Curso de Autossuficiência
Da teoria à Prática
5 e 6 de Fevereiro 2022
Serra da Estrela-PortugalUm curso onde os conteúdos sâo adaptados às necessidades das pessoas
Learn Permaculture Design Courses in Europe with Helder Valente, one of the original students of Bill Mollison the creator of Permaculture Design.
Um curso onde os conteúdos sâo adaptados às necessidades das pessoas
My goal is to have fun and to make ohers have fun with the learning process because the more relaxed we are and the more fun we have, the more we learn.
This workshop will be about how can we aply permaculture and the way nature works in our day to day life.
We will look at what are our ecological challenges to regenerate the planet and what are the tools we can use for better results.
Climate change has been a central piece of human presence on the planet and there is still a long way for humans to live in total harmony with the environment. How can we create a shortcut and speed up a more of a low impact lifestyle that focuses on giving more to nature than what we actually take, both by planting forests, making organic gardens, cleaning the water, building natural houses and having natural energy systems.
We will also look at what are our limiting social dynamics to be able to work together and organize as groups and communities of people that support eachother with materials, products, medicines and basic needs to be able to generate bottom up solutions to the climate and social crisis we live in.
We will talk about non violent communication, deep listening, empathic presence, childlike observation and supportibe being.
Nature will be our guide on this trip and we will talk about the most important lessons we can receive from nature and the surounding environment, its patterns of energy flow, its self regulating expression and the deep healing connection we can create by being part of it with our mind, body, soul and spirit.
The answers are all around us, we just have to observe deeply and pay attention with all our senses, opening up to this vision and presence will allow for all we need to come and to be nurtured by natures full presence
The aims are:
Recognize our limiting factors for integrating our "humanity"
Look into what we can improve as active members of this planet for an harmonic presence.
Provide tools for people to apply on their day to day life about sustainable lifestyles.
Share how nature works and the deep connection that can arise from that.
Inspire people to be more connected with their senses in a way that they can feel natures expressions and language.
Its all about the anthropocene and how we can tune in to nature and eachother so that our energy frequency can be adjusted to a new dimention of expression.
This is the direction...
JANEIRO
Depois do natal os dias crescem um saltinho de pardal e no fim de Janeiro a quem bem contar, hora e meia lhe há-de achar.
Não há luar como o de Janeiro.
Season 2024 European Tour

And so, brave people from 10 different countries, so different from each other, yet we got together for the same reason or cause- we want to shift from an outdated broken society model to a conscious, harmonious co-existing with Nature, where we can all be involved, from growing a pepper on your urban balcony (and maybe some guerrilla planting shhh) to regenerating soils, forest, and rivers. It’s a change of mindset where you realize (or more like you are being reminded) that ANYONE can make a change. Anyone can grow food, in any conditions. Each of us plays an important role, wherever we are, and whoever we are- a farmer with many lands, or the weirdo of the family, backpacking around the world- we are all connected in this web of transformation and we are the influence in our community or family, and nowadays, influence is power. So this Permaculture internship was for me, among other things, about Empowerment.
Empowerment and understanding the Essence- whatever the question is, the answer can be found in Nature, by observing, interacting and experimenting. We humans, as Observers, can change the world around us, thus we are creators of our own worlds (inspiration from quantum physics). When we slow down and observe Nature, we see problems as solutions, we understand the natural succession of things, where each part plays a role in the cycle of life, where there are no invasive species, just pioneer soldiers doing their job to balance something our or to regenerate damaged soils or ecosystems. By understanding the Patterns in Nature, we understand ourselves, and by understanding ourselves we move upward in the spiral of Life.
I’ve learned that Permaculture is about compassion, for all life forms- it’s empathizing with the Earth, with Nature, with the plants, with the animals, the insects, the rivers, the soils, but also with ourselves and the other humans beings across the globe. It’s a holistic approach on Life.
I’ve learned that techniques and recipes are useful but once you understand The Essence of a process, you don’t need the recipe anymore. You can make your own fertilizer, you can make your own vinegar!
I’ve learned that when working with Nature, as with people, being gentle is more important than having a lot of knowledge and experience. Mindset and attitude are more important than any material resources.
With every course of the internship it felt like I’m putting a puzzle together to finally see “the bigger picture”:
PDC design course: the most intense course in my opinion, touches many aspects of our lives, from good design of our gardens and lives, to patterns in nature. We started by learning about Permaculture classics and their methods, like Bill Mollison that said:
“Permaculture is a dance with Nature- in which Nature leads.”
We continued with Natural Succession, understanding the process and purpose of an eco-system, from Gramineae to forests. We studied soil composition and the importance (VERY important) of soil health in relation to balanced systems, abundant yield and sustainable agriculture. Of course we also touched classic topics like different types of composts, dry toilets, water management and household efficiency.
Food forest course: finally, all our questions answered, because everything goes down to 1 thing basically- and obviously I won't say it here!
Starting with the basics- how to plant something (you gotta start somewhere); companion planting (what goes where and who likes what); tips on trees (excuse the pun), from planting to mulching, pruning, grafting, and harvest processing; importance of bio-diversity (F* monocultures!); soil quality and funky fertilizers (one rule- use what you have in abundance); natural pest control; to more fancy stuff like creating Mandala Gardens (or any other poetic shape), following natural Patterns to incorporate efficiency with beauty, because that’s how Nature likes it (if you didn’t know now you know).