Good question.
I am a student in my last year of undergrad education at The Evergreen State College (TESC). Evergreen is fairly well known as an institution of alternative higher education with the opportunity for students to learn in an interdisciplinary format with team taught, and often year-long programs. Evergreen is also unique in it's opportunity for students to design, propose, execute and evaluate their own programs. This is called an Individual Learning Contract (ILC). After transfering to Evergreen in the Spring quarter of last year, and having stumbled into the Dance of Consciousness program (more info here), I connected with a feminist literature and consciousness professor, co-founder of the Contemplative Studies field group at TESC, experienced in theory as well as the practice of embodiment both as a personal and an intellecual pursuit. She is my sponsor for my year-long eduventure via ILC and I am most grateful for her support, guidance, challenges and connection.
This ILC is titled, "Holistic Health and Community: Traditions of India and China (Fall, Winter, Spring).
I am spending 9 months traveling between India and China, studying ancient and traditional healing traditions. I'm focusing on Yoga and Ayurveda in India and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), herbal healing, calligraphy and/or Acupuncture in China. Here's the breakdown:
I will embark on a journey to Northern India, Dharamsala; the home in exile of the Dalai Lama and home to thousands of Tibetans living in exile. I will familiarize myself with the culture, customs and language of the area and the people, in order to tap into the traditional healing practices of the culture. I will focus on Yoga, and Ayurvedic medicine and will pay particular attention to food. Having already completed my 200hour, first level of Yoga Instructor Training, and having taught asana (physical yoga) classes for three years, I will complete a 6-week, 300-hour teacher training course in Bhagsu, Dharamsala. This includes knowledge of the history of Yoga, anatomy and physiology, breathing tecnhiques, some Ayurvedic principles, understanding of specific poses, personal practice, and development of teaching skills. I will also complete a 10-day course in Ayurvedic healing and lifestyle to be incorporated in my personal life and into my teaching. Throughout my stay in Dharamsala, I will be engaging with members of the community both in and outside of the coursework in order to connect with the culture and heritage from which many of my studies stem. I will gain competency in conversational Hindi and/or Tibetan as well as recognition of Sanskrit. This work will stand atop the work I have done previously in my study of Yoga and my previous work in the Dance of Consciousness program on movement and consciousness. This contract will be the support for my continued contract work abroad in the winter and spring quarters.
I will then travel to Kunming, China, a the capital of Yunnan province and a cultural center with one of the most ethnically diverse populations in China. I will study at YEHS, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture school for westerners in Kunming for two months, gaining a sense for the culture of China and of Kunming in particular, with a keen eye for the way the many languages of the region interact and influence consciousness. My TCM and acupuncture studies will deepen my understanding of holistic health and add a new dimension to the knowledge of Yogic and Ayurvedic theory gained in my contract from the previous quarter. I will intentionally engage in the community through conversation and volunteer work, paying specific attention to the way the language of the region frames notions of health. My language learning will be challenging, but rewarding. Ultimately, this quarter will lead me seamlessly into the next stage of my contract work for the Spring quarter.
Following the previous two quarters of Independent Contract work in India and in China, I will return to India. I will travel to Mussoorie, in the state of Uttaranchal for an internship as a food coordinator at Bija Vidyapeeth, Vandana Shiva's learning center for sustainable agriculture, seed saving, and biodiversity conservation, recognizing that the health of each of us individually is indivisible from the health of the planet. Having studied intensively the Yogic, Ayurvedic, and Traditional Chinese Medicine systems, the work I will do in the Spring contract will be a practice of applying those theories in community through direct contact with the soil in a close-knit community both at Navdanya and in Dharamsala. I will be able to make practical use of the knowledge gained, as well as to engage in cultural exchange and experience directly the effects of these health systems, language and community on my own consciousness. This will all be culminated in a summative paper outlining a holistic model for approaching healthcare that takes into account the individual, the community and the planet.
