Summary Report of the workshop held on 13th June 2026 in the Park Ecovillage Findhorn.

Overview

labyrinth by Cansu Pelin Isbilen

The first module of “Your Community, Your Story” focused on the intersection of personal narrative, collective history, and home. Participants shared formative life experiences, explored the concept of “belonging,” and discussed methods for documenting community history through collaborative art, digital mapping, and storytelling.

This session demonstrated a high level of engagement with the concept of “relational fluidity”—the ability to hold individual freedom while deeply connected to a community. Participants expressed a clear desire to continue these intimate circle dialogues as a foundation for broader community storytelling.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

• The Importance of Home
  • participants linked their personal identity to the homes the lived in
  • some expressed their vision to manifest a place of safety, more intentional “eco-living” spaces.

bits of stories by Cansu Pelin Isbilen

Fatih and Cansu interviewed Roy and during that conversation Fatih Genckal made these sketches

• Healing Through Storytelling
  • Participants acknowledged that sharing traumatic or pivotal life events—such as early childhood separations or ancestral legacies—serves as a crucial healing process within the community.
  • The group emphasised the importance of honouring the “living legacy” of members who are present now, rather than only focusing on historical founders.
• 

  Creative Space photo Cansu Pelin Isbilen

  Creative Methodologies

  • Visual Arts: Participants used sketching, mandala-making, and collage to process their stories, finding that tactile activities helped articulate feelings that were difficult to express through words alone.
  • Theatre: One participant conceived the concept for her next theatre project entitled ‘The Calling’.
  • Digital Integration: A focus was placed on making these stories accessible to those outside the community, with plans to share stories as part of the ‘collective autobiography’ on the COIF website.

collage by Swan Treasure

Action Items & Next Steps

• 

  Creating together photo Cansu Pelin Isbilen

  Project Collaboration

  • Digital Timeline: Participants are invited to contribute to a collaborative timeline project to document community history, dates, and themes (e.g., food, agriculture).
  • Video/Archive: Efforts will continue to record and archive personal stories. Interested members are encouraged to consult with regarding digital storytelling techniques.
  • Laura Pasetti: the workshop inspired her next ‘Quest’ theme: Calling
• Story Development
  • Several participants committed to drafting specific narratives regarding their homes and ancestral influences for publication in the ‘collective autobiography’ .
• Ongoing Engagement
  • Participants were encouraged to photograph and email their creative work (collages, mandalas) to the project organisers.
• Feedback forms from Module 1 were completed to help shape upcoming sessions. 4.5 star rating for the workshop overall.

Watch this space for outcomes and links to stories created in this workshop:

• Manda Stretch was interviewed by Dorota Owen and created the first story as a result of this workshop. Thank you! Click here to read How I Came to Live in Treetops.
• Romany Buck – My very own Findhorn Saga

COIF TEAM

Inspired by CommUnity, a group of NFA volunteers, manages this website. Hearing each others stories, and learning about the history of this community can help us all to find more cohesion and a sense of belonging. Read more.&lt