# About We are weaving a community in Pico Island by practicing microsolidarity. ## This digital journal documents the process of community weaving in Pico Island, by practicing Microsolidarity. [Microsolidarity](https://www.microsolidarity.cc/) is a community building practice focused on **creating structures for belonging and supporting people into meaningful work.** > ***Belonging is a superpower**: we’re more courageous & creative when we "find our people"*. In Pico, a fortnightly sharing circle evolved into bi-annual Gatherings, from where numerous projects are constantly emerging. Some of them manifest life-long dreams of their co-creators, others fail due to conflict or lack of energy. That's okay - **we are learning by doing**. **Finding our people, a sense of belonging, and co-creating magic, comes along with practicing being together in groups of different sizes, regularly and intentionally.** Here's the story of making it happen in a tiny island, not too far from one of the hypothetical locations of the *Atlantis*. 🌱 ## Long Term Vision ✨ Our long term vision is to co-create **Azores Regenerative Network**, connecting regenerative projects, communities and practitioners in the archipelago. Plus a **fleet of sailboats** crossing in between the islands and the Mainland. ⛵️ ## Open Source Documentation The intention of this documentation is to **learn by doing** and **work in public**. We're documenting our progress as it happens, with the intention to **clarify what is happening**, **inspire other community weavers**, and **attract meaningful feedback**. We also have an intention of creating a **magnetic pull bringing more Microsolidarity practitioners into the archipelago**. ## Author This documentation is compiled by [Michał Korzonek](https://michalkorzonek.com), a community weaver and catalyst. Important disclaimer: this is only my perspective on what is happening, and I'm not trying to be *perfect*. ## Contribute You can **contribute with your suggestions to this documentation** by contacting me or suggesting an edit directly in [github repository](https://github.com/heymichal/pico). On a different note: **community weaving and documenting is an important work, but it's tricky to get paid for it**. If you'd like to contribute financially, you can: * **make a small regular contribution** via my [Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/michalkorzonek) * contribute with **cryptocurrency** at michalroots.eth * **hire me to work with your organisation**. I create [experiences](https://michalkorzonek.com/experiences) and [documentation](https://michalkorzonek.com/documentation) ## Contact You can contact Michał via [twitter](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek) or email: michalroots {at} protonmail.com I always get back to kind humans ✨ ## Updates **The best way to receive the most significant updates to this documentation is to** [**subscribe to our newsletter**](https://picomicrosolidarity.substack.com)**.** ## Copyrights All the content on this site is published with a [CC-BY-SA](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) license. So please use it however you like without asking permission: just give credit, and use the same license for derivative works. # Azores Regenerative Network Microsolidarity in Pico is the first step on the path towards creating a network of regenerative projects and communities in the Azores. If you live in the archipelago and would like to connect, get in touch with me via email: michal {dot} korzonek {at} protonmail {dot} com I'm available to co-create events, gatherings, and projects, as well as help with documentation and connecting with other people and projects in the Azores and beyond. *** ## Faial * Consciousness Expansion Centre * Associacao Cultural L.U.A. # Pico Congregation # Congregation Overview Bird's eye view of our community. Our congregation started as a small group, which allowed us to operate as one unit. We expect that with time the amount of people will grow, and we’ll split into smaller groups (pods) for particular projects, with the congregation acting as a “dating pool“ to connect, pitch ideas and find people to launch projects / pods with. We're growing our congregation organically, starting with developing **emotional proximity before jumping into projects**. We begun our microsolidarity work by creating a bi-weekly sharing circle, which acted as the "community heartbeat" and a space to get to know each other. The circle started in August 2020 and continues until today. {% content-ref url="/pages/-MEJvsPevoqdsNwVPrHL" %} [Sharing Circle 🌀](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle) {% endcontent-ref %} While we haven't been focusing on creating projects together, projects are emerging naturally (which is totally our intention anyway 😂). You can see what's happening here ⤵️ {% content-ref url="/pages/-MMHt7cCEhpzvXMA76GH" %} [Broken mention](broken://pages/-MMHt7cCEhpzvXMA76GH) {% endcontent-ref %} ### Congregation Scaffolding We're in the process of setting up a "scaffolding" for our congregation, based around bi-annual gatherings providing a heartbeat focusing the energy and attention. We've started with a (quite disorganised) [winter gathering](https://github.com/heymichal/pico/blob/master/congregation/projects/winter-gathering-2020.md) in December 2020, and hosted our first "proper" gathering in June 2021. {% content-ref url="/pages/-MWQlhV0DRmL7LHXSnWc" %} [Summer Gathering 2021 ☀️](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021) {% endcontent-ref %} The Summer Gathering was a great success, and we intend to continue with a bi-annual rhythm, moving to Spring + Autumn rather than Summer + Winter, as it fits better to our context. Here's the full list of our gatherings to date: {% content-ref url="/pages/GLAIqjINbMDbh23zWmdU" %} [Gatherings](/crews-and-projects/gatherings) {% endcontent-ref %} At the moment we're not planning on hosting extra activities in between gatherings (apart from the sharing circles), as there are numerous occasions for us to meet quite regularly anyway (think birthdays, music jams etc.). This is a part of our unique context in Pico: since we all live close together, we end up spending a lot of time together anyway, and the meeting spaces emerge naturally without much catalysing. {% hint style="info" %} To learn more about congregation scaffolding, check out [this article](https://www.microsolidarity.cc/articles/3-congregation-scaffolding). {% endhint %} ### Our Congregation And Pico Island **Our congregation doesn't have very clear boundaries, and participation is quite fluid**. This emerged naturally due to our context, rather than an intentional design decision. Part of the unique context of living in a small island, is that everyone kinda knows everyone. There are also numerous projects, groups and activities happening in the island, which haven't emerged from within our congregation. With that in mind, **as far as I'm aware, there are no other congregation-like projects in the island at this point,** and the projects usually operate as individual units with some relational links between people, but without an explicit desire to be a part of a network. ### Pico Project Map Here’s a visual representation of some of the projects and pods happening within our congregation, as well as in the island. {% content-ref url="/pages/-MEdEIcUxfgxHk6I43zj" %} [Pico Projects Map 🗺](/crews-and-projects/pico-projects-map) {% endcontent-ref %} ### Bridging The Gap Between Locals And Expats It's usually a similar story: Travelers / tourists discover a beautiful place. Many fall in love. Some decide to live there. Very few take the step to learn the language and integrate with the local community. As the foreign community grows, the need to connect with the locals diminishes and the gap widens until the only points of connection are supermarkets, accommodation and tourist companies. **We'd like our community to bridge this gap and be fully inclusive—both for foreigners and locals**. We don't have it figured out yet, but it's a strong desire. # Milestones Outlining the key milestones of our congregation. This page outlines the milestones of our congregation in chronological order. *Note: this is obviously super biased. I'm narrating through my personal lens, and that's deliberate.* **Arrival and Microsolidarity** (Feb 2020) - [Michał](https://michalkorzonek.com) arrives in Pico Island, which coincides with discovering [Microsolidarity](https://microsolidarity.cc). He decides to learn by doing and begins a series of digital microsolidarity experiments. He then decides to implement microsolidarity in Pico. Note: here's my personal [Microsolidarity Journey](https://michalkorzonek.com/microsolidarity-journey). **Flatwarming Sharing Circle** (July 2020) - instead of hosting a flatwarming *party*, Michał and [Silvia](https://silviamakesdrawings.com) host a *sharing circle* with a theme: *New Beginnings*. The guests decide to continue with a [biweekly sharing circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle), which evolves into proto-congregation. The circle continues until Fall 2021. **First Crew** (November 2020) - sharing circle bring together Annia and Jess who decide to launch our first crew: [Pico Animal Sanctuary](/crews-and-projects/pico-animal-sanctuary), which is a manifestation of their lifelong dream. **Winter Gathering** (December 2020) - we decide to spend a few days together over Christmas. The [Gathering](/crews-and-projects/winter-gathering-2020) is quite messy, but catalyses energy for another [(drum)crew](/crews-and-projects/drum-crew) and introduces a scaffolding to our congregation based around two gatherings per year. **Summer Gathering** (June 2021) - we host [our first "proper" Gathering](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021), with the intention to connect deeper, weave social fabric, and create opportunities for new projects to emerge. **Autumn Gathering** (October 2021) - we host a [Gathering](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021) themed *Stepping Into Belonging*. The intention was to take the next step in the community building process, by tuning into our individual visions of what community in Pico could look like, and discovering how we could support each other in making these dreams come true in the context of our island with all it's blessings and limitations. The Gathering launches multiple crews and projects. **Pico Network** (January 2022) - we launch a beta version of our first digital communication channel on [Signal](https://signal.org/) (the most secure and aligned communication app available atm). The network is designed to facilitate exchange of gifts, requests, services, sharing event details etc. **Distributing Initiative** (Spring 2022) - until this point most of the events and community developments were catalysed by Michał. While I'm delighted to remain of service as a catalyst for some time, it's vital that we distribute the initiative. After our Pico Community Day in February 2022 more people started to step into coordinating roles. **Piconomics** (February 2022) - We begin our [conversations about money](/articles/piconomics-101) and decision-making within the congregation. **Faial Community Day** (February 2022) - Michał facilitates a [community weaving workshop](/articles/faial-community-day) in our neighbour island, Faial. The workshop marks the beginning of the journey towards co-creating [Azores Regenerative Network](/azores-regenerative-network). *** ### Updates If you'd like to follow our journey, I invite you to [**subscribe to our newsletter**](https://https://picomicrosolidarity.substack.com/) with the most significant updates to this documentation. # Pico Island So... Tell me about this island. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MFGewO5r3XVMjNK8rG_%2F-MFGiAgigjoTrF4YKhkj%2FPANO_20200223_175558.jpg?alt=media\&token=6eaf9a3e-2241-4778-9302-d70c443f4d1f) ### Where is Pico? [Pico](https://goo.gl/maps/xuPc5xK5mE6DTw48A) is an island in the Azores archipelago, located in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a part of Portugal 🇵🇹 (and the European Union 🇪🇺). ![It's right in between Europe and the United States.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-76fd57477a8ada6c520f0a4c8e259df291ee1c0a%2Fpico-macro.jpeg?alt=media) The archipelago includes 9 islands. Pico is right in the middle of it. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-621e669e67ab39faa4326e2e64da21a7cdea1b73%2Fazores-islands.jpeg?alt=media) ### What makes Pico an amazing place to live? * **Stunning nature**, including a mountain 🗻, ocean 🌊 , and forest 🌳 * Impressive **sea life**. Wales, dolphins, sharks, orcas and fish hang out here and you can spot them regularly. * Plenty of **space**. * Great **climate**, in between mediterranean and tropical. You can grow everything from apples to mangoes, bananas and pineapples 🍍. And it's warm here! * Plenty of **rainfall** ensuring abundant vegetation and harvest (but not so much rain that you get depressed). * **Low costs** of land, property and living (compared to Western Europe). * Low income **tax** (tax regime [differs](https://www.icalculator.info/portugal/income-tax-rates/2020.html) from continental Portugal). * Stable **political situation** (European Union 🇪🇺). * **Sail** to anywhere ⛵️. Most of the boats coming from the US to Europe stop here. * High elevation, so if the ice in the Arctic melts, the island won’t disappear. * A strong sense of **community** **and intentional-living projects**. People really help each other out. Things tend to happen if you put the word out. ### **Potential problems (no place is perfect)** #### Cows There are A LOT of cows in the island, partially because the EU donates money for locals to keep them. The cows take a lot of space, and consume a huge amount of water. In case of draught this is absolutely not sustainable. #### Travel Since it’s an island, **the connection with the mainland Europe is trickier**. [SATA](https://www.sata.pt/en) operates direct flights from Pico (PIX) to continental Portugal (Lisbon and Porto) and other islands. For other options, you need to fly via the main island in the Azores—São Miguel (Ponta Delgada airport, PDL). SATA flies to continental Portugal, Madeira, Germany (Frankfurt), Canada (Toronto), Capo Verde, and the United States (Boston). Ryanair flies to Lisbon and Porto. It's worth noting, that SATA offers free inter-island connection flights, as long as they are within 24 hours from arriving / departing from the Azores. #### Slow Flow of People This is definitely not London or Barcelona. The closest city (which is still super tiny) is on the neighbouring island of Faial. With that in mind, Pico offers a surprising abundance of activities (organic farming, martial arts, dance, music, hiking, diving, paragliding, activism groups, supporting people with disabilities, animal care, and so much more). #### Volcano The archipelago experiences [seismic](https://earthquaketrack.com/r/azores-islands-portugal/recent) and volcanic activity. The last eruption happened in the 1957 near Faial island. Here’s the [wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_disasters_in_the_Azores) listing natural disasters in the Azores It's not a long list, and Pico appears on it only 19 times since 15th century. #### Bureaucracy Portugal is not the easiest place when it comes to dealing with bureaucracy and the island pace makes things move even slower. With that in mind the people are very helpful and there are plenty of us who went through the bureaucratic hoops and can show you the ropes. **Cars are Expensive** Living in Pico without a car is very tricky (although possible) and unfortunately Portugal is one of the worst places in Europe to buy a car. And since s not uncommon to be asked to pay quadruple value of the car in import tax, buying a car in another country is not really a viable option. It's cheaper to buy in mainland Portugal, however that adds additional \~€500 in shipping. All things considered, it's still possible to buy a car for a semi-decent price in Pico if one is willing to spend some time looking. **Bottom Line: Pico seems to be quite a robust location for the future.