Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning Dynamic Courses, Books, Resources and Tours for Healthy Groups, People and Culture with Robin Clayfield

Robin’s ‘The Vision Tree Planning and Design Framework’ which will be a whole chapter in her upcoming book ‘Dynamic Teaching and Facilitation’ will most likely be featured as an article in the UK ‘Permaculture Magazine’ sometime through the middle of this year.

Delvin Solkinson from Canada and ‘Visionary Permaculture’ encouraged the article and drafted the first version and after slight edits from Robin and a Yes from the magazine editors and publishers, it’s ready to go.

A wonderful tree illustration for the book chapter has been created by the very talented Permaculture artist and illustrator Brenna Quinlan and this will be used in conjunction with the article.

‘The Vision Tree Planning and Design Framework’ gives a map to journey through to plan and design anything, be it a land based design, a project or event, a business plan, a life design or the creation of a new group, organization or intentional community. It can also support retrospectively when a group, business, project or organization is struggling.

The foundations of the plan and/or design create fertile ground to plant the seed of the vision, which then, with support, matures into a strong healthy tree with all aspects functioning optimally and supporting all involved.

The framework was crystalized while Robin was doing a ‘Life Design’ for a family in Greece. She realized there was a pattern with all her designs, consultations, group support facilitations and problem solving sessions. A healthy foundation was needed to ensure success. A large tree appeared as a metaphor for the journey a group or individual could take or be guided through by Robin.

The Vision Tree Framework has also been beautifully presented as one section of Delvin Solkinson’s ‘Permaculture Design Deck’ which is available as a huge box full of Permaculture Principles, Ethics, Attitudes, Strategies, Tools and Frameworks Cards. See Delvin’s Card Deck here

It’s also available as a free PDF and Delvin has given Robin permission to use the Vision Tree set in her work or in any way she chooses. Such a divine gift from Delvin and his support and care for Robin’s work is beyond amazing and is so appreciated by her and others for sure.

After a very successful ‘Women’s PDC’, for women and presented by women, in November last year, Annaliese Hordern and the Ground Permaculture crew are putting on another Women’s PDC in October this year.

The course last year was in honour of and celebrating that is was 40 years since the first ever PDC, which Robin was a participant in.

To support the course robin did seven sessions as a special guest, two of which were tours of Crystal Waters and of her garden. She’ll be a special guest again this October.

Here’s the link to look or book

Last year’s ‘Dynamic Groups’ course saw some special guests as participants and everyone enjoyed a fun filled, deep learning and confidence building time together.

Robin organized an exciting music event the night after the course to host ‘Formidable Vegetable’ playing two big sets and Jimmy Halliday, who grew up on Crystal Waters, playing with Charlee McGee and Brenna Quinlan to complete the band and also doing his debut with a new style of Looping music.

Robin gave a challenge to the ‘Dynamic Groups’ course – to design and plan together an interactive, creative and potentially musical process piece that was 10 minutes long and would involve the whole group and all of the audience.

After Jimmy’s set the group rose to the challenge and took to the stage. They had the whole crowd (over 200 people) up and dancing in sync and we saw introverts become extroverts and very professional facilitators in colourful action. It was awesome to be part of.

The weather here has not been very supportive of gardening lately. First a very hot dry period towards the end of 2023 where many plants and trees died, then this year has been so wet and humid up here in South East Queensland. The result has been an overgrowth of tenacious grasses and ‘weeds’ that threaten existing trees and take over whole orchards, access paths and large areas of land as well as many large woody herbs and trees overextending themselves to obscure anything around them.

Then along comes fantastic Volunteers and WWOOFers (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) who have helped turn a problem into a solutions.
Lots of hard work…
• Making Hot Compost from the ‘weeds’ and prunings, often chipping them first
• Sheet mulching weedy areas by cutting ‘weeds’ and grasses then adding biochar, rock minerals and some nitrogen bombs then covering with soaked cardboard then straw
• Placing ‘weeds’ in wire baskets to Slow Compost or drowning them in big bins to create liquid manure
• Creating piles of ‘weeds’, grasses and pruning’s along edges to leave to compost down by themselves and smother other ‘weeds’ in the process

Please keep in mind that Weeds are only a plant in the wrong place or one that a use hasn’t been found for yet, so at ‘Kutamullamee’ weeds are a good thing and support the whole system to be in balance.

