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

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.

Robin is excited to be involved with the organisation that is putting on a Nonviolent Communication (NVC) Retreat for people who share, facilitate and practice NVC.

It begins on Monday afternoon and runs till Friday morning from 22nd to 26th July.

There will be three full days of gathering, workshops, sharing and practice, with quite a goodly amount of the program potentially being facilitated using Open Space Technology. There will also be some preset workshops, group times, meals and free space for activities, relaxing and adventuring on Bribie Island, Queensland, where the Retreat is being held.

This isn’t a place for learning NVC as a first time encounter, rather, for people how use NVC to develop and share more.

Have a look at the website here

If you have a 12 to 16 year old daughter or granddaughter, niece, friend or neighbor you may like to know details of our 2024 Journey into Womanhood Camp.

The camp dates are Tues July 2nd through to Sat July 6th and the venue is Wild Mountain which is near Rathdowney (Scenic Rim region). It is an amazing spot and perfect for our needs.
More details and tickets are available via the link below. We have a super saving of over 25% (full price is $2,500) if you commit before the 3rd April.

Visit the Journey into Womanhood – Powerhouse Programs website here 

All families will benefit from this positive, powerful and unique experience.

Journey into Womanhood creates and acknowledges the girl-into-woman shift ‘from competition to co-operation’ and enables families to build a new foundation for their future. As you know this is a real-life game-changer!

If you can’t attend, please share this information or visit our facebook event here and spread the word for us – a like/love/comment is always appreciated. 

Journey to Manhood (‘J2M’) is a program that dives deeply into the real issues facing families with teenage boys today. Many families have benefited from the powerful experience of father and son spending 5 days in the bush with other men and boys (13-16yrs). This is precious technology-free time to do something memorable for your family. Mothers are very much a part of this program too, at community departure and welcoming home ceremonies.

All families benefit from this positive, powerful and unique experience. Journey to Manhood creates and acknowledges the boy-to-man shift ‘from dependence into service’ and enables families to build a new foundation for their future. This is a real-life game-changer!

The September camp runs from 24th to 28th September

The link to the website is here