In permaculture we look for constants and patterns such as: level pacifies water, the sun is always in the southern part of the sky while viewing from the northern hemisphere, or that the moon, which moves east 13-15 degrees in the sky each night causes it to rise around an hour later each day after a new moon. These constants/patterns provide a framework in which we can design to.
What is often not discussed in permaculture courses is the constants and patterns of mental activity when it comes to thought processes and how those effect how we feel and behave. This framework does not imply that all people think, feel, or act the same way. What it suggests is that a pattern, that is constant enough throughout the world, can be observed and designed to. By understanding this pattern as a permaculturist we can not only design in land and water arenas but can design our mental landscape as well.
THE FRAMEWORK:
1. The brain has a belief that was either taught, learned, or observed. (I believe the sky is blue)
2. That belief then “creates” a thought, which has the possibility to go in almost any direction. (light blue sky usually means it is sunny outside)
3. That thought “alters” how we feel. (I enjoy sunny light blue skies, they usually come with warm temperatures and a joyous smile on my face)
4. How we feel then “dictates” how we act/behave. (I feel joyous and am pleasant and smile more to others)
5. How we behave is what others get to experience. (My smile beget me more smiles)
This basic framework, whether conscious of it or not, is what most people go through when they have a thought, feeling, and action. By understanding this framework/mental patterning, we can identify problem thinking patterns that we want to change, then set boundaries on those thoughts, and then begin the process of changing those thoughts to produce the desired feelings, behaviors, and experiences we truly want. Understanding this pattern and redesigning desired results is similar to capturing run off on a landscape, redirecting it across and into the soil, and then harnessing the energy of that water to produce an abundance of food and vegatation that benefit us and the environment. It has limitless possibilities to positive and regenerative effects on the mental landscape, and like a swale or keyline plow, is a tool that any permaculture designer would greatly benefit from.
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4 Comments
Brett Pritchard
Interestingly, those steps can also work in reverse. If you modify your behaviour (be pleasant, smile to others, etc.) this will influence how you feel, which in turn effects your thoughts. These new thoughts then form the basis of new belief patterns. Bill did say ‘everything works both ways’ 🙂
Brett Pritchard
Interestingly, those steps can also work in reverse. If you modify your behaviour (be pleasant, smile to others, etc.) this will influence how you feel, which in turn effects your thoughts. These new thoughts then form the basis of new belief patterns. Bill did say ‘everything works both ways’ 🙂
Brett Pritchard
In permaculture teaching I always stress the importance of ‘patterns of human behaviour’ and how central this is to the design. This includes your own patterns of behaviour and belief systems. I often get students to do a Products/Intrinsic characteristics/Needs analysis on themselves, as they are central to their design (zone 00?). Then when working on a community level one needs to understand human behaviour at that level, and concepts such as groupthink and peer pressure, to enable the weaving of invisible structures. As we are designing to supply the needs of human beings an understanding of the ‘mental/emotional’ underpinnings of human behaviour is crucial.
Brett Pritchard
In permaculture teaching I always stress the importance of ‘patterns of human behaviour’ and how central this is to the design. This includes your own patterns of behaviour and belief systems. I often get students to do a Products/Intrinsic characteristics/Needs analysis on themselves, as they are central to their design (zone 00?). Then when working on a community level one needs to understand human behaviour at that level, and concepts such as groupthink and peer pressure, to enable the weaving of invisible structures. As we are designing to supply the needs of human beings an understanding of the ‘mental/emotional’ underpinnings of human behaviour is crucial.