** ### **Pics, or didn't happen! 📸** Be my guest, here's an [album with Pico Pics](https://photos.app.goo.gl/T1fSqmueGYG2chYg6) # Crews & Projects # Community Home Raising funds for a Home for our Pico congregation. This working group emerged from our [Pico Community Spring Gathering 2022](/crews-and-projects/spring-gathering-2022), when it became clear that our community needs a Home. There is a possibility that the Land where we currently host our events will be available for sale in the fall 2022. We're in the process of raising funds. 👉 **Here's the evolving** [**google doc**](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zbz3Ka5x7zVrJwBafn2mdW2oqRrdxNXoIMzwTkZiFIY/edit?usp=sharing) **with more info.** If you'd like to help us make this dream a reality and invest / contribute financially, please [use this form](https://airtable.com/shrq3gXnx1lBggwi8) to add your name to the list of potential contributors, and/or get in touch with Michał via [twitter](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek) or email: michalroots {at} proton.me Thank you for Being 💜 ![Group Photo](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-9509cc7f195c5a0be344aff9890d13ea0291b5c6%2Fspring-2022-group-photo.jpeg?alt=media) # Spring Gathering 2022 🌼 Our third community gathering in Pico Our third community gathering, themed *Connecting Islands within the Island* was a significant milestone towards maturity of our congregation. ## Context Since our first [sharing circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle) back in August 2020 we have been gradually getting to know each other, discovering our individual dreams of ideal "community" (which can mean so many different things), finding where these dreams overlap, and how we can support each other in making them come to life in Pico Island. Our process follows [Microsolidarity patterns](https://microsolidarity.cc). We went through numerous reconfigurations of small "core teams" and neighbourhood communities, with our congregation serving as an important meeting point for finding people that naturally form smaller crews around a specific project. This process has been happening *naturally*, as well as by design (through the [Community Council](https://michalkorzonek.com/community-council) game developed during our previous Gathering). Our Pico Community Gatherings happening twice a year are an important part of our [congregation scaffolding](/pico-congregation/congregation-overview) providing a rhythm for deeper connection, complimenting other spaces and meeting points within the island. It's worth noting the unique context of our island, due to the fact that we're all living on a relatively small chunk of volcanic rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. 1. There is a strong local community 2. People who are here are here for the long game 3. Relatively slow influx of new people (not counting tourists) 4. People generally know each other 5. Most of our connection weaving happens in physical spaces with little need for digital socialising **One of the consequences of our context is that we do not have a clear boundary defining who is a part of our congregation.** This has become very clear earlier this year, when a number of community events supported by the *magic hat* (voluntary contributions) led to hosting our first conversations about money: [Piconomics](/articles/piconomics-101). The conversations brought up the insights that we don't have a clear structure defining *who makes decisions*, and *how the decisions are being made*. This has been *good enough for now*, but it seems that we have reached a stage where we could benefit with more operational structure. This is particularly apparent as we have begun the process of raising funds for our Community Home. But I'm getting ahead of myself. One of the challenges we have been navigating is that the energy of Pico encourages "going within", and people are busy with their livelihoods, families, and tending their gardens, often leaving little energy to actively bring new ideas to the congregation. In the context of the two past Gatherings ([Summer](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021) and [Autumn](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021) 2021) it resulted in pretty much a top-down design, and the core team carried the organising work, as well as facilitating almost all of the activities during the gathering, while managing the logistics etc. The rest of the community eagerly contributed their time and energy to help in any way possible (cooking, site prep etc.), however the top-down structure and relying on the catalysing energy from few individuals felt both draining and limiting in terms of possibilities that could emerge from within our group. From early 2022 we have begun to discuss this issue more openly with **the intention to encourage more people to step into contributing posture**, and our Spring Gathering was a game changer in that area. **Rather that being a top-down event with fully curated program, our Spring Gathering became a container where each of the participants had the opportunity to contribute with their own gifts, and hosts holding the space.** The feeling at the end was spectacular. The core hosting team felt relaxed and fulfilled, despite the fact that two core team members had to step out from being at the Gathering last minute due to challenging personal circumstances. The participants actively took more responsibility for designing the site according to their needs, which resulted in significantly improving the electric installation in our community building, hanging swings in the playground area, painting a mural and more. **Most importantly, the participants themselves stepped into facilitating roles and offered numerous activities in the program, paving the way for next Gatherings to be even more co-created.** With more people stepping into actively co-creating our Gathering, the magic was blossoming on every step. Here's how it happened. ![Pico Community Gathering](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-ce3226ace77dc7f9f31b65911f48f7ae176bad36%2Fpico-gathering-doors.jpeg?alt=media) *Photos by* [*Austeja Liupševičiūtė*](https://austejaliu.com)*,* [*Michał Korzonek*](https://michalkorzonek.com) *and Veronice.* ## Practical Details * We gathered for 3 full days * The gathering was a full time commitment * 17 people (including 3 kids) and 1 dog participated in the Gathering * For the first time we had 4 people from other islands (Faial and São Miguel) * A local professional [photographer](https://austejaliu.com) (who joined our two previous gatherings as a participant) took photos during the last day. * The core hosting team originally included four people. Unfortunately, two of them (a couple) decided not to participate last minute due to challenging personal circumstances. * The theme was *Connecting islands within the Island*. * The food was vegan, gluten-free, created from mostly local and organic ingredients was prepared by two chefs with rotating ad-hoc helpers. * Participants were asked to bring their own dish, cutlery and cup, and clean after themselves. * We explicitly asked not to bring/consume substances (eg. alcohol, weed...) during the Gathering. * The Gathering was free to attend. We asked for a contribution to the "magic well" (we rebranded the *magic hat* into a *well*, to bring up the idea that it's not by magic that these events happen, but we also need some tangible resources to draw from). Here's [the invitation](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d80KiO6tKb2o1aEzZ3rjtC4uQPZixF_LMfdPvw8uFgo/edit?usp=sharing) we have sent out to people, which was followed by an [info pack](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nY9OSHHBhKSTEpeT0cmY8QSQ-Ji3CetjsPePnCEUdl0/edit?usp=sharing) (both docs edited for privacy). ## Site ![Site of the Gathering](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-aac58c3f5c76626cc21c584fd6dd854665ac7506%2Fruin-forest.jpeg?alt=media) Our site included a campsite, ruin with a roof (serving as our community centre), a fire space, and a cabin. There was also another private house offered as a "tea house" and two more private houses - one serving as a kitchen and other as eating area and backup activity space in case of bad weather. All venues are located within 10 minute walk. ![Map of the Site](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-9c35efaac3fe9226086174d2e7a9853c0b6b7bc4%2Fspring-gathering-map.jpeg?alt=media) It's the third time that we're hosting our Gatherings in this space, and every time we are gradually improving it, with everyone helping out during prep days. {% hint style="info" %} This is a very precious part of our context - we all live here, so we can spread the necessary work overtime (rather than compacting a few days of *build* just before the Gathering), as well as enjoy the space after the event, which brings a wonderful feeling of spaciousness and continuity. {% endhint %} Here's what we did this time: * Moved the fire pit away from the campsite to keep it more silent. * Added swings and net to the playground (which has been unanimously decided as the best thing of the Gathering according to the kids) ![The Net](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-bfa2828f675ee7985c074ef70db88f58c5c8b565%2Fnet.jpeg?alt=media) *The net is just the best spot ever for the ultimate chill.* * Cleared a new path, setup a fire storage * Cleared a new area and setup fire space ![Firespace](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-08bea638a50a173eb7bf77ced3d3991f872a0608%2Ffirespace.jpeg?alt=media) *Sitting around the fire during the Night of Gifts.* We also added significant improvements in the Ruin on many fronts: * electrics - added plugs, lights, organised extension cords, added light in the bathroom * removed awkward water pipe * cut new sitting logs * added an outdoor sink * cleared space in front and setup a lounge area ![Inside the Community Building](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d661c9c4621ee5621201833fa9a41008277de55f%2Fruin-inside-end.jpeg?alt=media) *The Ruin is becoming a wonderful space* ![The Ruin](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-c5f1df826f474fc4fc4467fe400ec9a6a886f58d%2Fruin-front.jpeg?alt=media) *Front of the Ruin* Big shoutout to everyone who helped and a big hug to our host for allowing us to use the Land 💜. *** ## Dreaming about our Community Home ✨ With every Gathering it becomes evident that our Community needs a Home. There is a possibility that the land where we are currently hosting our events will become available for sale later in 2022, and we have formed a [working group](/crews-and-projects/community-home) with the intention to rise the necessary funds to purchase it. Have a look at [this document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zbz3Ka5x7zVrJwBafn2mdW2oqRrdxNXoIMzwTkZiFIY/edit?usp=sharing) with more info, and if you're game to help financially, then we invite you to add your name along with some notes [here](https://airtable.com/shrq3gXnx1lBggwi8) Feel free to get in touch with Michał via [twitter](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek) or email: michalroots {at} proton.me You're THE BEST 💜 *** ## Program Every Gathering is composed of magical moments and this one was particularly abundant. Learning from the success of the previous gatherings, we have kept a **very spacious timeflow**, leaving plenty of free time in the program for spontaneous moments to emerge. It seems to be resonating much more than overloading people with constant activities, which inevitably leads to creating a feeling of rushing. **The most significant change, however, was how we created the activities in the program.** ### Open Space In the past, one host ([Michał](https://michalkorzonek.com/experiences)) was responsible for the program, with very few activities facilitated by someone else. This was a very fun gathering-design challenge, but also, an extremely draining situation. This time, we decided to experiment with *Open Space* model mixed with a few pre-designed activities (opening, closing, daily home pods, and three evening activities - Jam Session, Gift Night, and a Farewell Party). Spoiler alert: it was the best decision we could have ever made. ![Empty Program](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-c466fefe1715b2432cf0b996eb92f83d5447ffab%2Fopen-space.jpeg?alt=media) *On the opening session participants could fill the spaces in the program according to their needs.* ![Creating Activity Menu](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-425d222c8544b268c3721232d2f0b200faac5146%2Factivity-menu.jpeg?alt=media) *Which resulted in a beautiful plan for our days together fitting the needs of participants.* ![Full Program](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-850568158bc0afe7417e638193ff41a7f3992d6b%2Fdesigned-program.jpg?alt=media) It's worth noting that there are very few people in our congregation who have previous facilitating experience. Bringing more people into hosting posture is a huge progress for our group, and a big step towards distributing initiative. ### Activities **Onboarding** - every Gathering starts with an onboarding where we quickly introduce logistics to everyone. **Opening** - this time, the main dish of the Opening Ceremony was designing the program together. Before we jumped into it, we had a moment of sharing and created secret handshakes in pairs. Perhaps we can continue with creating new handshakes every Gathering until we have our personal way of greeting everyone in the congregation? 😂 {% embed url="" %} *Link to* [*tweet*](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek/status/1532808617614790657?s=20\&t=bXeqhZZ_8gnKbWyr3vgBPw)*.* **Waltdorf School Style Drawing Workshop** - we created portraits of each other and "community generated drawings", where we pass drawings around in quick rounds building upon what has been drawn. ![Portrait](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d466e1d670c1fe02d1d2ee1417b1a6f575497689%2Fjoao-portrait.jpeg?alt=media) *Charming lad, hey?* ![Community Generated Drawings](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-50dadd3287c41b2a34dc60b11c9352a83e56da94%2Fcommunity-generated-drawings.jpeg?alt=media) *We then displayed all the artwork and had a little exhibition.* **Home Pods** - every day we'd meet in a group of three, which was randomly selected on the first day. The group would provide a space to check-in with each other and reflect on the day at the Gathering. ![Pod Cards](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f7ac78245b7479a8387973435a001b8153be9f4e%2Fpod-cards.jpeg?alt=media) *Pods were determined by picking a card.* **Gift Night** - a night where everyone brings a gift, which can be a poem, a song, a physical object for the community or anything else. This is one of the most beautiful connecting moments and a precious opportunity to get to know each others secret talents. **Community Council Retro** - a retrospective from our [Community Council](https://michalkorzonek.com/community-council) held during the [Autumn Gathering](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021), and then again during our Pico Community Day. **We have set a goal of having at least one project succeed by the time of the retrospective, and we successfully completed this objective.