One year ago, I issued a Climate-Challenge to Meta-Findhorn (my name for the larger Findhorn community) for 30 people to select and practise change that could contribute to climate resilience for 30 days. See the blogs on our experience here. 

One year later many of our participants have graduated beyond our successful experiment into a new level of commitment to Climate Change and Consciousness in Meta-Findhorn. Just this month the Collaboration Circle (last year’s Inquiry Circle) agreed to seek support at the February 2020 Community Meeting for Meta-Findhorn becoming a Carbon Neutral Community by 2030 (aligning with a grant funding application to the Scottish government). That is a giant leap for humankind in our eco-village. I am deeply appreciative of the journey from there (December 2018) to here (December 2019) as it has been marked by a 1000+ steps and stories.

Let me count my perspectives on the ways (probably not necessarily shared by all) these steps/stories are revealing the emergence of an Ecovillage with a worldview in service to the Care of Self, Care of Others, Care of Place and Care of Planet  (what I call the Master Code of Care for an Integral City/Village).

Care of Self:

  • Leadership has transferred in FF Board Chair from Lisette Schuitemaker to Kathy Tyler; FF CEO from Camilla Bredal Peterson to Caroline Matters; Findhorn College Board Co-Chair from Camilla to Marilyn Hamilton.
  • Leadership in FF has renewed/emerged with new CFO Simon and Environment Steward Iris. FF Leadership attended Holistic Centres conferences/co-learnings in Hollyhock, BC and Esalen, California.
  • Architectural leadership has offered concept designs: for Planetary Village of Light (including the Wave, Nautilus and Seed structures to upgrade guest accommodation, community and administration offices); Silvertrees Affordable Housing; North Whins Affordable Housing. (The latter two are already before Moray Council review.)
  • Findhorn College achieved renewal of its British Accreditation Council (BAC) status for accrediting world work courses like Ecovillage Design, Permaculture and Practical Spirituality.

Care of Others:

  • Caring Community Circle successfully received a grant for CCC Dementia Care Coordinator.
  • Subtle Activism practise has created and held containers for coherent and resonant process and outcomes for Whole Community Meditations, North Whins engagements and Duneland/PET/NFD Affordable Housing projects.
  • Baby Boutique gained new location and structure and funding support.
  • Growing Food on Food Waste project launched and nurtured by Eveline Rodenburg.

Care of Place:

  • The Park Pottery has emerged as an inspiring community creative space, raising funds, (re)engaging potters, inviting highest purpose.
  • In mid-year, Findhorn Hive opened its new building as a Social Enterprise for Moray.
  • Craig Gibson and Maria Cooper received recognition award from Scottish Government for their Permaculture Teaching/Garden.
  • In August, the wider community (catalysed by Michael and Gail Shaw) started dialogue and Action Research into Deep Adaptation (drawing on Jem Bendell’s framing of Resilience, Relinquishment, Recovery and Reconciliation). This has led to involvement in Extinction Rebellion, commencing a strategy for Food Resilience, inquiries into land, labour and learning options to expand food production, emergency responsiveness and connecting with near neighbours in Forres and Kinloss Military base.
  • NFA has initiated research into transforming its governance structure from an informal volunteer organization into a legal structure (perhaps as some form of charity or community enterprise).

Care of Planet:

  • In February GEN preceded the CCC2019 with the CCC Online Summit, introducing many of CCC2019 speakers to a global audience. In October GEN co-sponsored with others an Online Summit on Trauma and Healing (in conjunction with Thomas Huebl), reaching both global and local audiences.
  • In April/May FF delivered the globally acclaimed Climate Change and Consciousness 2019 (CCC2019) conference – attracting over 300 guests and livestreaming to many more.
  • In October FF and Findhorn College released the Transformation Magazine focusing us as an international living laboratory through transforming human consciousness.

So many steps; so many stories behind each move. For me, these steps and stories mark the evolution from Findhorn as a collection of organizations into a holistic (and Integrally emerging) Eco-Village (fulfilling and presaging Eileen’s vision of a City of Light). It has been an enormously Transformational year and I congratulate and deeply appreciate our Caring Villagers All.

Marilyn Hamilton, NFA Member, Founder Integral City Meshworks, Co-Chair Findhorn College Board

December 16, 2019