many hands as possible. Enjoy community building, free refreshments and learn about some simple natural building skills. Please click here for more information.

We will also be offering a tour of a small straw bale and straw clay shed building during lunch. Hope to see you there!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Sustainable Building with WOOD – Part 2

WEEKEND WORKSHOP April 27 - 29, 2012 Cost $350 (lunches included)

Location: Udora & Uxbridge area (Details provided upon Registration)

Conducted By: soma earth ARCHITECT

Sustainable Building with WOOD Part 2 will continue the themes introduced in WOOD Part 1 to create and build a small scale project to integrate carpentry basics, different options of sustainable wood building practices (reclaimed/recycled/ FSC certified/Timber Framing) and design principles into a weekend workshop. This weekend will focus on the construction of an outdoor solar shower and composting toilet shed, including an introduction to Timber Frame. There is no need to take Wood Part 1 in advance, and if you have, it will allow you the opportunity to develop your skills while also learning some new ones. The knowledge and information will provide you with the necessities to easily build your own solar shower shed at home!

Evening Seminars:

Introduction to Timber Frame Construction (Friday 7 - 9 pm)
Solar Thermal Basics (Saturday 7 - 9 pm)

Evening seminars are included in the workshop or can be attended separately in Udora ON Included are two evening seminars, 2 meals (lunches) and two full work days. Accommodation is not included. There are various options of camping, billeting and bed & breakfasts nearby with possible options for extra meals.

Be prepared for great fun, amazing gourmet food, fast paced learning and an inspiring community building experience!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO REGISTER

MAY

Georgina Home & Lifestyle Show

TRADE SHOW May 4- 6, All Day

Georgina Ice Palace, 90 Wexford Dr. Keswick ON

Over 80 local businesses showcased, entertainment, demonstrations and much much more! Come and visit our exhibition at this local event! Ingrid Cryns will be available on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon if you have any personal questions.

Sustainable Building with EARTH – Part 1 A&B

WEEKEND WORKSHOP May 25 - 27, 2012
Cost $350 (2 lunches included)

May 28 – June 1, 2012
Cost $475 (only lunch included)

Location: Udora & Uxbridge area (Details provided upon Registration)

Conducted By: soma earth ARCHITECT

Earth Bag building is a unique sustainable and natural building option. This workshop will go over all the proper techniques and construction methods by building a small cold cellar, using earth bag construction. You will experience hands-on learning and a fantastic opportunity to learn this unique building skill.

Evening Seminars:

Introduction to Earthbag Building (Friday 7 - 9 pm)
2. Homesteading Principles & Cold Cellar Design (Saturday 7 - 9 pm)

Evening seminars are included in the workshop or can be attended separately in Udora, Ontario.

We welcome designers who have little building experience or people with some building experience but little knowledge of sustainable, self-sufficient living and building practices to take this training. We also encourage, women, elders, youth and children to take this workshop and empower themselves to self-sufficient with low impact building & sustainable living awareness! Discounts are available for groups or family registration. Max. is 15, so please register early to assure your place.

Be prepared for great fun, amazing gourmet food, fast paced learning and an inspiring community building experience!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO REGISTER

JUNE

Sustainable Building with EARTH – Part 2

WEEKEND WORKSHOP June 1 - 3, 2012
Cost $350 (2 lunches included)

Location: Udora & Uxbridge area (Details provided upon Registration)

Conducted By: soma earth ARCHITECT

Evening seminars are included in the workshop or can be attended separately in Udora ON

Evening Seminars:

Self-Sufficient Living (including Cold Cellar Food Planning) (Friday 7 - 9 pm)
Healthy & Passive House Design Principles (Saturday 7 - 9 pm)

We welcome designers who have little building experience or people with some building experience but little knowledge of sustainable, self-sufficient living and building practices to take this training. We also encourage, women, elders, youth and children to take this workshop and empower themselves to self-sufficient with low impact building & sustainable living awareness! Discounts are available for groups or family registration. Max. is 15, so please register early to assure your place.

Be prepared for great fun, amazing gourmet food, fast paced learning and an inspiring community building experience!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO REGISTER

Barrie EcoFest & Saturday Workshop

TRADE SHOW June 9 & 10, All Day FREE!

Location: Barrie Waterfront

“Working collaboratively as a community to celebrate our earth and to offer a message of new possibilities and alternate lifestyles. The message of a cleaner, healthier and longer lasting Earth is best carried through the diversity of music, art, and cultural expression.“

Come visit Barrie’s Ecofest and partake in the Saturday seminar provided by soma earth TEACHINGS to learn about sustaining the community and the built environment! We will be exhibiting at a booth on Saturday only.

Natural Building Finishes + Earth Plasters

WEEKEND WORKSHOP June 22-24, 2012 Cost $350 (2 lunches included)

Location: Udora & Uxbridge area (Details provided upon Registration)

Conducted By: soma earth ARCHITECT

Evening seminars are included in the workshop or can be attended separately in Udora ON

There are plenty of natural and sustainable options available to finish your home or building project. This workshop will go over the qualities and benefits of a range of finishes and plasters as well as getting experience working with them by applying different types to our recently completed earth bag cold cellar and straw bale shed!

Evening Seminars:

Natural Paint and Plasters (Friday 7 - 9 pm)
Selecting Natural Materials & Finishes (Saturday 7 - 9 pm)

We welcome designers who have little building experience or people with some building experience but little knowledge of sustainable, self-sufficient living and building practices to take this training. We also encourage, women, elders, youth and children to take this workshop and empower themselves to self-sufficient with low impact building & sustainable living awareness! Discounts are available for groups or family registration. Max. is 15, so please register early to assure your place.

Be prepared for great fun, amazing gourmet food, fast paced learning and an inspiring community building experience! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO REGISTER

SUMMER

Sustainable Building with STRAW - Coming Soon!

Check our website for updates on the summer schedule, offering seminars and workshops on straw bale and straw clay building. These will use 1 or 2 projects and take place over 2 to 4 weeks including weekend and weeklong intensives.