Permaculture Principals

Well, I have finally done it. I am getting my certification in Permaculture. It was about 20 years ago that I first read the word in print reading an article on perennial wisdom in Quest Magazine, a publication of the Theosophical Society. 

http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine

It was one of those concepts that resonated so purely that my busy mind was able to focus on it singularly, with a quiet mind. Something that people who meditate practice over and over with a mantra. I knew that this word symbolized something that would be a major part of my life; my mantra. Yet it was something that I knew little about. 

This blog was started 5 years ago, with permaculture in mind. I was finishing my masters in organizational development at the Leadership Institute of Seattle, my son was 2 years old and I still struggled to articulate what it was about permaculture that I wanted to say. At the time, I wanted to blog about what I was learning about leadership and share some of that with the world. I sensed that permaculture was the ultimate methaphor for leadership. I hypothesized that permacuture would coorespond to creativity, community and learning seemlessly.

As I blogged about neuroscience, cooperation and conversation as practices of leadership, I knew I was exploring some good stuff. I believed the best outcomes for leadership could indeed be cultivated; that leadership was in essence an act cultivation. Since then, I launched the Community Conversations Project, graduated with my masters, entered the world of Tranistion Towns, moved across the country (again), and began working full time as an educator in higher education for a for-profit institution. 

Now, I am on sabbatical studying permaculture with Lisa Fernandes at The Resiliency Hub and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. It is time to renew my blogging activity.

According to David Holmgren (Permaculture Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability)  and PermiculturePrincipals.com there are the three permaculture ethics: 

• Care of the Earth
• Care of People 
• Fair Share

Turns out they correspond well with creativity, community and learning. Especially if you feel like I do that we as people on this planet are learning most about how to share.