** Here are some of the projects that sprouted: * [*Pico Foraging Database*](https://pico-foraging.github.io/) - an interactive map displaying foraging spots in the island. The project is still in its early days but the v1 of the website is up already. * *Pico Network* - a group on Signal serving as a digital communication channel for exchanges, requests etc. The group is fully operational 🚀. * *Pico Meditation Circle* - a weekly hour-long meditation sit. * *Repair Cafe* - while the project haven't "formally" moved forward, the Caller has been actively involved in fixing things and contributed significantly to improving our community space. It's worth mentioning that *Pico Coop* was the project that received the most support during our previous Community Council, but it hasn't sprouted. We have been exploring this subject from different angles and in different configurations, which resulted in [Piconomics 101](/articles/piconomics-101), as well as forming the working group to acquire a Home for our community. **Sigil Making Workshop** - [Silvia](https://silviamakesdrawings.com/#) led a prototype of her new workshop, inspired by success of her [Vibetraits](https://silviamakesdrawings.com/#vibetraits) and work with Peter Limberg from [the Stoa](https://www.thestoa.ca/). **Community Space Design** - we asked children to design their ideal Community Home, which they later presented to everyone. ![Community Space Map Made By Kids](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1319290bad6ee5a99939b6dd730c696d85c922e2%2Fcommunity-map-kids.jpeg?alt=media) *Kids presenting their design for our community space on the lounge area* Here's the scan of their creation: ![Community Space Map Made By Kids Scan](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-7dee5fe004de4c2c63919abc908fc3acde2f5a0f%2Fkids-design.jpg?alt=media) **The Power of 10** - A workshop visualising mathematics ![Power of Ten](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f84e6c6065321728d35b97d5cb8fe4f9d9601ce0%2Fpower-of-ten.jpeg?alt=media) **Group Photo and Portrait** - It's kinda funny, but we never thought of taking a group photo during the past Gatherings. We decided to change that this time, and even took it a step further - and asked one of the participants (a visual artist) to create a portrait of us all. ![Group Photo](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-9509cc7f195c5a0be344aff9890d13ea0291b5c6%2Fspring-2022-group-photo.jpeg?alt=media) ![Group Portrait](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a62a41541b773a53979a742eacdb3f9a30e7960b%2Fspring-2022-group-portrait.jpeg?alt=media) **Closing** - we combined closing session with getting feedback and last meeting of the Home Pod, to create more spaciousness in the afternoon. We finished with singing a few songs together. ![Closing Ceremony](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-7b3723f08138c83c5b87f20da3500cf7b6485559%2Fclosing.jpeg?alt=media) **Farewell Party** - based on the success of the previous Gathering, we created our [Community Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2FG1vM5rsEauhpWl6jVi7t?si=36b6434ab5ed49db) (where everyone picks one song to dance to for the party). Funny enough, instead of party, we felt like chilling and watching the setting Sun. ![Farewell Chill](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d96611ae7e0db0dd61a15016479741a38fbc47c8%2Ffarewell-chill.jpeg?alt=media) We also had **Thai Yoga**, **Energy Yoga** and **pilates** sessions. Also, Michał and João premiered a song they created. ### Stalls This time we also included "stalls" - we invited anyone form the Gathering to share their product and / or service, in order to bring more awareness of skills existing within our community. We had three offers displayed during the Gathering: ![Offers](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-dcc253f29db49af905cfe876a9daf9bc8dabb0d6%2Fstalls.jpeg?alt=media) ### Gratitude Tokens During the first night, we introduced [Gratitude Tokens](https://michalkorzonek.com/gratitude-tokens) - a collaborative game designed to catalyse expressing gratitude within a community, prototyped in the [Traditional Dream Factory](https://traditionaldreamfactory.com/). ![Kid with Gratitude Token](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-75d30cc2cd41ba0800024a412a34b262795ae03d%2Fgratitude-lara.jpeg?alt=media) ![Gratitude Token Mining Station](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-b2e95600ce330ed727a1d4deead5473f5bf43be6%2Fgratitude-tokens-end.jpeg?alt=media) *That's our local Mining Station.* A notable addition to the game was adding a Portuguese translation to the Tokenomics, and reading the entries from the Gratitude Token Ledger out loud on our second night together. Here's the scan of our gratitude ledger. ![Page 1](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a6bb2f2cac9b84aa0c843e6eb064eb1d9478e11f%2Fpico-gratitude1.jpg?alt=media) ![Page 2](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2d641e386af17936b8808f81889d73d46ba83ef2%2Fpico-gratitude2.jpg?alt=media) ![Page 3](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-cbb9069c871f5473fa48e9621fa38bdd3338b23e%2Fpico-gratitude3.jpg?alt=media) ## Reflection on the Theme Interestingly, we didn't tackle the theme "Connecting Islands within the Island" in a direct way (eg. with a workshop). On the other hand, we had a lot of new people involved in the Gathering, including people from Faial and São Miguel, so perhaps the islands have indeed been connected. ## Food The food was prepared by a team of two chefs, with rotating helpers stepping in voluntarily for every meal. This model worked extremely well - the meals were delicious and on time (in our previous gathering meals were significantly delayed). Most of the food was sourced locally. Here's a pic of one of our chefs, looking like straight of a cookbook cover: ![Cookbook Cover](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-85fc30a4c3356dcb90a7b6515d0b0d45ea9b5dda%2Fcookbook-sol.jpeg?alt=media) Ahh, and don't get me started on the epic sourdough bread baked on our community fire late at night, and the epic breadflip that almost went unnoticed: {% embed url="" %} *If the video doesn't load, here's the* [*link*](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek/status/1527202727041835008?s=20\&t=3xJ4mw_5MM5uDmOTl7Cwcg)*.* ## Money The Gathering was supported by contributions to the Magic Well. Money In: €380 Money Out: €261.58 Total: +€118.42 ## Retrospective ### Plus * Open space model and stalls encouraged more people to step into co-creating the gathering * Food system was perfect * Adding the role of the "Bell Boy / Bell Girl" - a person responsible to gently remind people when the new activity is about to start * Having a photographer and a group photo * People from other islands ### Minus * Food contribution was not clear in the info pack - it resulted in some people contributing with a lot of food that was not communicated in advance leading to too much food left after the gathering and some of it going to waste. ### Next * Google docs are efficient but not exciting plus they are not showing correctly on the phone without an app. Most of our congregation is not very tech-savy –> find alternative solution for sending the invitation * It would be nice to have raw photos on a projector displayed during the farewell party * Consider inviting people who couldn't attend the full Gathering for one dinner + evening activity, and charge for dinner (booking and payment in advance) –> donation to community, perhaps combine with the farewell party and showcase everything created? * Consider having a week-long gathering with rotating participants and two / three consecutive days as a minimum commitment to participate * Create NFTs from community generated drawings? It could be a fun way to generate income for our community! * Keep adding secret handshakes every gathering! * Improve safety on site ## Conclusion and Next Steps **The main conclusion is that our congregation is maturing and we're ready to begin stepping into the process of acquiring a community home, which could support our activities in Pico on the way towards co-creating** [**the Azores Regenerative Network**](/azores-regenerative-network)**.** We have now created a [working group](/crews-and-projects/community-home) moving this energy forward. If you'd like to help with this process, we'd love to hear from you! 💜 ## Newsletter If you'd like to hear from us whenever we publish a significant update on this website, we invite you to [subscribe here](https://picomicrosolidarity.substack.com/). ## Beautiful Moments Every Gathering is made of beautiful moments. Here are some of my favourites from the Pico Spring Gathering 2022 compiled into a twitter thread (click on it to see the whole thread). {% embed url="" %} If it doesn't load for some reason, [click here](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek/status/1532808535695826949?s=20\&t=bXeqhZZ_8gnKbWyr3vgBPw). ## Energy Exchange Hey👋 Michał here, the guy who brings people together in Pico Island and documents the process on this website. If you'd like to encourage me to do more meaningful work in Pico and beyond, I invite you to support me via [Patreon](https://patreon.com/michalkorzonek), or get in touch for a larger financial contribution and / or crypto: michalroots {at} proton.me . Your support makes a tremendous difference, and it helps me transition into the circular gift economy 🌳. Thank you for Being! On a different note: I'm also available to work with you and your community / project. I create [experiences](https://michalkorzonek.com/experiences) and [documentation](https://michalkorzonek.com/documentation). Thank you for Being 💜 # Pico Coop A movement for regenerating the island. Pico Coop is one of the projects called during our [2021 Autumn Gathering](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021), with the objective of having at least one of them successfully launched by the next gathering in Spring 2022. {% hint style="info" %} This project is in the stage of clarifying the dream and the documentation is super rough. [Subscribe for updates.](https://picomicrosolidarity.substack.com) {% endhint %} **Next Step: Clarify the vision.** ### Dreams, Notes, Ideas... * Grow the regenerative movement in Pico. Unite people committed to creating beautiful projects in the island and make it easy (and fun) for them to do the work. * Support local economy, especially food producers and artists. * Incentivise farmers to shift towards regenerative practices. * Offer local and aligned products, services, and events. * Create a clear, recognisable and trusted brand standing for causes important to well-being of the island. * Attract people with a super cool vibe * Redistribute profits within the island community. * Unlock resources from web3 / regenerative movements to fuel our work in the island. * Prototype. Document the process. Share. * Create events and spaces bringing local people together, both foreigners and natives. * Mitigate influences of hyper-capitalism, cultivate traditional community values (which are still very present in Pico culture) * Increase self-reliance of the Pico population (most jobs depend on tourism and EU grants for cows) * Co-living, co-working & maker spaces * Pillars: Food, health, art, education * Local currency ### Question: You walk into a bar and get to choose between two beers. The brewery that produces one of them plants a tree for each beer sold in the bar. For most people, it's a no-brainer to pick the tree-planting beer. What's the equivalent cause benefiting the island, that would be a no-brainer incentive for native locals to choose products, services and events from our coop? ### Log * Initial meeting 3 Dec 2021 * Pico Coop was called during [Pico Autumn Gathering](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021) in Oct 2021 # Pico Network Asynchronous channel for digital comms Pico Network is a private and secure digital channel for asynchronous communication in our community. **The objective is to facilitate gift exchange, share resources, coordinate lifts, announce events, make decisions etc.** Pico Network was called during our [Autumn Gathering](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021), during the prototyping session of the [Community Council](https://michalkorzonek.com/community-council). {% hint style="info" %} At the moment Pico Network is in beta. [Subscribe for updates.](https://picomicrosolidarity.substack.com). If you'd like to join the beta testing team, reach out to Michał (community only). {% endhint %} ### Onboarding Please read the following info before joining the network. 1. **Pico Network runs on** [**Signal**](https://signal.org/) – a free, secure, open source app, operated by a non-profit organisation, making it a no-brainer app of choice. (Optional: read [this guide](https://restoreprivacy.com/secure-encrypted-messaging-apps/) for more info about security.) 2. **Please be mindful not to overload the channel.** Reach out via private message whenever it makes sense, use emoji reactions rather directly on a message rather than sending a separate message etc. 3. **The objective of Pico Network Beta is to gather use cases for the network and build initial momentum.** Whenever you have a real-life-use-case, please use the Network, even if it's functionality is limited due to the small number of people involved. 4. **After one month we'll review the functioning of the Network**. ### Possible Future As the network grows there are two possible paths to consider: 1. Opening up the network to the wider island community 2. Keeping the network closed It is likely that we might want to have both options simultaneously. There is also a possibility of moving towards multi-channel structure in the future, however for now it's more effective to keep it simple. ### Log * October 2021: Project called by Michal during [Pico Autumn Gathering](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021) * January 2022: Request for beta tasters ![Beta Testers Request](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1f0138352c8e26ba1d8f3d8adb03e365bdeb5913%2Fpico-network-beta-testers.jpg?alt=media) * January 2022: Pico Network Created and invites sent to Beta Testers # Gatherings A bi-annual heartbeat of our congregation Our community comes together for a few days during a bi-annual gathering. You can read the documentation for each of our gathering below: * [Winter Gathering 2020](/crews-and-projects/winter-gathering-2020) - a prototype of a gathering * [Summer Gathering 2021](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021) - our first "proper" gathering * [Autumn Gathering 2021](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021) * [Spring Gathering 2022](/crews-and-projects/spring-gathering-2022) * [Pico Community Weekend](https://github.com/heymichal/pico/blob/master/articles/pico-community-weekend.md) - a mini-gathering designed for minimal organisational work ### Resources [Pico Gathering Fire Starter](/resources/pico-gathering-fire-starter) - internal resource for the core hosting team of the gathering. # Autumn Gathering 2021 🍂 Our second community gathering in Pico Following the success of our first [Summer Gathering](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021), we hosted our second gathering in October 2021. **The intention was to take the next step in the community building process, by tuning into our individual visions of what community in Pico could look like, and discovering how we could support each other in making these dreams come true in the context of our island with all it's blessings and limitations.** We called it: ***Stepping Into Belonging***. ### Practical Details * **We gathered for 3 full days** plus additional "prep day" and "clean up day". * **The Gathering was a full-time commitment**, rather than a hop-on/hop-off participation like the \[previous one]. The participants were asked to arrive before the opening session and stay for the entire Gathering, with a possibility to leave for an occasional quick errand, such as feeding the animals. * **18 people and 3 dogs participated** in the Gathering * **The core hosting team included four people**, three with a defined area of responsibility (site, food, program) and one with more flexibility ("the joker"). The core team included two first-time organizers, as it's our intention to "train" people in order to distribute hosting and ensure long-term continuity of the gathering. * **The theme was \_Stepping Into Belonging**\_ * **The food was vegan and gluten-free, created from mostly local and organic ingredients.