Permaculture Design Deck 2021

Design Toolkit Upgrade : Cultural Emergence empowerment deck
about 1 year ago – Wed, Apr 05, 2023 at 09:31:27 PM

"Allow for the possibility of the seemingly impossible. Give voice to your heart's desire. Widen parameters of possibility. Stay engaged with searching for solutions" - Looby Macnamara 

Springing forward! Grateful to have completed our Permaculture Design Toolkit including its companion deck, book and game. Now we are stoked to support one of the feature contributors to our toolkit, a favorite permaculture pioneer of ours who is making a permaculture inspired design deck too! 

Looby Macnamara is a pioneer in social permaculture and author of the books 'People and Permaculture' as well as 'Cultural Emergence'. She is now creating a 'Cultural Emergence empowerment deck' to share her toolkit including the Design Web framework, 7 Ways to Think Differently, 8 Shields as well as principles, practices and phases of Cultural Emergence. The cards are totally awesome and make the perfect companion to our Permaculture Design Deck you helped us crowdfund. 

The campaign ends in mere hours, early afternoon Thursday April 6, North American time.

Final opportunity to pre-order a Cultural Emergence empowerment deck, digital package, mentoring session with Looby Macnamara or Jon Young or exclusive ‘visionary leadership’ small group mentoring programme with Looby & Jon (which I will at).

Follow this link 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/loobymacnamara/cultural-emergence-card-deck?ref=dafige

Conscious crowdfunder campaign to co-create the new Cultural Emergence Empowerment Deck ends April 6. Your support makes a difference. Join in here 

 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/loobymacnamara/cultural-emergence-card-deck?ref=dafige 

Design Toolkit Extraordinaire - Cultural Emergence design deck
about 1 year ago – Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 08:23:36 AM

"Take positive action to benefit ourselves, our communities and our planet." - Looby Macnamara 

A song of gratitude celebrating our achievement together in the co-creation of the Permaculture Design Deck. These cards are now in many permaculture homes, farms and eco-villages thanks to you and our growing garden network. Thousands of free downloads have gone out all over the planet and we continue to successfully share printed decks planting the principles, tools and frameworks from the permaculture design toolkit. 

We are now working with one of our most inspired teachers, mentors and visionary leaders : Looby Macnamara. Our lives were changed by her book People & Permaculture which transformed permaculture by helping many of us understand how to design for people in addition to gardens and farms. 

Her recent book Cultural Emergence has brought another wave of inspiration to the growing global network who dreams of a caring culture which co-operates to restore our planetary ecosystem.

We caught up with Looby last spring in the UK and now plan a pilgrimage to her place in July when I will co-facilitate an Advanced Design Course weekend with her. 

Joyed to support Looby on her newest adventure : to create a Cultural Emergence card deck to share her design wisdom in a dynamic and creative way. 100 cards share Practices, Principles and Phases of Cultural Emergence as well as her Frameworks : Design Web & 7 Ways to Think Differently. The deck also shares the 8 Shields model developed by Jon Young, author of 'Coyotes Guide to Nature Connection' who has helped her develop Cultural Emergence, a holistic set of tools that support our effectiveness, designs, nature connection and connection to each other. They bring forth more awareness of culture and systems thinking.

This work is totally next level for anyone interested in permaculture or any design discipline. We highly recommend you pre-purchase a deck on her kickstarter during this limited time opportunity. Some may want to get a digital deck, a printed deck and a bespoke 1:1 mentorship session with Looby. 

Be a part of the next level of permaculture by joining us in this conscious crowdfunder to make something awesome www.kickstarter.com/projects/loobymacnamara/cultural-emergence-card-deck/

Here is a short video where Looby shares more about this exciting new initiative.  

Be a part of this new edge by pre-ordering a deck or decks today 

www.kickstarter.com/projects/loobymacnamara/cultural-emergence-card-deck/

Thanks for being a part of our conscious network. 

It means the world to us that so many people joined forces with us to manifest the miraculous. 

Every blessing to your journey into the new season.

Permaculture Wings
over 1 year ago – Mon, Aug 29, 2022 at 03:37:37 PM

“Light tomorrow with today!” –  Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Friends of our World 

Joyed to have sent most of the Permaculture Design Decks out in the world. 

Give the project wings by sharing a picture of the deck in your home or garden, or you with the deck, or an unboxing. You could email a picture or short video to us for sharing, or share yourself on social media, email or a newsletter. Link @visionary_permaculture on instagram and Delvin Solkinson on facebook. 

Here are some great pics shared from visionary kin Will @resonatechocolate

Emerald Isle : Beauty in Completion Part 2 : New Level
over 1 year ago – Sun, Aug 14, 2022 at 06:01:15 PM

An Áit A Bhfuil Do Chroí Is Ann A Thabharfas Do Chosa Thú⠀


Your Feet will bring you to where your heart is 

Greetings from high summer in the coastal rainforests of British Columbia, Canada. 

So grateful for your alliance in the collaborative community work of creating a new Permaculture Design Deck. We are deep diving into sending out decks after personally confirming mailing addresses. Last week we shared a deeper history of the project and a few of the permaculture pioneers who were the source and inspiration for many of the cards. This week we wanted to share about the process of rewriting, editing and polishing the cards on our honeymoon permaculture pilgrimage on the Emerald Isle.

