Issue #2 April 2020
SPECIAL PREVIEW
feature articles
COVID-19 – Daniel Christian Wahl 25 Ways to Make Love to the Earth Tiny Houses & Ecovillages – Jimmy Hirst Extreme Weather Resilience for Ecohomes Ecosystem Restoration Camps Community ...and much more!
Crystal Waters & SE QLD
A Newcomer’s Story – Casey Conroy Past, Present and Future – Bob Sample The Birth of Crystal Waters – Richard Giles Centre of Advanced Permaculture Update ...and much more!
Issue #2 G April 2020 SPECIAL PREVIEW...
ISSN 2652-4279
w w w.ecovillagevoice.com
Eco Village Voice – Issue #2 – April 2020
ecovillages G regeneration G community
The Forgotten Art of Listening
Currently, our world seems to be suffering from an inability to listen. A quick perusal of any social media platform will attest to the fact that the art of conversation has been lost beneath an avalanche of unqualified opinion. We’re bombarded by entitled, self-serving hocus pocus and voodoo science. The political agendas of the left and the right are creating an atmosphere of disharmony and even outright violence. If social media shows us nothing else, it shows us that we have all learned to express our opinions no matter how invalid to the conversation. What we have failed to do is learn how to listen. However, it is my view that the scientific evidence is clear; healing and harmony come through listening and this is essential to any civil society or community. When I was a young and foolish boy of seventeen I left home to explore existence. What I quickly learned in the real world was that I had no idea how to engage people in conversation. I’d have brief superficial exchanges with people before they would wonder off to talk to someone else. I thought about this problem for months before I stumbled upon an inherent truth about humans. They love to talk about themselves. Once I realised this - conversations were a no brainer. I secretly reminded myself that the average acquaintance did not seem to care what I thought or felt. They just wanted me to listen to their thoughts and feelings. Later when I studied my degree I found there was actually a vast amount of research regarding listening skills in counseling and how essential they are to the healing process. Carl Rogers was a psychologist at the forefront of this research and his theories on counselling skills such as advanced empathic responding and unconditional positive regard. Basically, when you have unconditional positive regard for another person they will open up and trust you with their most vulnerable feelings and thoughts. Lets face it, it’s not rocket science, but still it took decades of research and millions of dollars for it to be considered a fact. Carl Rogers was also a strong advocate for other listening skills, such as active listening and summarising, among others. These skills are so simple and yet so powerful I have at times only used listening skills in therapy because that was all that was needed. In my work with marginalised communities listening and understanding were key to bringing about positive dialogue.
SPECIAL PREVIEW...
Photo: Korney Violin / Unsplash
by Dean Love BaAppSocSc(COUNS)
Even when I worked in disaster relief it was often explained to me that what affected communities needed was someone to just listen to their story. Some communities were inundated with material relief but no-one was on the ground just to listen. I wonder how much psychological suffering might have been avoided if a bunch of counsellors were on the ground just listening. The good news is that these listening skills can be practiced by anyone. In fact, they are core to all relationship counselling. Most of my work with couples and families revolve around teaching listening skills. The results speak for themselves. The skills are so powerful that just by listening for an hour people’s lives can change for the better. Often through moderated sessions of listening skills couples have fallen in love with each other all over again right in front of my eyes. People then go on to practice these skills with children and family and are often profoundly moved by how the simple art of listening can heal wounds that may have persisted for years.
Carl Rogers (1902 – 1987) was an American psychologist is best known for The Personcentered approach (e.g., Client-centered therapy, Student-centered learning, Rogerian argument). Rogers is widely considered to be one of the founding fathers of psychotherapy research and was honored for his pioneering research with the Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1956. >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Rogers
Eco Village Voice – Issue #2 – April 2020
I believe that at a time when everyone seems to want to be heard we have far too many speakers and not enough listeners. I believe that if listening skills were taught to teachers and students we could find ourselves in a completely different society within a single generation. The health outcomes of listening cannot overemphasised, and I’ve personally witnessed massive change in people that were written off completely by other mental health organizations. Changes so profound that those same organizations asked what I did to change this person; like it was some sort of magic. I told them what I’m telling you now – I just listened and heard what they were saying, with compassion and unconditional positive regard. All conflict resolution strategies begin with listening. Each side must be able to hear the other side before a conversation can start. But the art of conversation does not come naturally. It is something that needs to be trained into us. It requires effort to subdue your own ego and to accept that you could be wrong. It takes discipline to maintain an open mind and to accept that the person you might currently disagree with is still worthy of your unconditional positive regard. I’ve seen the productive change in my own community here in Crystal Waters Permaculture Village. Through the introduction of a mediated listening circle the community found a new life of productivity which was appearing to wane a few years ago. I have spent my life developing my listening skills and I’m, by no means, an expert or even successful all the time. There are times when I talk too much or forget to take the time to listen to my loved ones. But I keep on practicing because the rewards are so amazing. My life has become much deeper and my connections to others so much stronger. I have also learned that the world needs my opinions less and my listening more. The irony of writing this opinion piece is not lost on me; but listening does not mean we are passive. Listening means we are truly engaged with the other person. We are truly connected and through that
connection comes the mutual kindness required to have a genuine conversation – not just waiting for the opportunity to speak again. So, if I could offer just one suggestion to the world – listen more and talk less. Connection to others nurtures our soul. It relieves stress and encourages empathy and compassion. When I really listen I feel that the world is rich and deep and that people are all the same. We just want to be loved and to love in return. I think true love begins with listening. I think community can only be built with love and listening to each other.
Dean Love is a therapeutic counsellor with decades of experience working in community development, disaster relief and government and non-government community services. He is also an amateur musician, songwriter and actor. Dean is currently developing a community service model for Crystal Waters Permaculture Village.