** * Participants were asked to bring their own dish, cutlery and cup, and clean after themselves. * **We explicitly asked not to bring/consume substances (eg. alcohol, weed...) during the Gathering.** * **The Gathering was free to attend.** We asked for a contribution to the "magic hat", with all the proceeds to be invested in future community events. Here's [the invitation](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eJR2D_6JDtgnR3rmkWuDc4cfRoRpjI3wgysBKjCPdig/edit?usp=sharing) we have sent out to people (edited for privacy), which was followed by an [info pack](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iXvGUJx_MIz266k0M216QlPG106CZhpcFyQy_y3RO70/edit?usp=sharing). ### Site The venue included a campsite, two private homes opened to the community (with one of them used as a kitchen and meal serving area), a small cabin for children activities, and a ruin covered with a roof. All the spaces were located within 10 minute walking distance. ![The map of the site.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FEeyrAgaSIuWYIbt3UjrZ%2FIMG_20211031_105410.jpg?alt=media\&token=4e888e6b-8ed9-4171-b44e-5f4329217f9a) The weather during the gathering included a lot of heavy rainfall, therefore we had to design the site and activities to happen mostly in sheltered areas. **Building the roof was the biggest challenge during the site prep**. A team of volunteers coordinated by the core team member responsible for the site managed to build a semi-permanent structure from locally sourced free wood, nails, and tarp. Total cost of the roof: €70 + tarp donated from the community. [Here's how](https://cryptpad.fr/file/#/2/file/t90ETLuz7+VFzeUb5mixYSx4/) we built the roof. The roof is not designed to withstand a hurricane, however it has effectively sheltered the participants during heavy rainfalls. We decided to leave it for winter, in order to keep using the space for community events. ![The main activity space.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fbw2BIcXEFDIdH5rX3wxl%2FIMG_20211030_102940.jpg?alt=media\&token=0bbe64cf-1ab7-436a-ba85-d297f30f040b) Some of the other site prep work involved strengthening the floor of the private home used for cooking and eating, cleaning the campsite, as well as rigging and decorating the ruin. **While numerous people stepped in to help with the campsite prep, it was not enough human power, leaving the core team member with too much work to complete.** We intend to mitigate this problem next time by closing the registrations earlier, so there is enough time to complete the necessary work, without overburdening the site coordinator. Note: At the moment, the Gathering is hosted on a privately-owned land. While there is an intention of turning it into a community land, it is not yet clear if and when it will happen. This causes a certain degree of uncertainty related to how much time and energy does the community want to invest in improving the site (eg. by building a proper roof). One of the next steps is to come to a clear agreement with the owner. ### Program ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MDtS2nGPOOEv4bKRWw6%2Fuploads%2F70OWzPXZcBMB9eJIYPgo%2FScreenshot%202021-11-23%20at%2015.40.39.png?alt=media\&token=973bcb3e-f8ba-4db2-ae81-b615e0a23a87) #### Stepping Into Belonging Process The program was designed around a three-step *Stepping Into Belonging* process, spread over the three days of the gathering (3 workshops of \~2h each). The process was the only activity which didn't involved children. See a section below to see what they did in that time. **Day 1 facilitated a self-discovery journey climaxing in verbalising to others what would a dream community look like for each of us as individuals.** The result was a collection of drawings. The key idea was to help people understand what do they actually want from a community, which is a very unspecific umbrella term. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FBnnDxQ2Pvy2gJCx1FML0%2FIMG_20211031_105418.jpg?alt=media\&token=22768383-494a-4ffd-9750-34412a55c52b) \_\_[*Click here*](/resources/our-dream-communities) *to see scans of all the drawings.* **Day 2 took people through an intense speed-dating-like process of short 1:1 connections with everyone, with the intention of sharing what we could do together in each pair.** The goal was to ensure that everyone has a touchpoint with everyone, as well as to allow for more raw, high energy ideas to bubble up spontaneously due to a very short amount of time. The day concluded with an internal processing session, resulting in generating up to 3 project ideas each, which were then shared with the group and grouped on a board. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fcg3qrvOgU380dtFmZtnF%2FIMG_20211031_213043.jpg?alt=media\&token=0db79d68-dc10-4c76-8b5b-756594248906) **Day 3 engaged participants in a collaborative community game (or to be more accurate: collaborative community catalysing process based on game mechanics) with the objective of successfully launching one project**. This will be reviewed in six months time or during the next gathering. The process was based on calling projects into existence and checking which ones have sufficient energy to actually start immediately after the gathering. As a result, 10 projects were called, with 8 gaining sufficient support to start. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FtGolm1YhF17VJooRjtZL%2FIMG_20211101_124547.jpg?alt=media\&token=fcfebe2d-8155-421c-9da0-5b8b6f5f47c3) Note: While it might seem that the game sets the bar very low (one project out of eight), it is a deliberate choice, as high-energy events can lead to overcomittment and/or underestimating the amount of energy required to launch / run a project. With that in mind, a single successful project will already have a positive impact on the island, and is therefore considered a success. ![The completed map, with all the projects and the "List of Connections".](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FbUqbIEXthyrkEcl9jp2I%2FIMG_20211101_124649.jpg?alt=media\&token=e18aaa9b-9424-469f-b856-dc63432d59cd) ![Full list of projects called during the game.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FtoLuiau1D7PcyRSehLhr%2FIMG_20211101_125039.jpg?alt=media\&token=919d50cf-10b9-4124-bbb5-6d74259b09fe) {% hint style="info" %} If you'd like to play this game with your community, you can [get the pdf manual](https://michalkorzonek.com/community-council). {% endhint %} #### Home Pods All participants (including children) have been randomly distributed into small groups of three, in which they would meet e very day throughout the Gathering to have a moment of checking in with each other. This was intended to help participants share what is going on for them, process the experience, as well as ask for help if needed. ![During the onboarding each participant drew a card to find their Home Pod.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FcLICQxL1dCTWQyrj8bHD%2F202110282123021000.jpg?alt=media\&token=c79089e3-2443-4a56-95b3-b087ad948756) #### Body Connection A common feedback from the previous gathering pointed towards including more "body" activities. We included a session of guided movement sequence based on yoga and tai-chi, lead by one of the participants. We also started each of the *Stepping Into Belonging* workshops with a dancing to one song, from this [funky playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5889sB1JLFEOMJjnnEV7Wa?si=372573cb289545f3). #### Community Dance Playlist The farewell party was centred around a community dance playlist, compiled from songs provided by the participants (one song per person). This turned out to be a great success, and yet another way of getting to know each other, as well as navigating the problem of different tastes in music for a party. Here's [the playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5PtdCqzSJFYjsX9GHyLMrd?si=2ccbfc49fb604bc3). And here's [one song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEbuvkvydNY]\(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEbuvkvydNY) that's not available on Spotify, which was played at the end. #### Children Activities The intention of the Gathering was to be as children-involving as possible, and only the *Stepping Into Belonging* workshops were not designed for them to participate. During these times, they were supervised by one of the participants (rotating between two people), giving space for the kids to engage in art projects, such as face painting and designing a dream school: *Escola do Mundo.* ![Presentation of the Escola do Mundo.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FO5Ij46KLJdJDP2jO0ea6%2FIMG_20211031_204720.jpg?alt=media\&token=621de36f-e97b-4547-b6bd-7cf7edacc2bc) ![The kids named face painting as one of their favourite activities 🎨.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FexVdDTQHFsLkpXs5eYz3%2FIMG_20211030_172819.jpg?alt=media\&token=b3b76096-7a6a-4ee9-be28-f5d3b05525d6) #### Other activities The Gathering also included the opening session, authentic relating games, a sound bath, and a gift night (where each participant was asked to bring a gift - a song, a poem, a story, a game...). The program was designed with spaciousness in mind, however the space was filled up to delays in food prep. This was unfortunate, as some of the people felt too low energy to participate in the evening activities. There have been no activities before breakfast, as we tried to incorporate some movement activities during the previous gathering, but there was barely any participation. Note: Due to the rain only the closing session happened in an outdoors space 🌧 . #### The Community Artefact [Amanda](https://www.facebook.com/amandascorerartist/) created a wonderful painting on recycled doors for our first Summer Gathering. At the end, we have all signed it at the back. We've continued this ritual during this Gathering and asked every participant to write something at the back. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fsk22vEPygukss7lCpQQ2%2FIMG_20211101_180255.jpg?alt=media\&token=5f716f88-2904-48b4-8b9d-3447d1d03cd8) {% hint style="info" %} The program was designed by [Michal Korzonek](https://michalkorzonek.com). {% endhint %} ### Food The vegan, gluten-free and absolutely delicious food was prepare by a rotating team including two chefs per day, as well as numerous people stepping in to help with the food prep. ⭐️ Our big achievement was coming very close to our objective of being 100% local, with only a few items not sourced from Pico. Due to complexity of the meals, we misjudged the amount of time it would take to prepare them, which caused delays up to 1h30. This was not ideal, as it didn't allow for some people to participate in the evening activities due to lack of energy. On the other hand, the time in the kitchen was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed the prepping process. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FAABtn1HiQX6GQiiA7rKm%2FIMG_20211101_141617.jpg?alt=media\&token=cc2f1919-c76b-4e9b-9310-dc1b2676d6dc) ### Money We received a total of €220 in the magic hat, which covered the total costs of the gathering of €140. That leaves €80 for organising future events. ### Retrospective Here's the summary of the retro conducted by the hosting team, as well as key points from the feedback form submitted by participants. #### Plus (What went well?) * "Closed gathering" (commitment to be there for the entire process, rather than hop-on/hop-of) - the benefits outweigh the downsides. * Food almost fully local * Delicious food * People stepping in to help with food prep * Invitation to not consume substances (1 person explicitly named their preference not to have it in place, while a large amount of people explicitly stated that they see it as a good decision) * Movement in the program * *Stepping into belonging* process * Community dance playlist * Involvement of kids #### Minus (How could we improve?) * Not enough helping hands during the site prep process. * Food significantly delayed. * At times, when non-gluten-free or spicy food appeared it wasn't clearly labelled. #### Next (What are the next steps?) **Program:** * Include even more body movement moments, such as short dancing breaks. Possibly include a short (15-30m) pre-breakfast movement slot. * involve more people in co-creating the program, perhaps using the [Open Space](https://handbook.enspiral.com/guides/retreats#open-space) model. * have a designated person (or team) to host the farewell party * include some kind of games and challenges to be played throughout the Gathering. The list can be hanging in one of the common spaces. * Have a (rotating) person to keep the flow of time and remind people that activities are starting. * Design the entire process for more proactiveness (this is a bit vague, but it's an intention). * While keeping the Gathering closed, consider inviting close friends to the Farewell Party to get them involved and share "fruits" of our time together. **Food:** * Consider changing the cooking model to: 1 core team member focused on food + 3 chefs (one per day). The team collaborates on creating the menu based on local ingredients in season. The chefs then call for help with food prep during the day. This worked extremely well during this Gathering, when numerous people stepped in to help in the kitchen. A smaller team (3 chefs rather than 6) would also allow for an easier coordination to have a meeting before the gathering. * Consider designing dinner to be a "recycled" lunch, to reduce the time necessary for food prep. **Site:** * Have a conversation with the owner of the land and come to an agreement for the future Gatherings. * More help during the site prep. Close the list of participants earlier to allow more time for sourcing necessary help. ### Conclusion & Next Steps The objective of the Gathering was completed, with 8 projects being called into existence and getting support from other community members. We're all more clear on our individual and collective visions for community in Pico. We've also created a sheltered community space for hosting events. We'd like to continue with hosting the bi-annual Gathering. We'll aim to based the dates around public holidays. Possible dates: * 22-24 April 2022 * 4-7 June 2022 See the [Pico Gathering Firestarter](/resources/pico-gathering-fire-starter) (internal resource) for practical coordinating details. {% hint style="warning" %} [Subscribe here](https://picomicrosolidarity.substack.com) to get updates from our community. [Reach out to Michal](https://michalkorzonek.com/#contact) if you have any questions, or would like some help in designing your own community gathering. {% endhint %} ### Resources: * [Pico Gathering Firestarter](/resources/pico-gathering-fire-starter) * [The Community Council Game](https://michalkorzonek.com/community-council) # Summer Gathering 2021 ☀️ Coming together for a summer gathering In June 2021 we hosted our first "proper" community gathering in Pico island. **The intention was to build connection between people committed to being in Pico for the long-term, weaving social fabric and opening up possibilities for future projects to emerge.** **The gathering is a direct result of our** [**sharing circle**](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle), and is intended to act as a heartbeat for our congregation. In many ways, it felt like a climax of the first chapter of our microsolidarity work in the island. ![Cover image for the Gathering invitation created by Silvia.