“Look at the pattern below: The alphabet is arranged in a particular pattern here. What is it? If you were illiterate you would more easily see it. Initially, I looked for an arithmetical pattern, but that does not work. Or some form of wave… Is it Morse code? No. What is it? The letters on the upper line consist of all straight lines and those on the lower line all contain curves. Once you know, it is obvious. Why is something so obvious so difficult to see? What else are we missing? How does this impact our effectiveness? How do we learn to see patterns not things?” – Joel Glanzberg, Pattern Mind, 2019. Joel’s question of “why is something so obvious so difficult to see” is one that becomes increasingly present as we learn to observe through an integrated, patterned lens. Why are we paying millions of dollars for infrastructure damage during flash floods in the southwest and yet still designing streets that act as rifle barrels shooting water past thirsty trees barricaded off by curbs? Why are we designating billions to road improvement and to lane expansion and not to alternative transit? Why are we designing homes with thirsty monoculture lawns and without any rainwater harvesting, greywater, and water-wise appliances yet complaining about water shortages in the west? The more we learn, the more we ask these important questions. It all seems so obvious, but we are raised to see pieces, to observe objectively, and to associate wonder with childhood and childhood alone. Yet we could learn a lot from the wonders, systems, and patterns in nature. Although based out of Santa Fe, NM, Joel Glanzberg has travelled across North America, helping us shift away from segregated towards patterned thinking. His journey reads as an effort to help us regain what was lost from our ancestors – of understanding, respecting, and playing an important role in nature. If we were able to better engage in pattern thinking, we could find those critical points to shift and create a new ripple in the pond, a new pattern that may make a whole lot more sense. Least change for the greatest effect. Joel is a founding partner of Regenesis Collaborative, working with schools, farms, resorts, parks, housing, neighborhoods, and more in an effort to consider the whole living ecosystem. Through this work, he is helping us re-envision our roles as humans from a source of destruction and degradation to health and regeneration. Why do what he is instead of teaching the standard Permaculture Design Certification? Joel wanted to make way for new leaders to join the field and enact change. He sees hope in young permaculturalists teaching and also working with policy makers, economic systems, community design, and other important change makers in our society. Through these large influential networks, we can enact largescale positive, regenerative change. Discover more about Joel and Pattern Mind at: http://patternmind.org/
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Ha: Breath of life that flows through all – the spirit I: The self, interconnected to everything Ku: Rising upright, also the name given to the rising sun Permaculture: Study of natural systems and human living systems, integrating principles into human living systems for efficiency and productivity Initiative: To initiate something new
I write from “the seed house.” Looking out the south window I see a ripening rack of bananas; the north window view includes hundreds of lemons ripening just outside the building. I hear the occasional ‘thump’ of an avocado falling. So it is here. What was once a eucalyptus dominated landscape lacking in diversity now boasts papaya, avocado, lemon, banana, mango, coconut, plantain, breadfruit, passionfruit, pineapple, ginger, turmeric, taro, chicken of the woods mushrooms, Cuban oregano, katuk, gotu kola, and much more. At HAPI, a small set of managers and interns keep the ecosystem alive and thriving for plants, animals (including us humans), and fungi. Agroforestry, syntropic farming, and permaculture ethics guide the site design. Agroforestry involves incorporating trees and shrubs in crop and animal farming systems. The integrated system results in increased biodiversity and reduced erosion. Syntropic farming was popularized by Ernst Gotsch out of Brazil, looking to create resilient ecosystems that not only are thriving, but also economically viable while healing abused land. Although courses in permaculture are rarely taught at HAPI, the practice of learning from natural systems and incorporating these principles in the design process is highly valued and applied. A work week at HAPI involves 25 hours, with lots of free time for exploration and connection with our environment. In my time here, I harvested and cleaned turmeric, cleared encroaching vegetation for improved pineapple production, emptied and cleaned compost toilets, harvested taro root, gathered passion fruit from the forest, fed chickens, helped prepare community meals almost entirely from food grown at the farm, attended weekly check-ins with everyone on site, and ran after my exploring toddler while my husband led a solar array installation. I also forged lasting relationships with the young and inspiring interns here, especially Krista and Jane. And of course, we explored Haleakala National Park, swam and was humbled by the power of the ocean at a little-known special tidal pool site, spent lots of time on the beach swimming, snorkeling and surfing, stood under one of the tallest waterfalls I have ever seen, hiked through a creaking bamboo forest, watched Maui’s largest surf break called Jaws, and visited the farmers market in Kula every Saturday. The site managers have a common goal that when interns or participants leave HAPI, they experience a stronger connectedness to nature through what they call “nature enchantment.” Imagine if all of us were enchanted with the wonders of nature at a young age. Perhaps our relationship with nature would be one of higher respect and reciprocity. Our time at HAPI is coming to a close, and we pick up the next leg of our journey with permaculturalist and pattern mind philosopher Joel Glanzberg in New Mexico. Find out more about HAPI at: http://www.hapimaui.com/ What does permaculture mean to you? What do you think about the term? About the permaculture community as a whole? Where is this ‘permaculture momentum’ taking us? What differentiates the permaculture movement from all other grassroots movements?
These are some of the questions guiding my 6-month journey. In my role as a sustainability professor, I’ve observed hope in permaculture. I see hope in regenerative design, a conscious effort to better synchronize our relationship with nature, taking accountability for the products we buy and dispose of, and taking better care of our earth as well as each other. In many ways, permaculture has provided light to the darkness often creeping in when researching and teaching about sustainability, a darkness I call ‘eco-depression.’ Imagine if we lived in a world where we made long and slow observations before designing communities, our modes of transit, our forms of employment and recreation. Where we incorporated principles such as stacking functions, catching and storing renewable energy, and designed our surrounding landscapes for beauty, harvests, and human and animal inhabitants. Imagine if our political structure was critically analyzed and restructured in a way that positively benefited all of those encompassed. Permaculture provides the blueprint to do these things, and thus, it provides hope. Of course, as with the yoga community along with countless other grassroots self and earthy healing movements, I’ve observed also areas of concern. Financial mismanagement, greed, disorganization and more creep in, and the inspired can be left frustrated and wondering what really is the answer. This brings me back to my journey. Where is this movement taking us – how is it doing so, is it the right path, and what – if anything - needs tweaked to strengthen the momentum and solidify the tri-part goal of permaculture for earth care, people care, and fair share. These next six months will involve approximately 20 interviews with many leaders in the movement, at sites ranging from Maui to Massachusetts. My goal on this journey is to discover how to best guide myself and others in repositioning our relationship with nature, which includes ourselves, from parasitic, to mutualistic or even regenerative. |