Huge thanks goes out to Renata from Brazil (10 awesome, productive weeks in the garden and lots of ferments in the kitchen), Dom from Pomona/Qld (regular garden visits), Marcelo from Australia/Brazil (regular garden visits) and Ally for 2 days recently, Thais from Brazil (4 weeks and still here being amazing), Wronka and Stefan and their three adult children from Switzerland (helping out before and after Christmas a little), Rod from SE Qld for helping with Solar, Diogo from Portugal (helping while asking lots of research questions for a few days)…

Big gratitude for Rob and Stephane and more recently Jen and Tom for sharing the delights and challenges of this land with me (Robin) and all the wonderful nature and creatures that share with us as well. Reciprocity is my favourite word. I see and hear and feel it everyday here with all of us Beings, some of us being human.

For the last 4 years, back in our home country Brazil, we decided to go on a journey of reconnection to the land and holistic way of living, that was when we discovered permaculture.

Each of us fell in love with it in our own ways, “For me (Renata), coming back to the land and learning about permaculture helped me make sense of and connect my passion for food, local systems, and community living.”; “And for me (Thais), Permaculture ethics aligned with my values not just with the practical tools it provided for caring for the land but also on the social aspect, because I am amazed by the power of achievement that arises when people come together towards the same dream”.

The goal of coming to Australia was to get to know a different culture and to continue to live on the Permaculture path we started, thus, there wouldn’t be anywhere better to do that if not in the country where it was formally born.

We arrived in Crystal Waters and were welcomed by Robin, amongst other caring and open-hearted people, in which we were presented with a space for creativity, in a well-cared land and preserved forest.

We get to start our week with a nourishing shared dinner among the small group of residents of our lot (named Kutamullamee and meaning ‘Many Hands’), followed by a sacred sharing circle around the fire. Our days have always been shared and accompanied by Robin and her captivating passion for caring for the land and its beings. Either in the garden, the kitchen, or learning different ways of composting, planting, harvesting, and processing native foods.

What stands out for us is the love and care of the people for native plants and other beings, as well as always showing their connection and respect for the ancestors and custodians of the land. We also find it special to be welcomed at social activities within the CW community, such as music nights, markets, working bees, and other gatherings. We had the pleasure to take part in an important time of the year in the Queensland region, called the Bunya Dreaming Gathering, which was held on sacred land with people from different regions showing their respect and celebrating the abundance and love for the country.

Our gratitude for the moments and knowledge shared with the people and beings of this land is beyond words. It is an honor to give our energy and time to this place that has been feeling like home. We’re especially thankful for Robin, the trust she has accredited on us, and the friendship received in this journey.

In love and gratitude,

Renata & Thais

ONGO supports people to learn elements of NVC, especially empathy and deep listening, exploring needs and feelings and working together and with oneself to practice healthful communication and a more Zen way of living our daily lives.

These are particularly good skills to have when being on Boards, Committees, in business teams or being in any kind of relationship.

It involves working through a beautifully written book called ‘ONGO: Everyday nonviolence’ by Catherine Cadden, Jesse Wiens with illustrations by Kate Raffin. There is one group meeting per week, one meeting with a ‘Buddy’ per week and some personal practices to do each week on 5 of the days, though many of these take only a short time and some take some focus and time.

I found the journey very valuable, especially the practice of empathy when in communication with another.

There is an ONGO group planning to start at Crystal Waters on Tuesday 30th April and will run for 12 week each Tuesday night.

Anyone can start their own ONGO group, you just need the book to guide the process. May you feel courageous enough to gather some friends and community and start one, for everyone’s best good and personal ongoing mental and emotional resilience.