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-McjRaYdFyuYWrZnthf2%2F-McjRtYTHi2kL6692BzI%2F202105091226521000.jpg?alt=media\&token=8329eb9c-799e-4753-938f-93824dfedada) ### Practical Details * We gathered for **3 days plus additional "prep" and "clean up"** days before and after the event. * The hosting team included 4 people. * The **theme was "connection**". * At the moment of the gathering the Covid regulations allowed for meetings of up to 50 people. However, as we weren't sure this will be a possibility at the time of organising, we decided to keep the gathering as a **closed, private event with a guest list**. * We were aiming at a **maximum of 30 people present**. * Participants had a **possibility to camp together** in one of two campsites in the venue. * The gathering was designed for **flexible hop-on/hop-off participation** allowing people to join at any time, even for a single activity. Closing the event would significantly limit the amount of people who could participate. * The gathering was **children and animal friendly**. * **Plant-based food was prepared by two chefs** (volunteers from our community), rotating on daily basis. Chefs planned their meals and sourced ingredients. Evening salads provided by local organic farm [Aldeia Feliz](https://www.facebook.com/aldeiafeliz.higuita). * Participants were asked to **bring their own dish**, cutlery and cup, and **clean after themselves.** * **The gathering was free** to attend. We placed a "**magic hat**" to cover the costs of food, gas and materials. Any extra money was donated to [Pico Animal Sanctuary](https://app.gitbook.com/projects/pico-animal-sanctuary). Here's [the invitation](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1umM5_xPFFy5_vgvoPhwXK4vf08HPYY0yPsLpye_mTx8/edit?usp=sharing) we have sent out to people (note that we have removed personal details). ### Project Timeline * Intention for the gathering planted in the [sharing circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle) * Call for help to host the gathering in the sharing circle. Hosting team of four forms. * Hosting team initial meeting, venue is confirmed * Asynchronous work of the hosting team (activities, invitation, campsite logistics) * Second meeting of the hosting team, compiling the guest list and the program, cooking logistics * Asynchronous work of the hosting team (sending out the invitation) * Sourcing chefs and volunteers from the community * Prep day at the campsite * Logistical sprint (organising campsite, following up on invitations, meal preps, sourcing ingredients, finalising the program) * The Gathering * Hosting team meets for debriefing (setting intention to host another gathering in October 2021) * Feedback forms sent to participants * Reflective conversation between Michal and Silvia from the hosting team and Richard Bartlett (creator of Microsolidarity framework) - [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CmvciBqGTk) / [podcast](https://anchor.fm/Microsolidarity/episodes/Pico-Island-Congregation---1st-Summer-Gathering---June-2021-e136g6k) * Compiling and publishing the documentation ![One of two campsites on the first morning of the Gathering.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-McjQ3bR8DSqConf6lY0%2F-McjQUD36qvrOo8oKMYX%2FIMG_20210610_074233.jpg?alt=media\&token=4e030eac-30d2-40bb-b372-5663e5f751c3) ### The Gathering #### People 18 people (including kids) + 4 dogs camped for the whole gathering. Additional 10 people (including kids) shown up for various activities throughout the gathering. ![Gathering around the fire to play drums together.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-McjQ3bR8DSqConf6lY0%2F-McjR6Vp67TngC-2hoXx%2FIMG_20210610_221404.jpg?alt=media\&token=5a1a60dd-9ede-48f8-9d92-109f8cdac5f8) #### Activities ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-Mcj5qVdg9GTUzxH4FiL%2F-McjPT9ryhWFxfbGecCX%2FIMG_20210609_224234.jpg?alt=media\&token=64f61ff3-e4c1-4f4c-b0cd-566d13e7a0f4) We designed the program for no parallel activities, and giving a possibility for chefs to participate in all activities. The program was deliberately spacious, leaving a lot of unscheduled time for people to connect in non-facilitated ways. The scheduled activities were facilitated mostly by the hosting team with the support of volunteers from our community. ![Using our collective intelligence to map various projects happening in Pico.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-McjQ3bR8DSqConf6lY0%2F-McjRNO0fHqa9m4mDN1B%2FIMG_20210610_175536.jpg?alt=media\&token=5fea5b4c-cd41-498f-ba19-67d5da0d13ea) #### Venue The gathering venue included two campsites, the main fire, two outdoor spaces for activities and meals, a ruin for the closing party, an indoor space with a kitchen for cooking and activities, and another indoor space used for extra storage (we had a lot of instruments to keep safe). ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-Mcj5qVdg9GTUzxH4FiL%2F-McjPYCuXVpCVcBYh_xG%2FIMG_20210609_172957.jpg?alt=media\&token=bd8413b1-49fe-4905-819b-30c25ea1d7a5) The spaces were all within 15 minute walk from each other, and surrounded by beautiful nature. ![Walking between campsites.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-McjQ3bR8DSqConf6lY0%2F-McjQr2BdYF5VReVyj8v%2FIMG_20210611_075111.jpg?alt=media\&token=befeb8f7-e9b9-4550-8202-dc48ccfdf238) #### Money We received a total of €290 in the magic hat, which covered the total costs of €200, leaving a €90 donation to [Pico Animal Sanctuary](/crews-and-projects/pico-animal-sanctuary). The costs didn't include blocking the venue from bookings (€79 per night), which was contributed in kind by the owner / member of the hosting team. #### Gathering Artifact A local artist who participated in the Gathering created a beautiful artwork (full of micro-details relevant to Pico) to display during the gathering. At the end of the gathering we asked the participants to sign / write the message at the back. We intend to keep the sign for the future gatherings and keep adding new signatures and messages. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-Mcj5qVdg9GTUzxH4FiL%2F-McjPi0mds3dM-CLCYZk%2FIMG_20210610_155019.jpg?alt=media\&token=fa2dbde4-4741-403c-b24d-0fbbcfb9c8ae) ### Retrospective #### Plus (What Went Well?) * The Gathering was a big success and we received immediate feedback to host more Gatherings in the future. * New project seeds were planted, but it will take some time to see which ones will sprout into existence. * Identifying areas where specific people would like to contribute for the future gatherings. * Leaving a lot of free space in the program worked extremely well. * Proactive and abundant help for the hosting team from the participants during the gathering. * Sending a quick and easy feedback form to harness insights from the participants immediately after the gathering. * Debriefing session of the hosting team immediately after the gathering. * Good selection of activities * The food was delicious * Angels' Walk (aka Love Tunnel) in the evening of day #2 was a climatic moment of the gathering ![The space where we hosted the Angels' Walk](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-McjSWWIQaaWJHxAZOVq%2F-McjSsgAE3fm3a7pWLu0%2FIMG_20210612_003555.jpg?alt=media\&token=a9a34fc6-5ff5-4b41-8b00-e7935b2bc728) #### Minus (What Could We Improve?) * The hop-on / hop-off participation didn't work very well. While it wasn't a problem for people in the gathering to leave at various points (to feed their animals, do some work etc.), it was distracting for the whole to have new people show up at various times. * At times people were arriving during activities which was distracting. * More activities could have been designed to include children. * Misjudged quantities for food on the first day which resulted in having beans every day (which became an inside joke). * When nobody shown up to host an activity that was suggested in the program, one of the hosts assumed responsibility to facilitate which was way too much to hold. * The changes in the schedule were not communicated clearly enough. Not using the meal times for (ideally hilarious and engaging) announcements is a missed opportunity. * Missing a board with clearly displayed volunteering commitments. ![Setting up the ruin for the final party.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-McjT15DIIXHLAiOsl0K%2F-McjT97XiCxg2T0jtq5W%2FIMG_20210612_121050.jpg?alt=media\&token=4cf1b4f1-920e-439e-b5bf-9c9665d300e1) #### Next (What Are Our Next Steps?) Macro: * Host bi-annual gatherings, aiming for Autumn - Spring rhythm (May - October). The next Gathering is planned for October 2021. * Set up a deadline to arrive to the gathering. After that people can still leave if necessary, but there will be no new people coming in. * Setting a specific timeslots for arrivals not to disturb ongoing activities. * Increase the number of people by up to 30% newcomers (expand gradually to preserve the vibe created by the people in the first gathering). Food & Meals: * Aim for 100% local food in the gathering * Cooking coordinator(s) to create a meal plan and source ingredients. Provide clear quantities and ingredients list for the day to the chefs. Have a briefing meeting for the chefs. * Assume that during the cooking day chefs won't be participating in activities * Include a gratitude moment before meals Hosting & Program: * Separate hosting the gathering from facilitating activities as much as possible. Reach out to community to seek more facilitators (which would also add new activities into the program). This can be a gradual process for the gathering catalyst/host in between gatherings. * Seek more involvement from the community during the preparation phase. Use the knowledge gained during this gathering to approach people who vibe with specific tasks. * Clear, big, an regularly updated schedule displayed in all campsites. Less walking back and forth between the campsites. * Rotate hosting roles and bring new people in to build redundancy and ensure long-lasting continuity of the gatherings. * Include more physical activities in the program * Maintain the spaciousness and the relaxed feeling of the program. Don't overschedule! * Design more activities for children participation. * Create a list of ad-hoc fun activities (eg. energisers, connecting activities) to be facilitated spontaneously in "waiting moments". * More connecting activities (even if short ones), possibly every day. Venue & Campsite: * Separate the main fire from the campsite (to make the sleeping space quieter). Consider building a new outdoor space for the fire and activities * Source a gong / bell to set rhythm for meals and activities * Vibe: * Make an explicit invitation to not consume alcohol and other substances during the gathering. What happens in the space before the next gathering: * Due to the context of living in a small island, we don't need more frequent rhythms to be catalysed in between gatherings to maintain continuity. People already gather for birthdays, music jams, etc. and we also have our congregation projects and other projects in Pico which work well as touch points. ![Good vibes in the meal serving area.](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MclCCiisaGLCYALd1p8%2F-MclCrp-j035PLp6AErb%2FIMG_20210611_124814.jpg?alt=media\&token=8962ea47-2709-4e07-9a48-eee5f213a230) ### Conclusion Our first Summer Gathering was a big success. People felt generally more connected, new possibilities opened up, and we integrated more people into our congregation. Time will show if new projects will sprout from the gathering, but it seems highly likely. The biggest shift is that the Gathering created a feeling of being a family, which is a wonderful feeling indeed. 💜 ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-McjS4k8fI7Ijr9Hk5LP%2F-McjSBUHtkkpuurZcG21%2FIMG_20210613_211152.jpg?alt=media\&token=27dbc9a4-bc3b-4f9d-9567-b91f16ef1e9e) # Sharing Circle 🌀 Seed for the congregation 🌱 We’re focusing on **building emotional proximity before jumping into developing “projects”** together. Our first intentional activity as a group is to gather in a **sharing circle,** and this is where the journey of this community started. You can read about the [first round here](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle/sharing-circle-v1). We keep a rhythm of agreed number of circles followed by a retrospective, as we move through iterations of the circle. Here are the formats and reflections from each round, with the current circle format on top. {% content-ref url="/pages/-MhDi7Y40VyXYeNcLB9p" %} [Sharing Circle v4](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle/sharing-circle-v4) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/-MShUVpsWNSzLs4Tq9Nb" %} [Sharing Circle v3](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle/sharing-circle-v3) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/-MShUOvOflAJgjqN0-pS" %} [Sharing Circle v2](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle/sharing-circle-v2) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/-MIsnaBX612z5vCST1mx" %} [Sharing Circle v1](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle/sharing-circle-v1) {% endcontent-ref %} And if you'd rather read about it in an article format, have a look at this ⤵️ {% embed url="" %} # Sharing Circle v4 The fourth round of our sharing circle, after an entire year of circling! ### Format **Bi-weekly sharing circle, every second Sunday,** **starting at 15:00**. During the retrospective of [round 3](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle/sharing-circle-v3), we decided to change the format of our sharing circle and make it **more flexible and experimental**. From now on, every circle will be different, depending on what comes up in the moment, or in the week leading up to the circle. Anyone can suggest a meeting spot (doesn't need to be indoors), and an activity (eg. swimming, walking, visiting a cave, singing...). **We won't have sharing as a "fixed" part of the structure** (in fact, there is no structure), but there is an intention to keep the sharing component, so **we'll allow it to emerge naturally**. **The main intention is to keep connecting in a meaningful way through different types of activities.** Since this is a more experimental round, we'll shorten the cycle until the next retrospective, and review our progress on the 4th circle. ### New People There's one person who expressed interest in joining our sharing circle. We'll keep the doors open and allow new people to join organically whenever interest arises. ### Activities Circle 1: Short sharing circle + hike Circle 2: Playing the [Quiet Year,](https://buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year) a collaborative map-making game about a community ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MkZhzKaJm47-7mx-ZtY%2F-MkZm26oDUMC6YBG8krn%2Fquiet-year.jpg?alt=media\&token=d25bf14a-3161-4882-91a1-16ad714dc6cb) # Sharing Circle v3 The third round of our sharing circle ### Format **Bi-weekly sharing circle, every second Sunday,** **starting at 14:00**. Rotating location. 8 sessions + retrospective. 1. Connecting Activity (eg. Authentic Relating Games) 2. Check-In: *how are you feeling right now?* 3. Sharing: *what is alive for you right now?* 4. Check-Out: *how are you feeling right now?