Learning Partnership in Findhorn

Capra Carruba, Formica Coriandolo and Macaco Tamerice went to Findhorn in Scotland from November 14 - 21, 2010 to participate in the fourth meeting of the Learning Partnership Project, which gathers participants from many organizations: Damanhur, Findhorn, Sieben Linden, GEN Europe, the Hub Brussels, the Transition Town Network, the Center for Human Emergence and the Permaculture Institute.

The intention of Learning Partnership is to create a synergy of skills and experience from these organizations to develop a two-year training program for social, economic and environmental sustainability. The project shall be offered to local city administrations, non-governmental organizations and groups that are active in the creation of sustainable community life, both rural and urban.

The next Learning Partnership meeting will be held in January at the Clogh Jordan Ecovillage in Ireland.

Formica reflects on the experience at Findhorn:

"The work that we have done since the beginning of Learning Partnership until now has been truly vast. Imagine a group of experts that must meet in a way to instill the best of one's own know-how in a single, coherent pathway. A group that meets a certain number of times a year in the places where the different organizations are located, that opens discussion about the reciprocal skills and experiences that touch everyone in a deep and personal way...quite a challenge! During the work dynamics, which were intense and demanding, I realized how much richness is contained in this multicultural experience.

What struck me about Findhorn was their high quality of hospitality and capacity for welcoming people. I noticed that there was a sense of weaving guests in a network of exchange and connection. For instance, there were huge bulletin boards will all kinds of postings, from events at Findhorn to ones all over the world, business cards for healers, artists, teachers...notes and drawings left by guests expressing gratitude and inspiration.

Another thing that struck me was the energy of the land. Findhorn has a spiritual aura. I felt the intense presence of nature spirits, or angels as they call them. It is a place where I sensed the presence of life and intelligent energies, trees that communicate!

Findhorn has experienced a big opening in recent years, with many people coming and building eco-houses in the area. A new challenge for the community is integrating these diverse aspects of Findhorn, to grow and evolve as a dynamic organization."