Ramakrishna/Sarada
Oldest Convent 1895
Archives and Photos - 1

The goal of this program is two fold.
It is necessary on one hand, to learn some of the essential truths about the great ecolological crisis that is occuring in every department of the Biosphere; air, water, soil, forests, oceans, flora and fauna are all becoming polluted and depleted to the point of no return by the intertwined forces of overpopulation, overconsumption, poverty and greed. This is the problem. What is the solution?

One technique we will adopt to begin to find a solution will be to try to re-aquaint ourselves with our biological relation to the Biosphere, of which we are simply one small part and upon whom we depend every moment for food water air and shelter. Modern lifestyles and tecnology which create an illusory sense of independence, veil this essential relationship resulting in an alienation from the natural world. An excellent experiential way to begin to re-relate to life is to plunge our hands into the earth and feel and smell where breakfast lunch and dinner come from. Our first two programs will, therefore, be about growing food.

APRIL
Maynard Kaufman, founder of Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance and retired WMU professor of Environmental Studies and Religion, will give an overview of food production in America comparing corporate Industrial food production with the natural methods practised for thousands of years. He will assess the negative environmental and economic effects of factory farming .We will have a demonstration of how to start an organic garden .Our laboratory will be the chemically free raised beds that we will create on the Institute grounds.

MAY
Paul and Nancy Jones Keiser of Agriculture and Health Alive will present an analysis of Light and Color Nutrient Elements in Organic Gardening and Farming . They will also demonstrate planting and plant grouping techniques in our Institute garden laboratory. Paul will give some insights into the everyday miracle called healthy topsoil. Part of this session will be devoted to planting seedlings started in our Greenhouse. For students without space at home to start a garden part of the Institute’s garden space will be available for individual growing, harvesting and [weeding]

Our special guest presenter for June, will be Debdas Mukerjee Ph.D, a world famous senior environmental health scientist at the EPA’s National Center for Environmental Assessment. Dr. Mukerjee will talk about the serious problem of dioxins and heavy metal pollution of the environment, globally and, to the point , right here in Michigan ; how for example, industrial sewage sludge often laced with toxins is used as “natural fertilizer’ and how mothers and childtren are at high risk from chemical pollutants in Michigan’s ground water and fresh water fish. He will also give remedial methods for protecting ourselves and our children.

On July, on the Independence weekend, we offer a program dedicated to Energy Independence. Solar domestic energy systems, solar cookers,solar food dryers and waterheaters will be demonstrated and explained by solar engineer , Richard Orawic of the hightech energy firm, Backwards to the Future Ltd. In addition, wind powered generators will be discussed. Lunch this day will be cooked in our solar box cookers.

August program will focus, in the morning, on Global Warming. Using slides from his extensive field work, Bryan Pijanowski, Assistant Professor of Zoology at Michigan State will present the evidence for and possible causes of a warming Earth. Dr. Pijanowski will review the consequences of Global Warming, using as examples, its effects on societal vunerability and adaptation in East Africa. In the afternoon we will hear and see building methods that help to fight greenhouse warming. Architect Christina Snyder of Sustainable Spaces has designed a zero energy house [one that produces as much energy as it consumes] and we will see how it can help foster energy independence and low environmental impact. We will also discuss other earth friendly, sometimes ancient, building methods and materials such as cob and haybale construction. Some small models will be constructed on site during the year, as demonstration units.

September will feature a presentation by Dayle Harrison, founder and president of the Kalamazoo River Protection Association, and longtime activist advocate to save the Allegan State Forest. Dayle will lead an a eco tour- to the endangered environs of the local Kalamazoo watershed forests.This walk in the woods will highlight the unique yet endangered treasures of the largest watershed forest system in south michigan.
After a picnic lunch we will do a eco float tour down a wild stretch of the Kalamazoo River and hear how this beautiful river ecosystem has become an EPA Super Fund site due to years of industrial pollution with PCBs and other persistent toxins, resulting in strict limits on fish consumption and severe depletion of numbers of nesting eagles.

October will be a month to discuss what is being incresingly recognised as the Seventh Mass Extinction Professor Greg Murray of Hope College will tell the the fate of global biodiversity under the heavy boot of habitat destruction, over harvesting and genetic monocultures. Karla Kaufman, of West Michigan Environmental Action Committee will tell the story of coffee production around the world, as an example of how world demand for coffee drives habitat destruction and toxic pollution in the most genetically diverse parts of the world. She will also offer samples of shade grown coffee grown sustainably and organically. Examples of natural alternative fibers grown organicaly will also be on display.

November we will take a trip to our local endangered treasure, Saugatuck Dunes State Park, where with Chuck Nelson, for the last 16 years Director of the Sarett Nature Center, we will examine the unique and fragile ecosystem of fresh water dunes. We will also hear ,from local activists from Concerned Citizens for Saugatuck Dunes State park, of strident efforts to safeguard the wild integrity of the dunes. In the afternoon, we will taste and hear the environmental power of a vegetarian lifestyle. After a gormet vegan lunch, vegan advocate Suzy Richardson, will give a survey of the global meat industry that is the single greatest cause of habitat destruction in the species rich tropics as well as vast tracts of the North American west. She will walk us thru the chicken and pork factories in the USA that together produce more drug contaminated biowaste than all the human potty produced in America . Ms. Richardson will also demonstrate how to obtain and prepare wholesome and tasty vegitarian meals for a healthier lifestyle and a longer life.

December we will discuss Permaculture, one of the primary goals of all these meetings;
Dana Johnson, who has a degree in Environmental Policy from U.of M, will give us some reflections on the concept of Permaculture, which is a set of techniques and principles with the ethical core of caring for the earth, caring for people and sharing the surplus.With these principles, we can work to consciously design principles to help build ecologically sound and sustainable human settlements. For students who wish to stay over night camping will be possible either on the Institute grounds or nearby. Registration for the program is $250 and may be paid in installments. Auditing of individual programs is possible for $10.00 a day. Scholarships are available as well as correspondence studies. Call today! Children and families have a special rate.

For information contact:
Swami Tapasananda at (269) 543-3951 (tapas@motherstrust.org)
Mataji Gauribrata (616) 566-4318 (gaurima@motherstrust.org)
Swami Atmalokananda (616) 293-6884 (baba@motherstrust.org)