* 5. Next Circle 6. Announcements During retrospective after [round 2](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle/sharing-circle-v2) we decided to remove topics and focus on what is coming up for us in the moment. ### Bringing New People We're bringing new people in slowly and gradually. Any current participant can suggest bringing a new person for the next circle. We're aiming to bring no more than 1-2 new people per circle, and not bring people in every time, to allow for slow build up of intimacy between participants. ### Progress We decided to skip one circle as it coincided with our [Summer Gathering](https://github.com/heymichal/pico/blob/master/projects/summer-gathering-2021/README.md). We then skipped another circle, as there were not enough people to participate (a few people left for the summer, and a few work in tourism which is very intense during the summer). We also decided to postpone the retrospective until the end of summer, to ensure more people participate. ### Connecting Activities Here's a list of the connecting activities we tried with a short description. #### Noticing Game Authentic relating game in pairs. One person starts with "Being here with you, I notice..." and completes the sentence with a feeling that is present for them right now. The other replies with either "Hearing that, I notice..." or "Being here with you, I notice". Keep alternating for a given time (eg. 5 minutes). Here's [video tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byQ_J9COFCU) (4:27m) #### Eye Gazing Sit in pairs facing each other. Look into each other eyes and maintain the gaze for a given time (eg. 5 minutes). It's okay to blink. If you notice your attention drifting away, bring it back to the eyes or the person in front of you. Btw, it's okay to laugh, but avoid speaking. Here's an [article about eye gazing](https://medium.com/honeyboom-xyz/eye-gazing-a-powerful-exercise-for-bonding-and-self-exploration-fe6444a91353) (5m read) #### Appreciation Game Everyone write their name on a piece of paper and put it in a bag. Each person picks one name randomly and thinks about a few things they appreciate about that person. In turns one person shares the appreciation with the circle, while everyone tries to guess who is it for. Space for hugs once the guessing is done. #### Blindfolded Walk Divide into pairs. One person is blindfolded, the other guides them around the space. Swap after a few minutes. This is particularly great if you can go outside and explore. Let the blindfolded people touch, smell, hear... #### Gratitude Round Each person shares around 10 things that they are grateful for, starting with a sentence stem: "I'm thankful and grateful for..." #### Aum Sharing an Aum together. #### Few Breaths Together A moment of silence and self-grounding. #### Sharing Yerba Mate Passing around a traditional South American drink. #### Intention Drawing Connecting with an intention important to you and transforming it into a drawing. Sharing with others afterwards. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MfXbyaE49LUvsg3GSRD%2F-MfXdAK_12BGePWngjZx%2F2021-07-26%2011.47.49.jpg?alt=media\&token=b9d3081b-c44f-4ed5-91b8-3f7a71490ad3) ### Retrospective It's almost a year since we started our [Sharing Circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle) in Pico, and a few amazing things sprouted from it ([Pico Animal Sanctuary](/crews-and-projects/pico-animal-sanctuary), [Drum Crew,](/crews-and-projects/drum-crew) [Winter Gathering](/crews-and-projects/winter-gathering-2020), [Summer Gathering](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021), and perhaps more things that are not immediatelly obvious). In that aspect, the circle has been a great success, and it did indeed created a feeling of close emotional connection between participants. Our initial hypothesis that numerous people will want to join us, have proven to be inaccurate. In fact, there are only 8 people actively involved in the circle. Our hypothesis is that a bi-weekly commitment is not something more people are willing to do, and perhaps the format of the circle is not attractive enough for more people to join. With that in mind, perhaps it's not really our goal to keep expanding the circle, but rather use gatherings for that purpose. The retrospective also brought up two main threads: * It would be useful to have more variety in terms of activities and less format / structure * There is a tremendous, although not necessarily immediately obvious value in the sharing circle format and it's valuable to preserve it. This has been particularly obvious in two circles when people really needed this safe space for deep sharing, which wouldn't have happened in a more spontaneous context. We decided to open up to more experiments with the next iteration of the circle, to see if we can combine the deep sharing space with more variety in activities and less format. See notes for the [round 4](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle/sharing-circle-v4). # Sharing Circle v2 The second round of our sharing circle {% hint style="info" %} This is the second round of the circle. For the current format [click here](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle). {% endhint %} ### Format **Bi-weekly sharing circle, every second Sunday,** **starting at 14:00**. We allow a 10 min waiting time if necessary. If someone is late beyond 10 minutes they are asked to enter the circle quietly without disturbing the flow. The topic (sharing prompt) and location changes every time. Here's how the circle looks like: 1. **Check-In Round** – Everyone shares how they are feeling right now. If someone feels they need extended support from the group, they can ask to be the "circlee" and the group then focuses on helping/supporting them during the sharing round. 2. **Sharing Round** – Popcorn style (no order) sharing on the topic of the circle. People can choose to listen only and not share. 3. **Check-Out Round** – Everyone shares how they are feeling right now. 4. **Next Circle** – Deciding on the location host (who hosts the event) and the circle host (who suggest the topic) for the next circle. Location host and circle host can, but don't have to be the same person. 5. **Announcements** – Open space to share any announcements, requests for help, ideas for projects etc. 6. **Optional Connection Activities** – Optional hang-out time with possible connecting activities (eg. Authentic Relating games, cooking, art, etc.). ### Bringing New People The circle is open for new people. Any current participant can suggest bringing a new person for the next circle during the Next Circle discussion. We're aiming to bring no more than 1-2 new people per circle. ### **Topics** * Home - what it means to you, where and how you find it and how do you create home * How do you feel about all that is going on at a global and local scale (political, pandemic, nature, energy, nutrition, etc...). Are you currently doing something about any of this topics, if so, what and what are your next seps? What can we do about this scenario on a local scale that really has an impact on locals life's and the nature around us? \[[Silvia's reflection](https://onionjournals.substack.com/p/local-community-and-mission?r=2hst3\&utm_campaign=post\&utm_medium=email\&utm_source=copy)] * Spirituality – do you consider yourself a spiritual person? What does spirituality mean to you? * How do you maintain balance between your strengths and weaknesses? How do you see this balance within the world? * Inner Peace – what does it mean to you and how can we boost it in our daily lives? * Retrospective and next steps for our community ### Reflections * [ ] add reflections from the retro # Sharing Circle v1 The first round of the sharing circle. {% hint style="info" %} This is the first round of the circle. For the current format [click here](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle). {% endhint %} The circle started with 10 of us and fluctuates around that number. We’re bringing more people in organically. For now we don’t have any process for joining / leaving the group–we’ll play it by ear and adapt as needed. We’re still small enough to do that. We agreed to change the location for each circle, and the host will decide upon the intention / topic of the circle and share it with the group beforehand. We decided to have 5 circles (including the very first one when we decided to start circling) followed by a retrospective where we reviewed our experience and reflected on the next steps for the community. ### Format **Bi-weekly sharing circle, every second Sunday,** **starting at 14:00**. 1. Check In Round — everyone shares how they are feeling right now 2. Sharing Round — Popcorn style (no order) sharing on the topic of the circle. People can choose to listen only and not share 3. Check Out Round — everyone shares how they are feeling right now 4. Open Discussion — space for tackling any extra topic, mostly technical details related to the next circle. ### Topics * New Beginnings * What do you want to attract / bring more to your life * Getting to know your Inner Self: Who are you deep down? What lessons did you learn from that inner voice? How are you being true to yourself? * What would you like to share with us? * Your deepest fears * Retrospective # Evolving Experiences ✨ Bringing more variety into cultural scene of Pico. **A multidisciplinary crew aiming at bringing more variety into cultural scene of Pico, by creating experiences that touch people.** The idea was seeded during [Pico Summer Gathering](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021). *Evolving Experiences* is a working name for now. ### Now (what we're focusing on right now) * Exploring possibilities of managing funds without administrative hassle (looking into [Open Collective](https://opencollective.com) as a possibility) * Exploring a possibility of starting a cooperative ### Experiences * Slam Jam, July 2021 * Masking Around, September 2021 * [Pico Autumn Gathering](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021), September 2021 (co-created with the community) * The Community Council Game & Jam Session, December 2021 Below are the notes from our first meeting. ### Intentions * Create events / experiences with a purpose deeper than just hanging out. * Use art as a "magnet" to bring awareness to important issues we're passionate about. * Create memorable spaces (locations), which play an active role in co-creating experiences. * Experiment with new, unexpected experience formats, create something people haven't seen before, keep evolving. * Experiment with new ways of relating to each other. * Include reflective spaces during experiences, to process, discuss and integrate the experience and its topic (equivalent to *Shavasana* in Yoga). * Gradually improve *The Globe*, as we keep using that space for hosting various events. * Use nature to set up temporary spaces for experiences. * Explore possibilities of bringing income to fund our activities, and potentially make it a part-time(?) job for (some?) crew members. ### Context * Keep the work as flexible as possible. * Little meetings, more async work. * Show up on the day and set it up. * Evenings are usually the best times for all of us to be present. ### Ideas (Work in progress) #### Topics / Issues * Animals * Rising consciousness * Community life * Covid (particularly interesting if we bring people with fundamentally different opinions) * Making Pico the best place to live on Earth #### Experiences * Audio-visual theatre * Mute event * Walking disco * Play reading * Varieté * Music improvised to movement (rather that the other way around) * Dance Party (with a bar vibe) * Improv * Films / Projections * Art exhibition * Festival (multiday event) * Costume party #### Money * Explore [Open Collective](https://opencollective.com) as a way to manage funds with very little admin work. If not possible, then perhaps start an association (or other legal structure). * Michal in conversation with Alina from Open Collective ([documentation of OO](https://docs.opencollective.com/help/about/introduction)) * [Open Collective Europe](https://opencollective.com/europe) as a potential fiscal host (6% fee, [terms](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cc8GBkH4XUfdF9hxmrK5b2W2YUw09hRNoCMdoR2Kzao/pub)) * Host a fundraising event * Sell artwork (auction?) * Host special experiences (eg. birthdays, weddings) as a service * Find patrons of the arts excited about supporting our work financially #### Format * Have two spaces during events (eg. main space + fire) to allow people to move freely and choose the energy they need. * Experiment with no alcohol / no drugs / no food during experiences. Make a clear and explicit invitation. Make space for events with substances, as both can co-exist peacefully. * Separate our experiences from the regular Jam Sessions (even if the hosting team might be partially the same). #### Spaces * The Globe * Nature (eg. caves, dry rivers, forest, beach...) ### Team Annia: event planning, organising, hosting, acting\ Austeja: space design, idea generation, performance,\ Jess: space design, space setup, tech, music \ Michal: big picture, directing, hosting, performance, documenting ### Next Steps Anyone from the team to put an event proposal to the crew. # Pico Animal Sanctuary 🐱 Association dedicated to help animals in Pico Island. Officially registered in November 2020, *Associação Santuário Animal do Pico* is the first project catalyzed by our congregation that came into fruition 🙌. {% embed url="" %} The association is doing **a freaking amazing job**. In fact, have a look at some of the "before / after" photos from the animals that were lucky enough to come into contact with this project: ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MS9yxT9iVZafjaiGRZI%2F-MS9zFsk-ZOsdAQ8cBat%2FinCollage_20201229_194931985.jpg?alt=media\&token=5ba91780-d5b2-4cdd-bbba-f81b603db594) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MS9yxT9iVZafjaiGRZI%2F-MS9zcfSkigwTgo45kHU%2FinCollage_20201229_203832497.jpg?alt=media\&token=389a78ec-9590-4898-8932-b99d4da303b4) If you'd like to support the association, consider [becoming a member ](https://santuarioanimalpico.org/#english)(€20 / year). ### How it happened Our [sharing circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle) provided a space for the caller to keep bringing the idea up, which eventually lead to our community members applying gentle push to actually make this happen. The momentum was gained once another member decided to help the caller – and the two begun the legal process. In the meantime another member of our community helped with conceptualizing operations of the association and setting up the digital stack (website / payments etc.) {% hint style="success" %} Update \[28 Jan 2020]: **MVP version of the website is shipped!** Check it out [here](https://santuarioanimalpico.org/). {% endhint %} # Pico Cine Club 🎥 Private Cinema Club ![The logo v1](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6a72519a27b3d57abfa4b55a90d4ab6777d7c520%2Fpico-cine-club.jpg?alt=media) We're starting a Cinema Club. Event format: * presentation * screening * discussion ## The Films * Story of the Ocean # Elementals Drum Crew 🥁 Introducing... The Elementals!!! We've spent a lot of time during our first [Winter Gathering](/crews-and-projects/winter-gathering-2020) playing music (especially drums) together. It turns out that quite a few of us absolutely loved it and there's enough energy to catalyze a drum crew into existence. After sourcing our drums, we decided to meet weekly to practice. Most of us have never played drums (or any other instruments) before, but it seems we're getting somewhere cool: {% embed url="" %} At the moment our drum crew has two sections: * Basses * Djembes We also have a snare drum, but we didn't incorporate it yet very well. We'd love to add shakers in the future. We also want to bring more people in. The more drums the better 🥁🥁🥁. # Winter Gathering 2020 💙 Coming together for the first gathering, spread over a few days. Since most of us were staying in the island, we decided to have a Winter Gathering spread over a few days during the Christmas / New Year period. We started with brainstorming a few ideas during the announcements section of our [sharing circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle) and agreed on the initial plan, which then evolved organically in the run up to the gathering. ### Winter Solstice Celebration of entering the Age of the Aquarius. ### Christmas Day Delicious food, improv theatre games, live music and "Secret Santa" with hand-made gifts. Note: we played Secret Santa with a broader community in the island, which was a great way to bring more people in and build connections outside of the circle and spend some quality time as a community. ### Hike in Nature Exploring one of the numerous trails in Pico. ### Full Moon Fire Every Full Moon is a great opportunity to have a fire and play some music. ### New Years Eve Party Dinner and a proper dance party. Here's our (very eclectic) [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2735ANnUAVtRIvjMuRAg3g?si=-2K_sdOhTJKDe2UdPN3xwg). ### Community Meeting: Retrospective + Next Steps Reflecting on [the circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle) and planning our next steps as a community. # Community Action {% hint style="info" %} This project is currently inactive. {% endhint %} A small group focused on exploring actions we could take as a community that would have positive impact on the island. ### Guiding questions * *What is the tiniest thing that we could implement immediately as a community that would have positive impact on the island?