Traditional for this time of year is the New Year resolutions, a time when we set ourselves new goals and try and create new patterns in our lives. Almost as traditional is the breaking of these new resolutions. There is more to it then just having the desire, obviously. Voicing our commitment out loud to others is one way in which we increase our chances of success. One of my New Year resolutions is to write a weekly blog, and here I am sharing that to encourage me to stick to it.
For the next 12 weeks I will be taking one of the 12 permaculture principles in turn and observing how I can use them in my life in different situations. I’m often asked how to become familiar with all of the principles, remember them and be able to intuitively apply them. One suggestion I have is to take the principles one at a time, and to think about just this one for a day or a week. So I’m taking my own advice and looking at a principle for the week and deepening my understanding of it.
As diploma tutors we are now being encouraged to create a practice portfolio for our design work. I have about 10 different designs currently active in my life that I will be documenting over the coming year. These include my personal health and well-being, my poly income, a collaborative design for developing people and permaculture and our search for land. I have previously looked at all 12 principles in relation to a particular design, I’m now switching that around to look at one principle in relation to all 10 designs. The application of permaculture principles is a powerful design tool. Principles is one of the anchor points of the exploratory phase of the design web; they can be used to look at the problem, to create ideas and to choose between possible solutions.
After some deliberation as to which one to start with, and whether to just go through them in existing order, or perhaps to choose then randomly, I have decided to choose the one that feels most appropriate for the time. So to begin I have chosen to work with designing from patterns to details. Over this coming week, especially from Monday when my girls go back to school, I will take stock of the routines and habits that I have, and those I want to create. To begin I will take some time to appreciate the regenerative patterns I already have in my life, and find ways to enhance these and keep them active. I will also look at my patterns that are degenerative and no longer serve me that I could let go of. Thirdly, I will explore the patterns that I wish to create. I can then focus on the details of these and how I can create patterns of success in implementing these new routines by starting small and keeping things achievable.
My first regenerative pattern that I started tonight, is my weekly blog each Thursday. Please do sign up for my newsletter to receive an email each time I post. And over the week there can be some discussion about each principle applied to people situations on the people and permaculture Facebook page.
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