Gaia Ashram is an Eco-spiritual community and learning center for permaculture, natural building, deep ecology, and Ecovillage design education. In addition to offering courses on these topics, we take guests, volunteers, and interns who are interested in spending time in our community. On our 13 hectares of land, we have a food forest, gardens, farmland, re-wilded area, many ponds, and innumerable plant and animal beings living here together with us in a community of all beings. It’s hard to believe that the land was barren just 11 years ago!
The project is about 11 years old, but we still consider ourselves to be in the ‘forming’ stage as an Ecovillage; while our learning center, volunteering, guest, and intern programs are well-established and we have a small core group of 7 long-term residents, we very much want to grow our core team.
Ecovillage and regenerative living learning center living the principles of permaculture and Ecovillage design
The path to residency involves first joining our internship program for a year and gradually taking on more and more responsibility for a particular area at Gaia + checking throughout the process to make sure it’s a fit for both sides. We’re looking for motivated, proactive, hands-in-the-dirt types of people who find joy in regenerating land. Currently, we’re also on the lookout for an experienced social media intern to help us expand our reach (and also spend some time on land regeneration efforts), and we’re always looking for English and eco-school interns to help with our partnership with the local school in the village.
It depends what they’re interested in!
Here’s a page where they can read about volunteering: https://gaiaschoolasia.com/volunteering-thailand-gaia-ashram/
And, about staying as a guest: https://gaiaschoolasia.com/farm-stay-thailand/
Here’s where they can read about interning with us: https://gaiaschoolasia.com/internship/
Also, here is a page that shows our upcoming courses:
https://gaiaschoolasia.com/events-2/
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.
Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).
Although our community members are knowledgable regarding various community governance methods, we don’t have a formal name for ours, as the community is still forming and sometimes the way we make decisions changes. Currently, the founders are slowly beginning to take small steps back and cede more responsibility to other community members. Our small core group of long-term residents makes decisions, and they seek input from shorter-term community members where relevant, as well.
Members contribute a percentage of income to community funds.
Labor: Yes (25 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Becoming a member involves joining our internship program for a year first, which costs just under $2,000 USD (the fee goes towards food, accommodation, and maintenance costs). When we run courses, everyone who was involved the course receives a share of the income. Additionally, our core team all receive a (small) salary each month, in Thai baht, and doesn’t need to contribute for their food or accommodation costs.
Common House, Garden(s), Library, Swimming pond or pool, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Fire pit, Internet
Smaller municipalities with local services but rural character.
Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.
Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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We’re introducing new Plus features — including community reviews, Profile Match, and unlimited Needs & Offers posts — while keeping most of FIC free for everyone. Membership costs less than two coffees a month.