* * *What community action that is realistic for us would have the biggest positive impact on the island?* We're currently exploring various possibilities around areas of education, waste, and starting a co-operative/ ### Next steps * [ ] Visit local waste-processing plant * [ ] Visit tree nursery in Santa Lucia * [ ] Consider creating an idea brainstorming board (eg. in Trello) ### Ideas *This is an unorganised selection of thoughts that came up during our conversations.* * Compost * Nutrition * Garbage / Plastic * Water supply * Native plants and trees * Hemp farm * Use of wasted fruits and veg (eg. oranges) * Alternative incomes for cow farmers * Individual / group projects shared with schools * Cultivation areas in schools * Get municipalities to stop using roundup to kill weeds on public roads # Pico Projects Map 🗺 Visual overview of projects happening within our community. {% hint style="info" %} The project map is going through a major redesign atm. {% endhint %} {% embed url="" %} I thought I'll play around with a Miro board to keep evolving the map. I'll take an occasional screenshot and save it below to document the process. ### 17 May 2021 ![Added projects](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-M_wMhRpnUN_QzzlptAl%2F-M_wMx_gch7Gwejzr6rQ%2FScreenshot%202021-05-17%20at%2022.07.23.png?alt=media\&token=c7f3129a-3a49-489e-8681-4a8791693213) ### **4 Feb 2021** ![We're moving the congregation map to the digital realm, because it's getting too complex :)](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MShiy5zyoY_YTtd77Yl%2F-MSiCLOHCJ2wUSdt7wAO%2FScreenshot%202021-02-04%20at%2016.18.16.png?alt=media\&token=09174286-ddf5-42c5-b5b4-b30292d253ef) ### **30 Nov 2020** ![The congregation is growing!](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MNTERfP_aVP9p86pp5p%2F-MNTFGmmv9Ya_JAphpAn%2Fcongregation-graph-2020-30-11.jpg?alt=media\&token=3a40a388-092e-4538-b6c4-654602c1aff4) ### **14 Aug 2020** ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MEi7RVmR-zyxJLIbhA9%2F-MEi9yBMgrLHTW3z2qyO%2Fphoto_2020-08-14%2018.11.44.jpeg?alt=media\&token=4674d538-eb13-4f80-a73a-8ae9262f2600) And here's the same map with a few projects that are not yet happening, but there's a strong desire to make them happen: ![Future projects (in brackets)](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2F-MExO59q3czjVbOQy1fV%2F-MExOBuO3UZbDNUp1cBJ%2Fphoto_2020-08-17%2017.07.46.jpeg?alt=media\&token=de22aea1-5536-4780-89aa-bd958aeb2298) # Articles # Pico Community Weekend A mini gathering The mini gathering started with a message in our Signal group sent a few months back, after seeing the reminder in my calendar that it's time to move the energy for another [Community Gathering](/crews-and-projects/gatherings). ![Moving the energy for the Gathering](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a2aa1a23f3e755392813e5a5cc1174cd7ee3878c%2Fpico-weekend-moving-energy.png?alt=media) While there was interest to gather, there seem to be very little hosting energy available. I kept an irregular 1:1 chat with the only person to offer to help out. **We decided to create a mini-gathering that requires the least amount of organising work possible** (very different from our previous [Spring Community Gathering](/crews-and-projects/spring-gathering-2022)). It took shape as the following invitation: ![Invitation to the Community Weekend](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-ba68adc9d44bdab28edeea23324ad33fc00f2100%2Fpico-weekend-invite.png?alt=media) In total, 11 people participated in the weekend, including 2 kids, and 2 people who haven't participated in our events before. 2 people came to visit us from Faial Island. On Saturday we focused on the Land where we host our events. We did some roof maintenance, cleaning up, weeding, as well as made some improvements - we planted a few trees, created a mini-garden, and begun building a whale watching station using a traditional Azorean design. On Sunday, we had a free flow mix of conversations and activities. * We talked about [Traditional Dream Factory](https://traditionaldreamfactory.com) - a regenerative village in mainland Portugal, where I have been a Summer Steward. * We discussed how the next stage of our community in Pico could look like. There seems to be some energy to find Land to host events, and explore co-ownership and sharing resources. For context, the Land where we currently host events is one of the possibilities we're exploring ([details in this document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zbz3Ka5x7zVrJwBafn2mdW2oqRrdxNXoIMzwTkZiFIY/edit?usp=sharing)). We're also thinking of hosting a Festival in Spring 2023 - here's a [telegram group](https://t.me/+lH2ZhICqzfAyZDg0) if you're interested. * We created a few drawings * Aaaaand we built a super simple rat trap. * We also tasted coffee from the beans grown and roasted in the very village where we had our weekend together. Yes, it was delicious. And yes, Azores is the only place in Europe where you can grow coffee trees. The total income of the event was 20 euro, which was added to our community fund. For more context see [Piconomics](https://github.com/heymichal/pico/blob/master/piconomics-101.md). ### Reflections * It was absolutely wonderful to see everyone, especially new faces, and have people from Faial with us. Weaving relationships and moving the energy is all about showing up, and it makes my heart sing to feel the energy of the people who do show up. * I always thought of "community building" as an act of building a community. What if it was all about **a community engaging in an act of building stuff together**? Building a whale watching station and a rat trap was a lot of fun, and a great way of getting to know each other while creating. I recorded a [short video](https://youtu.be/6lbO8ncdsYE) (2m24) on that subject. * It's still unclear what's the next stage of our community, but the needs and the core team are becoming clearer. The next step is to draw up something more specific and have a few conversations. # Faial Community Day A community weaving workshop in Faial Island. One of my favourite things about living in Pico, is that it's a part of an archipelago of nine islands - each with their unique energy, landscape, and opportunities. **Each island is a world, and together they form a galaxy.** I've recently had a pleasure to facilitate a **community weaving workshop** in Pico's closest neighbour - Faial island. This marks a significant step on the journey towards co-creating [Azores Regenerative Network](/azores-regenerative-network). Here's a part of the invitation: > The word "community" can mean many different things. It can be challenging to align on a shared vision. And it can be even more challenging to actually work together and manifest our dreams. Yet, it's hard to shake off the feeling that **creating together is not only more effective but also more fun**. How could we do it effectively, given the context of our beautiful island? > > The intention of this gathering is to **get practical and move our collective energy forward**. ## The Workshop Here's the outline: 1. Check in: *how are you feeling? why are you here?* 2. Theory: different community models; microsolidarity 101 3. Sharing: lessons from two years of implementing microsolidarity in Pico 4. Lunch break 🥑 5. Practice: [Community Council](https://michalkorzonek.com/community-council) - round of mapping & round of calls 6. Check out: *how are you feeling? what are you taking away?* I've delivered the workshop using *Cards* - an analogue collaborative meta game I've been developing over the last two years, inspired by [Zettlekasten method](https://zettelkasten.de/introduction/) and "*The Game*" developed by the hacker community, which I've been introduced to a few years back while living in [Astralship](https://astralship.org). {% embed url="" %} (If the tweet above doesn't load, [click here](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek/status/1497572106590117891?s=20\&t=OHbFQh69b_mb9zSRvmLaGw).) Cards for part 2 in full display: ![Cards in display](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e917f995f8b2f7ba70b0824be7cdee6bbbe4255a%2Fcards-dream-community.jpeg?alt=media) Compacted version to make space for part 3: ![Compacted version of cards](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-b1e6ea6911b83956e0542dc0fbf88813cef213d7%2Fcards-dream-community-compact.jpeg?alt=media) The story and lessons from Microsolidarity in Pico: ![Cards with milestones of Pico Congregation](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-7bc706761bab2ec95dddddefd2658e54ca2e1da2%2Fcards-pico-milestones.jpeg?alt=media) Note: Here are the [milestones](/pico-congregation/milestones) of our Pico congregation. ### Community Council [Community Council](https://michalkorzonek.com/community-council) is a modular community catalysing game. In this iteration we played two rounds. **Round of Mapping** showcased a few of the projects/crews open for participation that already exist in the island. A wonderful moment occurred when one of the participants asked if there's a Tai Chi group in the island, and that was the project that was just about to be placed on the map. ![Mapping existing crews and projects in Faial](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-313cc4c555853f9ca0fedd9e1d4735fe637388d9%2Ffaial-mapping.jpeg?alt=media) **Round of Calls** resulted in calling 8 projects, with 6 of them receiving enough energy to begin. The next step is for the callers to reach out to people on the "List of Connections" to arrange the kick-off meeting. ![Cards with milestones of Pico Congregation](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-200a0bf42f8250c1bb02c55ba3a772e87d24841a%2Ffaial-connections.jpeg?alt=media) **The main intention is to experiment with crewing and begin to build trust.** The success of the project is a secondary objective. The group also committed to **have a retrospective in three months** to reconnect and check on their progress. ## Reflections * **Despite of my emphasis on the importance of building trust within the entire congregation, none of the projects called aimed to bring *****all***** of the group together.** I'm considering tweaking the next iteration of Community Council for new proto-congregations to include a form of a sharing circle in order for the group to experience this format. On the other hand, building trust in small crews is also a very effective trust-building strategy, and the group committed to come back together for a retrospective. * **10 adults and 2 children attended the workshop**. One of the adults played with the children during the entire workshop. Note: Integrating children into "more adulty" activities is one of the challenges we are exploring in our [Pico Community Gatherings](/crews-and-projects/gatherings). * We begun the workshop 30 minutes late, which resulted in skipping one of the planned activities. **The punctuality-sensitivity is always a challenge in multicultural groups.** * **The workshop was funded by donations** with the explicit suggestion on the invitation: €15-65. We found €195 in the jar, which after covering the expenses was distributed between the facilitator, organiser, child carer, and the owner of the venue. * Fun fact: apparently one person decided not to show up because of the word "catalyst" I used to describe myself in the event invitation. Similarly, the signature "Love and Light" repelled another couple. This reflects the **two-fold purpose of the invitation: to attract people and to repel people.** At the end, whoever shows up is the "right" person to be in the room. ## Belonging & Meaningful Work Being a community catalyst, facilitating workshops and experiences, and supporting local businesses and projects to emerge is my **meaningful work**. Doing it locally creates a deep sense of **belonging**. In other words, it's a dream combination ✨. My personal challenge is to make this work financially sustainable. I invite you to **contribute with a small recurring donation via my** [**Patreon page**](https://patreon.com/michalkorzonek)**, and/or reach out to work with me on your project**. You can reach me via [twitter](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek) or email: michal {dot} korzonek {at} {protonmail} {com} If you'd like to receive an occasional email with the most significant updates to this documentation, I invite you to [subscribe here](https://picomicrosolidarity.substack.com). ## Resources * [Twitter thread](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek/status/1498665205647261700) for Faial Community Day * [Microsolidarity](https://microsolidarity.cc) - community building practice by Richard Bartlett * [Community Council](https://michalkorzonek.com/community-council) - a community catalysing game by Michał Korzonek * [How to Start a Sharing Circle With Your Loved Ones (and Why You Should)](https://betterhumans.pub/how-to-start-a-sharing-circle-with-your-loved-ones-and-why-you-should-8fa67d5b93aa) - an article by Silvia Bastos * [Sharing Circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle) - documentation of the Sharing Circle in Pico, which became our proto-congregation # Piconomics 101 🍪 Our congregation begins to talk about money. Our congregation reached a significant milestone - it's time to have a **conversation about sharing money**. At the moment, gatherings and events are the only income streams of our congregation. We first experimented with the *Magic Hat* model (voluntary contribution of money and/or energy) to fund our Community Gatherings (Summer 2021, Autumn 2021), and we have always covered the costs and had some extra left at the end. It's worth nothing that we have not been paying the organising teams for their work. In 2022 we started to hold more community events, which naturally brought up the need to discuss how our congregation would like to handle money. The process began with a simple sense-making mechanism (*dot voting* - each person has two dots to distribute as they please between the options), reflecting on **how would we want to pay for community events.** *Magic Hat* model was the most popular. 7 people participated in the voting. ![Piconomics Sensemaking: How to Pay for Events](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-4755e5fb3da4d2249f9a978d7f6c083a082ff75e%2Fpiconomics-events.jpg?alt=media) We then reflected on **how would we like to distribute the money**, using the *dot voting* system with three dots per person. The most popular option was to *bring 100% of profit into the COOP*, which would then pay a salary to people organising events based on a weekly hour budget. ![Piconomics Sensemaking: case study](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e5437dde94fb829fdd5a0e9a4499a0dbc8ce13dc%2Fpiconomics-case-study.jpg?alt=media) ![Piconomics Sensemaking: Money Distribution Models](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-967fb19d08fe360f9f73119cf5cb25bee08e3072%2Fpiconomics-money-models.jpg?alt=media) Unfortunately only 4 people participated in the voting, and we do not have a COOP established at the time of voting. For extra context, in January and February we hosted a total of **5 community events, which brought in a total profit of €76.40**. The events were organised and facilitated by one person, and one of the events received significant help of two other people working on making it happen. Similarly to the Gatherings so far, the organisers have not been paid for their work. Our next step is to **hold a Piconomics meeting** with the intention of **creating a proposal** of how our Congregation could handle money at this point of time. It's worth noting that at the moment **our Congregation do not have a decision-making protocol (decision on how to make decisions) nor a clear boundary defining who is making decisions**. Our main focus so far was on bringing people together and building trust. The question of money, decisions etc. seems to be indicating that our Congregation is maturing into the next chapter, which could use a minimum viable structure to support its further evolution. ### Resources * [4 Decision Methods](https://import.cdn.thinkific.com/241646/4DecisionMethodsforDecentralisedTeams-200303-143417.pdf) by The Hum (from [Patterns for Self-Organising Teams Course](https://www.thehum.org/online-course)) * [Decisions Agreement](https://handbook.enspiral.com/agreements/decisions) from Enspiral Handbook * [Generative Decision Making Process](https://medium.com/percolab-droplets/generative-decision-making-process-cf0b131c5ac4) by Samantha Slade * [How we make decentralized decisions](https://medium.com/the-caring-network-company/how-we-make-decentralized-decisions-ad869417b772) by Manuel Küblböck * [Money & networks: 4 common challenges](https://medium.com/greaterthan/financial-decision-making-in-self-organized-networks-4-common-challenges-bd71489151e0) by Francesca Pick # Inter Island Book Club 📚 A list of books that marked us. When visiting Faial Island we had a small impromptu gathering, when we shared **books that made big impact on us**. Here's the list: * [*Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1363427.Kybalion?