Vinyasa Krama Mandiram, Bali
Vinyasa Krama Mandiram (VKM) is a yoga centre in Bali where veteran teacher Matthew Sweeney offers one-month yoga intensives and yoga teacher trainings.
About the project
VKM was designed with Permaculture in mind from the ground up, incorporating and interweaving numerous sustainability systems. It features a closed-loop system that reuses waste water for cultivating a Permaculture garden. The fruit, herbs and vegetables grown in the garden supply food for the students who flow through the centre as well as the owner. This provides students with a living example of Permaculture and an opportunity to be exposed to Permaculture systems and principles, which in turn can deepen their experience of Yoga, or union.
Mark Garrett, international permaculture designer and instructor, put together the Permaculture Design for VKM. As the project had a hard deadline (the centre needed to be finished in time for the first yoga training), he wanted to have someone on-site to oversee and ensure the development of the permaculture design. I offered to come in and manage the project to ensure it finished on time and in alignment with Matthew’s vision and Mark’s design.
What we did
We worked from the original Permaculture masterplan to bring things to life
Laid out the keyhole raised vegetable beds and herb spiral and used cardboard on pathways to suppress weeds
Mulched the vegetable beds, herb spiral and pathways with waste straw to keep the moisture in the ground and protect surface of soil from hardening under hot sun.
Prepared the raised vegetable beds by scattering green Mung Beans which help bring and fix nitrogen into the soil, adding fertility for future crops
We used coconut shells to structure growing areas and surround trees, which helped bring the soil to pH neutral. In addition, the coconut shells decompose over time, creating a ready-made bio mass for future growing area.
We dug swales (ditches on contour) to help capture and slow down rain water, and then we planted new fruit trees on the underside with plenty of mulch (straw here) to help protect the soil below
Planted over 10 new fruit, nut and spice trees + vines to supply food to future students and owner, (Mangos, Avocado, Pomegranate, Banana, Papaya, 5 star, Indian cherry, Mulberry, Lime, Clove, Passion fruit …).
We planted Vetiver on steep slopes because their deep root system would help hold soil in place.
We planted live natural fencing, (gamal used here) which is Nitrogen fixing and also provides a framework for Passion fruit vines to grow up and along. Lemon Grass added also, (reduce mosquittos and provide fresh tea)
We made Banana and Papaya circles - another long term composting system where garden waste can be placed in the middle area, (dug down to @ 75cm here) and decompose to add fertility to outer raised growing area.
VKM - A shala with a view and also a Permaculture Eco system supplying fresh food and sustainable natural systems.
In addition:
Created a vermiculture (compost worm) waste-water system to clean and recycle black and grey water from the kitchen and toilets and back again. This 360-degree solution cleaned the water then pumped it into a man-made pond higher up on the land, which then flowed into a gravity-fed water irrigation system that also fed into refilling the toilet system.
Planted over 10 new fruit, nut and spice trees + vines to supply food to future students and owner, including: mangos, avocado, pomegranate, banana, papaya, starfruit, Indian cherry, mulberry, lime, clove, and passion fruit
Created a new herb garden with over 10 new varieties of herbs and spices
Built new vegetable gardens using a no-dig raised system for reduced maintenance
Cultivated new rice production area
Built new seed shed and and composting area with worm farm
Created an educational and aesthetically beautiful environment where permaculture workshops could be hosted
To learn more about Matthew Sweeney & Vinyasa Krama Mandiram, visit: