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

Robin’s Sacred Union Labyrinth design is now know to many, having been created as an art and ceremony instillation at Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland these last five years. Robin woke up in a huge rainstorm one morning in January 2011 with the image in her mind. She attributes Labyrinth maker Mark Healy as being a spark of inspiration for her to conceive this design.

Here’s a link to the Sacred Union Labyrinth page on FaceBook

Labyrinths have appeared throughout history in many cultures and many forms. Perhaps the easiest to make and use is a simple spiral design which turns out is the predominant labyrinth type at Damanhur in northern Italy which is a federation of communities with a spiritual basis. They have created underground temples carved our of the hills and an abundance of stone spiral labyrinths above the cave systems, some of which are open to the public to walk.

Robin’s European tour of her ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ courses last year also included, by invitation, two ‘Wise Women’s Weekends’, one in Switzerland and one in Italy. Being a lover and creator of labyrinths and wanting to include ceremony and sacred circle spaces into the Women’s Weekends, Robin naturally thought of making a labyrinth. The Sacred Union Labyrinth is quite a complex design to mark out and make so she settled on creating a simple spiral design with an opening into a sacred centre space where there could be symbols of the elements and directions and women could place objects from nature that could represent their intentions for the weekend or for change in their lives.

With the help of Kym Chi from Canada who supported Robin with both the Women’s Weekend’s and the Dynamic Groups course in Italy, the pair created a delightful and very special spiral labyrinth at each venue.

After the women’s event in Italy they went together to Damanhur for a five day visit and were very pleasantly surprised to find spiral labyrinths are a predominant feature used for healing, relaxing and conducting ceremony at the centre which is becoming world famous for it’s incredible art, sculpture, mosaics and stained glass ceilings and doors. They have pioneered selfic technology as well as the ‘music of the plants’ and their temples as like nothing else on earth. 

Here’s a link to the Damanhur Website

Passionate Italian Permaculture woman, mother and PDC Diploma Assessor Barbara Garofoli hosted Robin in the little Swiss alpine village of La Forclaz last year to offer her ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ 6 day training for Permaculture people from across Switzerland and also to follow this by facilitating a Wise Women’s Wisdom Weekend.

The experience of being at 1300 meters for two weeks in a traditional village with the venue being a delightful old school building was a big highlight of Robin’s three month European tour. The course was definitely one of the best ever, and that’s certainly saying something, with every participant giving outstanding feedback at the end and so inspired and on fire to take the inspiration and many learnings back to their groups and work places.

The food was outstanding and created by Barbara’s mum Antonella from Italy. She brought with her home dried herbs including specially grown and harvested saffron plus wild harvested and home pressed lavender oil from her home region that she’d grown, made and/or picked and processed. 

Robin was joined for the Women’s Weekend and for the following 3 weeks of her tour by Kym Chi from Gaiacraft in Canada. Kym Chi’s support enabled the pair to create a beautiful spiral labyrinth and sacred circle for the women to enjoy together and also assisted Robin to be more relaxed and organised.

Highlights from the events were a giant puppet show put on by some of the participants as part of their presentations, a visit locally to an ancient standing stone and living in amongst snow capped alps and a glacier in the distance. 

Another highlight from the region was visiting the small city of Vevey on the same lake that graces Geneva. A wise decision by the city authorities sees food gardens lining the public walking and meeting spaces along the lakes edge. All food is encouraged to be harvested and eaten and is a delight to be seen and also eaten, with sunflowers blooming everywhere, beans growing up bamboo trellises and masses of kale and greens to encourage health and longevity.

The excitement was building for weeks up to Robin finally launching on Patreon recently. The idea is to invite you all to support, on a monthly basis, to produce the ‘Dynamic Teaching and Facilitation’ book series. The money received will pay Robin’s team for their much needed and wonderful skills – Rob Clark, Young Erin and Eve Witney. 

In exchange for your support there is a range of rewards that you can choose from. The end result will be all of us enhancing and multiplying our skills, knowledge, confidence and ‘toolboxes’ for the empowerment of ourselves, our groups and our world.

Please have a look at what’s on offer. Click to view the Patreon ‘About Us’ page

Here is an opportunity & invitation to support a pioneering and greatly creative woman in the broadcasting of tools helping humans to be creative and highly functional together!

Robin Clayfield has been pushing the limits of creative facilitation and social permaculture for decades. She’s taking it to the next level by documenting the powerful and effective processes she has developed and collected into a book series; providing an empowering reference resource for facilitators and trainers the world round.

Robin’s excited to offer her ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Creative Teachers, Facilitators and Group Leaders course at her home community of Crystal Waters in South East Queensland early in the new year. A great way to start the year off and dive more deeply into the tools, methods and skills that support successful groups and courses.

Dates are 11th to 16th March 2018

After offering this course all across Europe in 2017 Robin is delighted to be able to easily bring all her resources and materials, library and props etc to the course for the enjoyment and creative enhancement of participants involvement and the betterment of course outcomes.

Robin brings over 25 years experience training teachers and facilitators to these trainings and also her deep immersion in the essence of her learning and group work methodology.

Have a look at the poster here.

In the lead up to the launch of Robin’s Parteon platform here is an introduction to the team who’ll work to help create the series of teaching and facilitation books and resources which are the result from over 25 years experience training people in creative, interactive learning and group work methods.

• Erin Young (proofreading and manuscript appraisal, e-news, social media, admin and communication support),
• Rob Clark (graphic design, artist and lettering art legend), and
• Eve Witney (editing and InDesign tuition)

Backing through Patreon will go towards paying these wonderful people who are supporting in producing the Dynamic Teaching and Facilitation book series. Yeah!

Thanks to everyone who supported Robin’s ‘Dynamic Groups’ courses and Wise Women’s weekends across Europe. Robin had a wonderful and enriching journey and many people benefited from her offerings.

The next ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ 6 day training in Australia will be from 11th to 16th March 2018 at Crystal Waters Permaculture EcoVillage in SE Qld, Australia.

Here’s a link to the poster

Robin was delighted to re-visit Lebensgarten after 19 years and be hosted by the amazing 82 year old Declan Kennedy for her ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ course and then have some gentle time off for a few days, including witnessing a ‘Global Water Dance’ and receiving a visit from Queensland friend Kestral who’s now living in Netherlands.

Lebensgarten is one of the original three EcoVillages that started off the GEN (Global EcoVillage Network) along with Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, (Robin’s home in South East Queensland) and The Farm in Tennessee.

One of the ‘Glue’ aspects of the 32 year old community, established in a cluster of old disused WW II barracks, is Circle Dancing which happens every Saturday and Sunday morning and on weekdays if there are courses or gatherings running. Declan’s leading of the dances during the course was energizing and empowering as well as promoting health of the body and mind. This was a great way to start each day before the Dynamic Groups sessions started.

Also of great note is the use of electric vehicles in Lebensgarten and in Germany in general. Lebensgarten has over eight charging stations for their shared or privately owned cars. Even 19 years ago there were two electric cars owed by the community that everyone could book the use of for their outing or shopping trip. These days it’s such a part of life there. Robin got to have several rides in the Tesla, an amazingly sleek, silent and powerful electric car.

E-mobility is a much used word in Germany and also Europe wide and there are charging stations at regular intervals throughout the road systems. Also, wind generators everywhere. We are yet to catch up in Australia.

You can find out more about Lebensgarten and the PALS (Permaculturepark at Lebensgarten Steyerburg) by clicking here.