Community building workshop

 

"It is a serious thing to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world." — Mary Oliver

Separation. Scarcity. A crisis of belonging. These are what we have inherited from the structures of power and economy in our modern era. We face a loneliness epidemic, societal unravelling, unprecedented biodiversity loss and historic wealth inequality. 

In this current climate, things can often seem hopeless. It can feel like there are no viable alternatives. But this isn’t the first time humans have faced collapse. In reality, there are alternatives. Tools and methods exist which can help us build resilience, solidarity, and mutual flourishing for all beings — not just humans. Techniques to build authentic connection, unusual safety and extraordinary respect have been identified and are waiting to be adopted and put into shared practice. 

Community in this sense of the word moves beyond a simple noun, or thing, and becomes intentional and active: an actual lived experience of deep relationship with ourselves, each other, and the wider ecology in which we live.

🍃 INVITATION 

We invite you into exactly this kind of experience which will take place at Mokri Potok, an eco-village in Slovenia, where people are continuously exploring what it means to live in relationship, with each other and with the land. During the Community Building Process in the tradition of M. Scott Peck, we learn how to create the conditions for a true encounter. We learn how to navigate what is non-obvious, alive, and often uncomfortable in relationships, without the need to immediately solve or control whatever arises. It is a form of group meditation, a shared being-with-what-is, in which both tensions and the potential for deeper connection gradually reveal themselves. This process allows us to see what ordinarily remains hidden beneath habitual communication patterns and social roles, and creates space to try being with one another in a different way. Over 3 days, under the caring guidance of trained facilitators, we will immerse ourselves in this process. We will explore ways of being together which support deeper self-insight, authenticity, trust, respect, and collaboration. We will learn practical guidelines for passing through the phases of the process — from pseudo-community (where we are pleasant to one another, but relationships remain fairly surface-level), through chaos and emptiness, all the way to true community (where we might feel a deep bond, respect, or even love, despite our differences). 

Read more about the process here: https://www.thelivingbridge.earth/community_building... 

📩 REGISTRATION: https://forms.gle/9FQPFiDSwcLM1UGB7 

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🍃 ABOUT THE METHOD 

The Community Building Process was developed in the second half of the 20th century by psychiatrist and author Dr. M. Scott Peck as a response to growing polarization, loneliness, and isolation in modern societies. Peck saw the loss of authentic community as one of the main sources of social problems and conflict. He developed a set of communication guidelines that support rebuilding trust, safety, and a sense of community within a group. Workshop participants have the opportunity both to learn these principles and to experience them directly. Since the late 20th century, the method has been developed and adapted for various contexts from organizations and intentional communities, to work with marginalized groups, to environments affected by conflict. Today, this work is continued by Community Building International — an organization founded by Scott Peck's student Edward Groody — which offers, among other things, facilitator training. More at: https://communitybuilding.com/ ___________________________________ 

🍃 FACILITATION 

The workshop will be led by a team of facilitators trained, certified, and supervised by Community Building International: 

Asia Gumieniak and Danny Iacono. Co-founders of The Living Bridge — a foundation supporting the development of relationality, reciprocity, and connectivity in human spaces. They combine various approaches to working with relationships and community. Both are sociologists by training, currently deepening practices rooted in relationality. Asia's include: eco-therapy (Pacifica Graduate Institute), Authentic Relating (ART International), and Sociocracy (Sociocracy For All). Danny's include mythopoetics and storytelling (Mythic Body by Josh Shrei), as well as deep conversations on The Passing Through Podcast, of which he is the creator and host.

🍃 WHO IS IT FOR? 

We invite everyone who wants to build more authentic relationships, gain insight into themselves and their relational self, and learn how to move beyond pseudo-community and chaos in their social groups. The workshop may be of particular interest to people who work with groups or co-create organizations and communities — but it is truly for anyone who is ready to be present and meet whatever arises. No experience or preparation is required. Experience shows that this workshop — through encountering a different way of being — can be a turning point which contributes to enduring changes in our relationships in everyday life. If you feel this might be for you but have questions or doubts, feel free to write to us!

💰COST 

We are learning to build a culture of reciprocity and gratitude, and so we wish to offer this workshop in the spirit of a gift economy. If this experience is of value to you, we encourage you to support our future work through a donation of any amount. We invite you to decide on the size of your contribution bearing in mind both your own means and the organizers' costs. This applies to the workshop itself as well as accommodation and shared meals. You will be able to make this donation at the end of the workshop. For reference, the typical prices for a 4-days workshop including accommodation and meals range between 200–500 EUR. To reserve your place, please pay a deposit of 90 EUR to Društvo Mokri Potok account: 

IBAN SI56 6100 0003 1100 390. 

The deposit can be fully refunded at your request after the workshop concludes (if you participate in the full event), or if you prefer, it can be applied toward your donation. If we do not reach the minimum number of participants two weeks before the event, the workshop will be cancelled and all deposits will be returned in full. 

🗣️ LANGUAGE 

The workshop will be held in English. 

📩 REGISTRATION: https://forms.gle/9FQPFiDSwcLM1UGB7  

Places are limited. We can't wait to build community with you! 

‼️IMPORTANT 

The workshop can be emotionally intense. If you are currently in psychotherapy, please consult your therapist before participating. At the same time, the workshop is not psychotherapy and does not replace it. If you are currently going through a serious crisis, please consider whether this is the right moment to attend. If in doubt, contact us.