Hey, Check out these cool ideas at Samantha and Franks home at AWOL (Another Way Of Living) at Wamboin near Canberra which is part of the Southern Harvest Association. Southern Harvest is an educational and marketing non-profit, incorporated, local food association at the forefront of supporting and promoting local and regional food production and consumption in South East NSW and ACT.  Sam and Frank organised, hosted and participated in as well as cooked for the Social Permaculture Course Robin Clayfield and Robina McCurdy did at their property in April.  The course was their first ever at the new venue that they have created in their home and all went very well. Wow! Fantastic food, fantastic people, fantastic family farm. A Creative Menu Board A Rocket Stove Made from a Dumped Gas Outdoor Heater An Old TV for a Book Shelf        

The Planting Festival at Woodfordia in early May was a magnificent event. Robin and her troupe of five friends worked together as instillation artists, ceremony holders and workshop facilitators creating ‘The Sacred Union Labyrinth’ for the festival patrons to enjoy. They were joined by musicians Andy Copeman and Laurel Hefferon from Awakening Centre in Maleny for the two special Ceremonies. Malcolm Fielding also performed two sessions, one each afternoon, for people to walk at their leisure, with the presence of his soulful sounds. The theme for the Saturdays Ceremony was ‘Weave Together Selfcare, Earthcare and Positive Action’ where participants wove a wrist band for themselves and walked the Labyrinth surrendering anything that could get in the way of their full integration of the different aspects of self. As they emerged from their sacred walk, accompanied by music, the Ceremony team tied the wrist bands on each person for wearing throughout …

Robin and Erin recently enjoyed the company of Delvin Solkinson at a special dinner to celebrate his flying visit to Maleny as part of the Visionary Permaculture Pilgrimage he and Annaliese Hordern were organising. The four shared an Aussie style Indian Feast and honoured Delvin’s visit from Canada, especially for the Pilgrimage. Delvin and Annaliese trained with Robin in her ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ course back in 2011 as part of the inaugural Pilgrimage that they also initiated. Delvin has produced many fantastic and supportive Permaculture card games, teaching notes and resources which can be found at https://www.visionarypermaculture.com/ He has always had the most honouring respect and words to shower Robin with. Here’s some that arrived recently by email.   “Dear Robin, A thousand blessings of life to your sacred journey through the ever magic. Your shine has uplifted so many of us around the world, empowering us to our …

By Erin Young, 3 June 2018 The Australasian Permaculture Convergence is a bi-annual 4-day event, creating a hive of connection and sharing for permaculture practitioners, gardeners, thinkers and doers from Australia, New Zealand and surrounding countries like East Timor. The 2018 Convergence was held in April in Canberra, along the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. Around 200 people converged to share and attend sessions covering various aspects of the field of Permaculture, including school gardens, Social Permaculture and international aid. Amongst the rich pot of offerings were the contributions of Robin Clayfield and myself, Erin Young, focussing strongly on Social Permaculture elements. We both presented several sessions, all employing ‘Dynamic Groups’ tools to engage and ignite. Robin’s first workshop included all participants in a session called “Fast Tracking Change with Social Permaculture” and focussed strongly on the conference theme of ‘Connectivity’. Robin craftily drew out collective wisdom on Social Permaculture …

Not long now till Robin’s next ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic learning’  creative teachers, facilitators and group leaders course to be held at her home community of Crystal Waters Permaculture EcoVillage using the community village area, kitchen, deck and dining room facilities in amongst the beautiful 640 acre property. This will be her first Dynamic Groups course back in Australia after successfully leading four of them across Europe last year. Here is a quote from one of our Permaculture Elders, Declan Kennedy, 83, from Lebensgarten EcoVillage in Northern Germany after he participated in (as well as organised and hosted) the six day course. “This course is a must for people trying to facilitate events in a democratic/sociocratic way. The toolbox is extensive and helps the facilitator do his/her job thoroughly, deeply and with fun. Robin walks what she talks during the course of the course. She is so quietly and humourously skilled …

A healthy, solid and nurturing foundation is important for any group to grow and achieve it’s vision and purpose. Beyond our groups, organisations, teams, businesses and workplaces, we  can also say the same thing for relationships of all kinds – with our partners, family members and most importantly, with ourselves. Imagining that we are a little seed with so much potential. Imaging our group or organisation as a seed looking to plant itself somewhere that will support it to grow tall and strong and produce great abundance. Where to start? With our needs – our personal needs and the needs of the group. This is foundational, like the sub soil beneath our feet. Add a rich layer of top soil to mix with and enrich the subsoil for essential grounding and solidity through exploring and naming values, principles and ethics that group members feel are important.  We now have the …