Reflection Time...
So, why did we do this? We most
certainly got to relax and enjoy ourselves in beautiful locales across multiple
states, but it wasn't just a happy-go-lucky vacation. We were privileged to witness some amazing
projects, talk to inspiring people, and pick up a few life lessons along the
way, and we could have written a small novel on all of our learnings. However,
I will attempt to boil down this incredible learning experience into a few of my
key personal reflections...
1.) Permaculture is just one term
for something much larger...
Permaculture is just one of many
terms out there that people use to describe progressive movements: “Organic
Agriculture,” “Biological Farming,” “Eco-Friendly,” “Social Justice,” “The
Triple Bottom Line,” “Sustainable,” “Transition,” etc... I think that at their core though, they're
all pointing towards the same thing. A future in which people demonstrate love
and compassion for one another and for the Earth. Putting a name to this
somewhat vague and intangible concept is difficult, but the bright side is that
people are trying. The name for the movement might wear out (as evidenced by
the “organic” movement and the near total devastation of the meaning of that word
in the present day) but at least people are waking up and making an effort to
change this world for the better.
2.) Permaculture is not just
growing food, it's about RELATIONSHIPS...
I went into this with a focus on
the food side of permaculture, which is clearly an important component, but I
learned that there is far more to permaculture than just sustainable vegetable
growing. We saw a creative example of sustainable construction from “Digital
Permaculture,” we saw spectacular earthen architecture at Quail Springs, we met
gifted healers and passionate social activists, and witnessed many other
examples of what might be called sustainability that didn't necessarily have to
do with food. However, the theme that Casey and I acknowledged during our trip
was that the most important component of “permaculture,” and the one that is
most often lacking, is RELATIONSHIPS!!! We saw this in our discussion with
Russell Evans from Transition Lab, as he commented that attempts at sustainable
communities, such as eco-villages, often fall apart due to a lack of social
cohesion and communication. Casey has also commented to me that many
permaculture sites he has visited are lacking in the category of community, and
that this detracts from the experience even though many of the essential
functions of a sustainable system are in place (shout out to Quail Springs
though, which Casey has highlighted as one of the best examples of a site that
also promotes a positive human community).
It's not just relationships with
others that are essential though; sustainable communities are also heavily
dependent on a healthy relationship with the self. Outer peace and cooperation
are a reflection of inner peace, and it is therefore essential for people to
develop the habits of introspection, meditation, and self awareness that calm
the internal storms. Only once we have developed that healthy relationship with
our selves can we begin to evolve into mindful and cooperative communities.
The only way to truly heal this
world is to reconnect with ourselves, the people in our communities, and all of
the living things that call this Earth home. It doesn't matter how much food we
can grow, how much energy we can produce, and how sustainably we can live, if
we can't live in peace with ourselves, our neighbors, and the planet. Building
healthy communities that exemplify the ethics of permaculture (Care of Earth,
Care of People, and Sharing the Abundance) is the way forward.
3.) The nature of the world is
ABUNDANCE!!!
My favorite saying, which I first
heard from Johnny Roos, is “We never left the garden.” The “Garden of Eden” has
always been here; we have always been provided with the resources to live in
abundance, and we simply have to reach out and accept the gift. I have often
felt that our culture speaks in terms of scarcity and competition, but from
what I've seen that's not how nature really works. The American Dream has
taught us that we must be independent and self-reliant, but when we cooperate
with one another and share our resources, there is always enough to go around.
Take food for example. There is already enough food being produced to feed
every person on the planet 3000 calories a day, but up to 40% of food produce
in America goes uneaten, whether it is lost in distribution, left to spoil, or
simply thrown off the plate! We haven't even tapped into the millions of acres
of turf lawns that could be turned into edible gardens and food forests! We
have been provided with everything we need to thrive as long as we respect the
intelligence of Earth's design and share the abundance!
4.) Changing the world isn't about
fighting “the man,” it's about being the solution...
It can't be sugar-coated, much of
our society is dominated by corrupt organizations. Big ag, big pharma, and our
government are generally not following the ethics of permaculture, but the path
to saving ourselves and this planet is not simply fighting the powers that be.
We are the answer we've been looking for, and grassroots problem-solving is the
face of progress! Signing petitions against Monsanto is an important step in
the right direction, but in order to reclaim our personal power and the power
of our communities we must come up with solutions that offer a better way of
life. It doesn't make sense to roll over and give in to corporate corruption
and government abuse, but the only way out of our current predicament is to
begin painting a picture of the society we want to have and developing the
steps to get there. As human beings we tend towards the path of least
resistance, and that path tends to be the status quo. However, if we can show
our friends, co-workers, and neighbors that there is a better way of life, and
then provide them the means to get there, that is how we will save the world.
On another note, Casey and I were able
to finish off the road trip with a two day workshop hosted by the Bionutrient
Food Association (http://bionutrient.org/),
a wonderful group striving to bring the element of quality back to our food
supply. The experience was absolutely mind-blowing for me, as I'm so new to
this world of growing food, and I'm eager to share all of this incredible
information with my friends and colleagues back in Fort Collins. The last
several years have been a tremendous journey of personal and spiritual growth
for me, and I have finally recognized that my calling is to heal people through
growing good food. Bring on the growing season!
Thank you for humoring my
philosophical ponderings. It's been a pleasure to share this journey of ours
with all of you, and I hope that through this blog some of the important
lessons of this journey have rubbed off on you.
Colton
