Title: Transition Ashram - a part of the solution to social problems and climate change

Authors: Alexander Ahamer

Addresses: Environmental Systems Studies, Graz University, Austria; The Rising Monkey, Graz, Austria

Abstract: This article presents an interdisciplinary approach for an individual and societal transition of today's problems into the better. It contains three chapters: the first chapter is a brief overview of the current global situation with a focus on climate change. The second chapter is about how to transform the mind through the practice of meditation and hence the impact on the environment. The third chapter deals with a practical concept of a project, which functions as a driver to transform minds in order to solve current world problems and environmental destruction. In this paper, the idea is named 'Transition Ashram'. The disconnection between human beings and nature results in behaviour that acts against our nurturing planet, against humanity itself. The mind is the source of human action and therefore we should acknowledge that only through a change of the mind a change in global behaviour and society is possible.

Keywords: permaculture; eco-village; cooperation; Ashram; climate crisis; climate change; climate justice; climate action; social change; transition; solution-orientation; agriculture; mindfulness; meditation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFIP.2021.117551

International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy, 2021 Vol.15 No.1/2/3, pp.131 - 156

Received: 23 Apr 2020
Accepted: 11 Sep 2020
Published online: 13 Sep 2021 *