What does the cost of the program cover?

Tuition covers monthly weekend workshops spanning a holistic curriculum throughout the year. Not included are accommodations and food, with the exception of one shared meal each weekend. (Accommodations are available at an additional cost.)

We strive to balance accessibility with vital investments like offering livable wages to instructors and assembling program structures that minimize risk and maximize learning. As a non-profit, The Eco-Institute has no extraneous proceeds, and every dollar made by the program goes to furthering our mission to heal the human-Earth relationship through educational programming.

Is there financial aid available?

Yes. In an effort to include as many and as diverse folks as possible in this program, and to contribute positively to the social make-up of alternative, experiential and land-based education, we offer a subsidized tuition rate.

what is a typical weekend like in the rising earth immersion?

Weekend programs begin with a shared potluck supper and opening session on Friday evening. Participants who are staying on the land are invited to arrive earlier, on Friday afternoon, to set up their accommodations.

Saturday morning, we engage experientially with the weekend’s topic. After lunch and a brief rest, participants are offered optional activities to further enhance their understanding. Prior to the evening educational session, the Eco-Institute will provide an evening meal made lovingly with ingredients grown on the land. After the evening session, participants are invited to bring musical instruments and gather around a bonfire.

Sunday morning begins with a movement offering, followed by the last full session. Closing circle is at 2:00 pm, after which folks are invited to stay and enjoy the land for the rest of the day.

We have designed our schedule to support a balance between learning, creativity, work, play, and rest. All group members, including leaders, work together to craft a flow that best responds to the needs of the group, including unforeseen circumstances as they arise. We believe that the unplanned and unexpected provide opportunities for deep learning.

What is the housing like?

The primary option for onsite accommodations are homey, off-grid yomes. A yome is a hybrid yurt-dome made by our friends Red Sky Shelters out of Asheville, NC. Canvas walls, wood floors, no plumbing, no electricity. This hub will be yours for deep nature connection during the program. And it’s just a couple minutes’ walk to the kitchen, bathrooms, showers, library, yoga studio, garden, and other gathering areas.

Tent camping is also available, as well as a few climate-controlled rooms. You can find descriptions of all the various onsite accommodations here.

how’s the food?

If you’ve never lived on an abundant organic farm during a season of harvest, it’s hard to describe the experience of savoring the fruits of the land. If you haven’t, we hope you can imagine, and that someday you might! The Eco-Institute’s Community Garden offers various veggies, which we will turn into Saturday’s evening meal, and which participants are welcome to harvest for their own enjoyment.

Can you meet my dietary or lifestyle need?

We actively welcome folks from all backgrounds, and we respect your food and lifestyle choices. Our focus is on whole foods and farm-inspired cooking. As far as diet goes, it is likely that we can meet your dietary need. To be sure, if you have any allergy or health concern, we encourage you to reach out in advance with the specifics so that we can make sure the program is a good fit for you. In all of our food traditions, including potlucks, we strive to make the whole group aware of dietary needs and preferences so we can create meals that nourish everyone. If you have other questions about whether your needs would preclude your participation in the program, please look over the Essential Eligibility Criteria.

What are your alumni up to?

It's been amazing to witness the grounded, well-informed, deep-rooted leaders who emerge from the program. Folks have gotten involved in all sorts of projects and industries. For example, one recent alum is teaching garden education to underserved children in the Bay Area, another is mobilizing for climate policy in Denmark, one is an environmental lawyer, several are professional chefs, a few are running retreat centers, and a few are successful small business owners. 

We have over 125 alumni who make up a strong, committed and powerful network.

You can also read some alumni experiences on this page or check out the Alumni Spotlights on our blog.

How long has the Rising Earth Immersion been around?

Residential immersions for young adults have served over 125 individuals since 2013. The original name was The Odyssey Fellowship, before being renamed Rising Earth Immersion in 2019. Beginning in 2023, the upper age limit was removed, opening the program to adults of all ages. The format also shifted at this point from being ten consecutive weeks to one weekend a month, throughout a full year.

The program lives at The Eco-Institute at Pickards Mountain, which has been running under the same leadership since 2005. You can learn more about The Eco-Institute, our mission, and our story on the About Us page.

What are the rules or specific guidelines for participants?

We expect that, for the duration of the program, all participants meet the Essential Eligibility Criteria and Participant Expectations. If you have any questions about rules and expectations for behavior at The Eco-Institute, please contact rising-earth@eco-institute.org.

What are your policies around WiFi/technology usage?

To foster inner, interpersonal, and Earth connection, we must become available to the present moment. To do so we must re-learn how to sense our world without the mediation of a screen. At the same time, technology is an amazing tool for staying connected to loved ones, the news, popular culture, including art and activism. In the light of all this, please expect to—and get excited about!—practice what we call a “Low Tech Diet” while in the program. We will work together as a group during our first days together to define the specifics of this shared diet, but please know ahead of time that, to us, this means that there will be:

• Designated WiFi/phone/device/technology-free hours

• Designated technology-free spaces (with the exception of emergencies, of course)

Do i need to have any experience with camping, farming, activism, living in community, etc. in order to participate?

No! We pledge to do our best to prepare folks for participating in the program at any level of experience in these areas.

Still have questions?

No problem. Write to us anytime at rising-earth@eco-institute.org.