The journey to
true community
A Community Building workshop in the tradition of M. Scott Peck — held in the ecovillage of Mokri Potok, Slovenia.
We live in uncertain times — times of distance and separation.
"It is a serious thing to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world." — Mary Oliver
A genuine encounter with another person is no longer something to be taken for granted. It has become an increasingly necessary practice: an act of resistance, the choosing of an alternative. Something that requires attention, courage, and time.
That is why it matters so much today to create spaces where authentic connection, mindfulness, respect, and belonging can be experienced — without running away from difficulty. We invite you into exactly this kind of practice.
A form of group meditation. A shared being-with-what-is.— On the Community Building Process
A practice developed by Dr. M. Scott Peck.
Peck, a psychiatrist and author, developed the Community Building Process in the second half of the 20th century as a response to growing polarization, loneliness, and isolation. He saw the loss of authentic community as one of the main sources of social problems and conflict.
He distilled a set of communication guidelines that support rebuilding trust, safety, and a genuine sense of community. Workshop participants have the opportunity both to learn these principles and to experience them directly — today this work continues through Community Building International.
The four phases of the journey
Over four days, under the caring guidance of trained facilitators, we move together through the stages of the process.
Pseudo-Community
Pleasant, polite, surface-level. The social mask still in place.
Chaos
Differences emerge. We try to convince, fix, or solve each other.
Emptiness
We lay down what blocks us from meeting one another truly.
True Community
Deep bond, respect, and love — held despite our differences.
Guided by trained facilitators
The workshop is led by a team trained, certified, and supervised by Community Building International.
Asia Gumieniak
A sociologist by training, and a co-founder of The Living Bridge, Asia believes in the power of authenticity and intimacy carrying the revolutionary seeds of deep and much needed transformation in the world, which is why she is a facilitator of M. Scott Peck's Community Building process. She's also deepening her knowledge of other practices rooted in relationality, like eco-therapy (Pacifica Graduate Institute), Authentic Relating, and Sociocracy (Sociocracy For All).
Danny Iacono
Sociology graduate and co-founder of The Living Bridge, Danny has always been fascinated by social dynamics and the invisible connective tissue that quite literally bind us (and the whole world) together. In addition to his facilitation work, he hosts The Passing Through Podcast where he explores themes such as liminality, animism, relationality and ecology. He's currently enrolled in a year-long course focused on myth, animacy, and the somatics of ritual practice led by Josh Schrei of The Emerald.
A sustainable ecovillage in Southern Slovenia.
The choice of location is not incidental. It matters to us that the experience of building community among people can also extend to a relationship with the more-than-human world. Meeting in Mokri Potok will be a wonderful opportunity for exactly that.
The ecovillage is located in a relatively remote and peaceful part of the Kočevsko region, surrounded by small streams, gentle hills, and a few open meadows. Alongside long walks in nature, you'll encounter an open outdoor kitchen where we will prepare our meals, a large tipi for evening gatherings around the fire, and a yurt where the workshop will take place. On site there will be outdoor composting toilets, solar showers, and a nearby stream to cool off during breaks.
"No experience or preparation is required. The workshop is for anyone ready to be present and meet whatever arises."Who this is 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.
Practical details
Schedule
Accommodation
Need more comfort? There are limited spaces for indoor accommodation in the ecovillage and its surroundings, please contact organiser for that option.
Food
During breaks we also offer snacks, coffee, and tea.
Language
Getting there
What to bring
Cost — a gift economy
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.
Important — please read
What stays afterwards
The workshop became a space for mindfulness — both toward others and toward what was happening within me. The group acted as a mirror in which I could see my own fears and patterns.
It's hard to put into words what this experience actually is. Very powerful, and at the same time natural, organic, and deeply human.
It was a very interesting experience. I feel like it's something I've been missing in my life in general, and it required me to develop important life skills I rarely had the opportunity to learn formally.
A breakthrough for me. It is one thing to know something theoretically, and quite another to experience in your body a sense of safety built on deep connection, on courageously expressed truth.
Having been mostly disconnected from people for years prior to my first workshop, it was a great healing experience for me. I found depth and joy in the community and also started to remember the 'glory of what it means to be human.'
A place has been
held for you.
The number of spaces is limited. Complete the registration form and transfer your deposit to confirm attendance.
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