One and a half planets

After a year and a half traveling to the outmost places of pristine Australia we saw our lives transform into a Magical Mystery Tour as we dove deeper into healing ourselves. One morning, after having a local brewed coffee and walking barefoot in a village up in the mountains surrounded by subtropical forest, we stumbled upon a principle that is all about healing the Earth. It was in Nimbin, New South Wales - the town that was born out of the Aquarius Festival in 1973 - that we first heard the word: Permaculture.

We were told that Permaculture was the way of the future, the path for reconnection, regeneration of the planet and were pointed into the direction of Robyn Francis, “turn left at the Hospital and keep driving until you see the big Bamboo trees”. And so we did. And what we found was a beautifully unexpected manifestation of our deepest intention for finding a way to help shift the energies of the world into a frequency of abundance and vitality. Synchronicity, you know?

Pass the Bamboo trees gate, lays a Sanctuary. Paint the picture: the greenest of greens in shades you did not know existed, sounds so loud but so peaceful that it’s hard for the thoughts to take you over, bridges over ponds that seem taken out of a fairyland, trees so majestic that you want to live in them, bees pollinating flowers - oh, flowers of such vibrant colours! - wallabies starring at you from behind the tall grass, a train wagon for a house and, in between gates that weren’t built for separation, the crown jewel of the property: a rich nourished and blossoming edible garden.

The way to call Robyn out of her train house is by banging a huge gong outside of her teaching space. It feels intimidating at first, but a few bangs and like magic out she comes, with her long strong white hair, intentional pace and undeniable presence. A few minutes sitting around a table with Robyn is all it takes for your spirit to rise. Robyn has an irresistible ability to involve you in a conversation about change, the urgency of it, how it comes down to breaking global systems that just don’t work and make you feel empowered, inspired and hopeful about it. She will firmly state that we are raging the planet at a rate that is shocking and unsustainable, but will confidently smile at the prosperity we are already bringing into existence by expanding the way we understand what this shifting back to flowing with nature actually looks like. We believe we need to give up comforts that are rooted in us as essential, but the truth is that what we have to gain goes beyond words. This was the break through from the Story of Separation in its out form. Right there in the form of matter, the consciousness of togetherness and the power of bringing all that is into its natural flow and thriving from and with it.

Robyn Francis is a pioneer. She was taught by and worked along side Bill Mollison - an Australian researcher, author, scientist, teacher and biologist that developed and promoted the theory and practice of Permaculture - which is, in other words - permanent agriculture: the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity and stability to not only sustain, but regenerate.

The Djanbung Permaculture Gardens is a space for growing and healing, birthed from the vision of Robyn, who 40 years ago bought a cow’s paddock and turned it into a self sustained, integrated system of ecological and environmental design. That is permaculture: a philosophy of working with, rather than against, nature! The looking at plants, animals and their cycles in all their functions, incorporating that into a design that flows and flourishes from itself.

Robyn “walks the talk so she can talk the walk” and it is priceless the knowledge she shared by opening her space and life to us. There’s a seed she planted that will surely spread: community and naturality are our native states. How much longer will we resist the ease and abundance that flourishes from such a living and pretend there is one and a half planets for us to abuse?

permaculture.com.au