>>> https://www.deanlove.net
Therapeutic Counselling Private, confidential, client centred talk therapies
Dean Love BaAppSocSc(COUN)
Experience with complex mental health needs
Tel: 0478 136 627
Please leave a message In home service available within and I’ll get back to you. the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Email: d.love@y7mail.com
www.deanlove.net SPECIAL PREVIEW...
Eco Village Voice – Issue #2 – April 2020
Visions & Lessons
Bob Sample – documentary excerpt Whilst in the process of doing the documentary “Crystal Waters – 30 Years On” filmmaker, Michael Ney, realised there was no possible way to cover the full range of issues and topics required to give a truly complete picture of the ecovillage and it’s thirty years history of learning and developing. The wild idea was hatched to continue work on the documentary to focus on different aspects in much more depth. The first such extension is “Visions & Lessons” with editing of previous materials as well as updating with many new interviews. The secondary purpose is to bring forth the wisdom of the communities elders and creating a knowledge bank for all to draw on. It is an ongoing work-in-progress. The first release of material is from Bob Sample – a well known and loved founding figure of Crystal Waters. Click this image to view the video... or URL is: https://youtu.be/9SZRNNGN4VI
Promotional opportunities are available for sponsorship and collaboration. If you would like to involve us in any way please email a proposal. We’d love to hear from you.
Michael Ney – filmmaker, photographer, editor – provides a range of services in SE QLD Australia... video production, photography, multimedia, elearning and web consultancy.
Eco Village Voice – Publisher / Editor editor@ecovillagevoice.com http://bit.ly/ecovillagevoice-you
Eagle Spirit Media eaglespiritmedia@gmail.com http://bit.ly/eaglespirit-youtube
SPECIAL PREVIEW...
Eco Village Voice – Issue #2 – April 2020
WILVOS – Wildlife Volunteers Association WILVOS volunteers provide rescue, rehabilitation and release services to injured, orphaned and distressed native animals. Working closely with many other wildlife services and organisations including the Australian Wildlife Hospital, local vets, local businesses, the Sunshine Coast University, local councils and the police, we receive thousands of calls and rescue requests a year.
https://wilvos.org.au/
Emergency Hotline: +61 7 5441 6200 Donations over $2 are tax deductible. https://wilvos.org.au/donations-bequests/
Other Organisations Koala Rescue QLD – Tel: 0423 618 740 https://www.koalarescueqld.org/ Bat Conservation and Rescue – 0488 228 134 https://www.bats.org.au RSPCA QLD – Tel: 1300 ANIMAL https://www.rspcaqld.org.au/ WIRES – Tel: 1300 094 737 https://www.wires.org.au/ Wildcare – Tel: +61 7 5527 2444 https://wildcare.org.au/ Wildlife Rescue Queensland (WRQ) https://wrq.org.au/ Eumundi Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre http://bit.ly/eumundi-wildlife Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary – Tel: 07 5534 0813 https://currumbinsanctuary.com.au/hospital Granite Belt Wildlife Carers – Tel: 0418 144 073 https://www.gbwildlifecarers.org.au/ Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue – Tel: 0421 476 561 Landsborough Tel: +61 7 5439 9995 https://www.facebook.com/twinniespelicans Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast – Tel: 0458 682 152 https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeRescueSunshineCoast 2 E CO V I L L AG E V O I C E – J A N UA RY 2020 – Eco C RY SVillage TA L WATVoice E R S #1– Issue #2 – April 2020 SPECIAL PREVIEW...
www.ecovillagevoice.com – January 2020
Eco Village Voice Get Involved
Eco Village Voice is an online community featuring a quarterly magazine, with an integrated video channel, podcasts and webinars relevant to anyone interested in intentional communities, permaculture and sustainability. Announced first at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village markets on Saturday 2 November 2019, then previewed at the Ecovillage Film Festival premiere event the next day in Maleny QLD Australia, and public access commenced in February 2020 with the release of the first magazine. Eco Village Voice intends to provide education on many aspects of ecovillage living, as well as foster alliances and encourage communication between other ecovillages – to help each other and for the sake of our planet’s wellbeing. We aim to celebrate regenerative and permaculture principles – care for land, care for people and fair share. Eco Village Voice promotes various activities of people and groups from ecovillages and intentional communities, specifically focusing on permaculture, climate change adaptation, sustainable industries, also arts and culture, etc with the aim to provide education on appropriate technologies to replace harmful, unsustainable practices. Eco Village Voice supports initiatives of the Global Ecovillage Network including GEN Australia and GENOA (Oceania & Asia) and seek collaboration with other like-minded groups such as International Communal Studies Association and also Foundation for Intentional Community. Eco Village Voice supports events with photo/video journalism and promotions for conferences, educational activities, workshops, markets, etc. and welcomes enquiries and articles from field reporters. For updates please subscribe by email to our free monthly newsletter: editor@ecovillagevoice.com and we welcome you to become a member of the online community – https://ecovillagevoice.com
Would you like to get involved? We’d love you to be involved... but please DO NOT email files directly. It is always best to first contact the editor with an outline of your submission and we can discuss further. Email: editor@ecovillagevoice.com You may send single photos, or a folder of files, via https://www.wetransfer.com – or send a USB stick by mail. If you’d like it to be returned you MUST include a stamped self addressed envelope. >>> Mail to: Eco Village Voice – PO Box 956, Maleny, 4552, Qld, Australia NOTE: Eco Village Voice accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials.
SPECIAL PREVIEW...
Eco Village Voice – Issue #2 – April 2020
ecovillagevoice.com