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=9tGia6gZ8Y\&rank=2) by Three Initiates * [*The Clockwork*](/articles/inter-island-book-club) by Philip Pullman * [*Jung and the Alchemical Imagination*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/729910.Jung_and_the_Alchemical_Imagination?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=iryDJFuyKF\&rank=3) by Jeffrey Raff * [*The Secret Teachings of All Ages*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/183683.The_Secret_Teachings_of_All_Ages?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=wEkwUDNftV\&rank=1) by Manly P. Hall * [*Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29946.Illusions?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=48eZlWDuXU\&rank=2) by Richard Bach * [*12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30257963-12-rules-for-life?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=AtDPL2q3mU\&rank=1) by Jordan B. Peterson * [*Egyptian Myths and Mysteries*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1000906.Egyptian_Myths_and_Mysteries?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=yvbrC8gUbq\&rank=1) by Rudolf Steiner * [*Freedom from the Known*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/143877.Freedom_from_the_Known?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=q0ehgYB5uM\&rank=1) by Jiddu Krishnamurti * [*Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/170165.Seth_Speaks?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=1gUzk7dOG3\&rank=1) by Jane Roberts * [*Ishmael*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40611328-ishmael?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=MYaQakEybL\&rank=1) by Daniel Quinn * [*The Story of B*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214579.The_Story_of_B?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=JtGwflezXZ\&rank=1) by Daniel Quinn * The Gardner -> not sure, can't find the book... * [*Jonathan Livingston Seagull*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/71728.Jonathan_Livingston_Seagull?ac=1\&from_search=true\&qid=DwOnKfkEJO\&rank=1) by Richard Bach * *Cosmic Trigger I: Final Secret of the Illuminati* by Robert Anton Wilson * [*Anastasia*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18633194-anastasia?from_search=true\&from_srp=true\&qid=KkesM8hVgL\&rank=1) by Vladimir Megre # Resources # Pico Gathering Fire Starter Playbook for creating a community Gathering in Pico **This is an internal resource or our congregation, intended to help kick-start the process of our future gatherings by compiling the necessary areas to consider.** Note, that It's more of a rough guideline, rather than something to stick to religiously. You can find notes from our Previous Gatherings here: * [Pico Winter Gathering](/crews-and-projects/winter-gathering-2020), December 2020 * [Pico Summer Gathering](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021), June 2021 –> our first "proper" gathering * [Pico Autumn Gathering](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021), October 2021 Note: it's recommended to read through the retrospective sections of the previous gatherings to get more context on how we arrived at the following guideline. ### Hosting Team #### Core Hosting Team Key team of the Gathering, consisted of four people, each with their own area of responsibility: program, food, site. The team also includes the Joker 🃏 – a person who might not have the confidence to take a role in the core costing team, but is keen on learning the ropes. Ideally, the team should include 2 people with previous hosting expertise and 2 new people. In order to ensure long-lasting Gatherings, we need to build up a pool of hosts, and there's no other way to learn than by doing. #### Hosting Team People involved in creating the Gathering before and/or during the Gathering, usually coordinated by one of the Core Hosts. #### Helpers People helping out during the Gathering ### Timeline Note that the steps don't need to happen in that order. 1. The possible dates are identified during the retrospective of the previous Gathering. 2. One of the core hosts takes the responsibility of calling the new hosting team 3 months before the first date. 3. The Core Hosting Team assembles and decides on the date. A "save the date" message is sent to the participants of the previous gathering. 4. The Core Team picks the venue. 5. The Core Team creates the invitee list. An invite is sent 1,5 months before the gathering, with a cut-off registration time 1 month before the gathering. This will allow the core host responsible for site to ensure the necessary help is sourced. 6. Preparation process. Core hosting team meets whenever necessary. * Cooking team assembles. Menu is decided. Ingredients are sourced * Program is designed. Involve more people in hosting activities. * Site is prepared 7. A participation kit is sent to all the participants 8. Gathering 9. Feedback form is sent to participants 10. Core team meets for a Retrospective. Possible dates for the future gathering are identified, one person takes the responsibility of calling the core hosting team for the next gathering 3 months before the earliest date. ### The Invitation #### Invitation Checklist * dates * venue * theme * overview of what's going to happen * participation form * core hosting team + contact details **Previous invitations:** * [ ] add link to Pico Summer Community Gathering 2021 * [ ] add link to Pico Autumn Community Gathering 2021 #### Participation Form * name * phone * kids / dogs * area of volunteering (site / food / program / children) * food allergies / health conditions core team needs to know about * anything else ideas: * would you like to host an activity? If so, what would it be? #### Participation Kit Checklist * dates, venue, theme * what to bring * pitch your tent before the gathering if you want, the campsite is open * food info * substances policy ### Retrospective #### Feedback Form Checklist * What was good? * How could we improve? * What would you like to see at the next Gathering? Ideally, the feedback should be submitted before the retrospective meeting of the Core team. #### Retrospective Meeting Core hosting team concludes the gathering by having a debriefing session, and suggests ideas for improvement. The possible dates for the next gathering are identified. One person steps in to call the next Core Hosting team 3 months before the earliest date. The money is counted and reimbursed. ### Documentation Documentation of the gathering is created and published. # Our Dream Communities Drawings of our dream communities created during the Pico Autumn Gathering. The drawings below have been created by the participants of the [Pico Autumn Gathering 2021](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021), during the Stepping Into Belonging process. Presenting the drawings to everyone concluded the first day of the process, designed to help participants reflect on what is their individual vision of an ideal community. ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FxJcDAFT1TLT0iVU31UyJ%2F202110302118301000.jpg?alt=media\&token=0b02aa3b-b93d-48e3-bf74-360f2cfa4822) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FETXlJ8xAurUDgLHHCIr5%2F202110302118301001.jpg?alt=media\&token=5e5b5261-478b-4b6e-b2d8-e1971944ad8e) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FKC83XPKwIpkA1NLruHc1%2F202110302118301002.jpg?alt=media\&token=3463b0af-7749-48e5-b8f6-cb5f06183cc4) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FxyOfRsApmIE4tovzf9hR%2F202110302118301003.jpg?alt=media\&token=a5a4ceb3-c49d-49f7-b321-bfade07db116) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FZAFGUniBoRQUX4mIn48k%2F202110302118301004.jpg?alt=media\&token=ef9e216d-7a5c-41d6-894b-d856d903ba8a) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Ff0Xq5WCSiKP2IJMsMen2%2F202110302118301005.jpg?alt=media\&token=37817b9d-119e-4b14-b455-f80f5e4e8273) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FpqIPgcaAaBBpzaxIDLwY%2F202110302118301006.jpg?alt=media\&token=fd2b0b92-793f-42ee-bfbc-fbfe69059a79) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FGkCzpWBQHjtK9TFG6XM5%2F202110302118301007.jpg?alt=media\&token=e40ee2e1-9697-4191-8c14-dbbec326553f) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2F3bu3vOxVTMeCxFW3Msdo%2F202110302118301008.jpg?alt=media\&token=75b97eee-98ee-4e2d-9291-a2533c6dabe6) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FMQ5D1Z0OWZPH2QaNUpg6%2F202110302118301009.jpg?alt=media\&token=f24d8dd6-88cf-46f8-bbd0-63314e5f2793) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FWIPAIvijMmKErbltMilI%2F202110302118301010.jpg?alt=media\&token=c2703d41-2c14-4b86-925b-7a5a4001b72a) ![](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2FzemRgp02KExSaY3QX5SL%2F202110302118301011.jpg?alt=media\&token=c718fc47-d42a-499f-9a7b-634b3a043488) [Back to Pico Autumn Gathering 2021.](/crews-and-projects/autumn-gathering-2021) # What is Microsolidarity? Methodology for community building, focused on peer-to-peer support and mutual aid. [Microsolidarity](https://microsolidarity.cc) is a methodology for community building, focused on peer-to-peer support and mutual aid. It provides a lens for thinking about groups at different scales: 1. The "dyad"—a relationship between two people, eg. a couple. 2. The "crew" (sometimes called "pods")—a small group of 3-6 people who support each other in their personal or professional development. 3. The "congregation"—an organisation, network or community. ![Image from https://microsolidarity.cc](https://3080105529-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MEJuKt7I24LViDDgmYH%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f8840989af2a051c0a217eabd96a5ea284018ba9%2Fimage.png?alt=media) **The crews are intimate spaces enabling peers to achieve high level of impact at a low coordination cost**. The crews can produce an output, such as a project, product, or a company, or focus entirely on peer-support and personal development. **The crews co-develop within the congregation, which allows for effective sharing of resources and maximising opportunities and reach** via the extended network. The congregation acts as a dating pool for individuals to meet the right people to launch crews with. **Our intention is to create an island-level congregation and launch multiple crews and projects aimed at making Pico one of the most amazing places to live on Earth 💫.** *Sources:* [*Microsolidarity*](https://microsolidarity.cc) *by Richard D. Bartlett and* [*The Hum*](https://www.thehum.org/)*.* ### Learn more about Microsolidarity: {% embed url="" %} You can also learn experientially and **join the** **Microsolidarity Practice Program** (highly recommended): {% embed url="" %} # Our Stories This page compiles the stories from the growth of our congregation. ### Michal's Microsolidarity Journey A personal journey from the person behind this documentation. {% embed url="" %} ### Pico Island Congregation - 1st Summer Gathering - June 2021 Silvia Bastos, Michal Korzonek & Richard D. Bartlett have a "debrief" conversation after the first [Summer Gathering](/crews-and-projects/summer-gathering-2021) of their microsolidarity community in Pico Island, off the coast of Portugal. {% embed url="" %} Podcast version [available here](https://anchor.fm/Microsolidarity/episodes/Pico-Island-Congregation---1st-Summer-Gathering---June-2021-e136g6k). ### Microsolidarity Experiments: Pico Islands & Building Belonging A conversation between Brandon Dubé ([Building Belonging](https://www.buildingbelonging.us/)) & [Michal Korzonek](https://michalkorzonek.com) (Pico Island) {% embed url="" %} ### How to Start a Sharing Circle With Your Loved Ones (and Why You Should) An article from [Silvia Bastos](https://twitter.com/this_is_silvia) about our the origins of our [sharing circle](/crews-and-projects/sharing-circle). {% embed url="" %} # Elders Acknowledging our lineage. [Richard Bartlett](https://twitter.com/RichDecibels) & [Microsolidarity](http://microsolidarity.cc) — A plan for people supporting each other to do more meaningful work + a wonderful rabbit hole of amazing resources. [Marc Winn](https://marcwinn.com) & [Dandelion Foundation](http://dandelion.gg) — Unlocking island potential. [Enspiral](https://enspiral.com) — More people working on stuff that matters. [Francesca Pick](https://www.francescapick.com) — Exploring the future of organisations. [Mars Robertson](https://marsrobertson.com) & [BaseX Island](https://basexisland.com) — Regenerative research centre focusing on the post‑COVID New World Order economy.\ \ [Tools for Regenerative Renaissance](https://dandelion.earth/events/606dd3e63acbbf000ddaf497) – a course focused on tools and techniques that can be used and enjoyed right now for healthier, happier lives, thriving local economies, a fairer distribution of power and resources, and the healing of the planet, desigend by [Phoebe Tickell](http://www.phoebetickell.com) and [Stephen Reid](https://stephenreid.net). [Hundred Rabbits](https://100r.co/site/home.html) – experiments on resilience and self-reliance through low-tech solutions, with amazing documentation. Eternal gratitude to all of you 🙌 # Participate # Connect Connect with Pico Island Congregation We always welcome new connections! Get in touch with Michał (the guy who creates this documentation) via [twitter](https://twitter.com/michalkorzonek) or email: michal {dot} korzonek {at} protonmail {dot} com If you're based in the Azores, are interested in relocating here, or want to co-create a sailing route connecting the islands and beyond, check out our long-term vision: [Azores Regenerative Network](/azores-regenerative-network). We'd love to hear from you 🐦. # Contribute Contribute to Pico Island Microsolidarity Congregation You can **contribute with your suggestions to this documentation** by contacting me or suggesting an edit directly in [github repository](https://github.com/heymichal/pico). ## Financial Contribution **Community weaving and documenting is an important work, but it's tricky to get paid for it**. If you'd like to contribute financially, you can: * **make a small regular contribution** via my [Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/michalkorzonek) * contribute with **cryptocurrency** (PM for details) * **work with me** on weaving your community and/or creating great documentation for it (PM for details) * purchase [Community Council](https://payhip.com/b/i1F9N) - a collaborative meta-game, designed to **catalyze projects and facilitate community weaving.** Eternal gratefulness ✨