In 2015 I met Grace, my twin flame who became the project manager and most important force behind the deck. She has been the creative director of this deck and the 2018 edition. She also proof read the deck and provided countless insight on how to improve it. Grateful beyond words to Grace, the light of my life.

We visited a sacred site every day for a month. At each site we took time to vision, design, meditate, pray, do ritual and ceremony. At peak moments at each sacred site U leaned against one of the stones or sat in the center of stone circle or druidic temple and rewrote and edited the Permaculture Design Deck to take it to a new level of clarity. Many new cards were also written and edited here in collaboration with Robin Clayfield and Graham Bell. 

Our honeymoon permaculture pilgrimage began and ended at Lia Fáil, the "Stone of Destiny" or "Speaking Stone" to account for its oracular legend. Myth placed this stone in Ireland at the Hill of Tara by a semi-divine race known as the Tuatha Dé Danann "the folk of the goddess Danu". Since at least 3000 BC this has been a sacred site. 

Here we did alot of visioning for the project and how to bring it into form in the highest light.

Another key location was the ancient place Sliabh na Caillí, home to a group of tombs dating as old as 4000 BCE and decorated with astonishing megalithic art. Here stands Loch Craobh (Lough Crew) 'Lake of the Tree' on top of a hill with an epic 360 degree view.

Another touchstone was timeless hours here in the mist at The Druids Altar - Drombeg Stone Circle, inspired by this ancient ritual space. Perched on a steep hill overlooking the Stone Circle and the sea beyond, we spent our time having life councils, and connecting with this sacred land and ocean. 

I spent time writing while Grace created a nature mandala on the Druids Altar.

Grateful to spend time in Achadh Greine (Field of the Sun) where we were able to have numerous visits to the legendary Clocha an Phíobaire (Piper's Stones) in County Wicklow. A massive double headed hawthorn growing around one of the stones was adorned with magical objects, covered in coins, sacred objects and ritual packages: a beautiful nature altar. The Piper's Stone itself was an outlier, a short distance from the circle and reputed to empower poets, bards and artists. While here we reflected on our journey and the path ahead, setting intentions for how to take our everyday practices to the next level and doing goal setting for the year ahead. Delvin of course loved writing permaculture design deck cards atop the Piper’s Stone!

Far across the misty mountains, through valleys and far far away from any towns we came across a place of such mystical beauty that we lost track of all time and any notion of life beyond that sacred vale. The Uragh Stone Circle, Ciorcal Cloch Uragh, overlooking pristine lakes, mountains and waterfalls was extraordinary beyond word or photo. 

“We are drawn to certain locations where the land resonates with us and pulls us towards it.” 

― Mary Reynolds, The Garden Awakening: Designs to nurture our land and ourselves

We spent much time during two visits to extraordinary gardens designed by our hero Mary Reynolds at the Díseart Institute of Irish Spirituality. It was simply breathtaking to walk the labyrinth and see the beautiful native plants, earthworks, stonework and the special magic of this place. Meditating in this powerful place of nature connection, we found ourselves at home again. 

We visited a few of different gardens designed by Mary Reynolds in Ireland then were blessed to meet and interview her. The interview is published in the new Permaculture Magazine (UK).

Here was another place of deep mystical presence, an ancient church built more than 1000 years ago with cut sandstone demonstrating masterful use of a Neolithic dry stacked stone building technique known as “corbelling.” This was one of the more unique Clocháin we saw, it was rectangular rather than round in shape, quite large, and perfectly preserved. Grateful to visit and do writing at Gallarus Oratory, Séipéilín Ghallarais.

Waking up with the sun we would never have guessed that our Journey to Skellig Michael, Sceilig Mhichíl and St Fionan’s monastery, Cluain Eraird, would be such an epic climax to our pilgrimage, including what we can only describe as a shamanic ordeal. We departed by small boat from Valentia Island on the Kerry coast. The Wild Atlantic Way led us to the kind of open ocean we had only encountered in storybooks. When we boarded the boat with many layers of clothing and rain jackets, the skipper took one look at us and provided us with full tip to toe heavy duty rain gear saying "It's going to be a bumpy ride" 

For an hour and a half we cruised through giant swells many times the size of the boat. Baptized by the ocean we were hit with a steady stream of sea spray and held onto our seats to ensure we did not fly overboard. As sea sick as we felt, it was clear that we got off easy thanks to some thoughtfully provided seasickness medication.

Far out in the ocean we reached the two rugged islands. The first was a wild place unfit for people which hosted the second-largest gannet (bird) colony in the world. We learned that early monks rowed out to the island in tiny boats, the journey taking at least 18 hours with no chance for breaks.

Passing little Skellig, we reached our destination: the many fabled island Sceilig Mhichíl (Skellig Michael), made famous in recent times as the hermitage of the elder Jedi Luke Skywalker. Coming ashore required a leap of faith from the boat while it moved up and down by 15 feet on huge swells like a seesaw. 

Shaking off the seasickness, we followed footsteps taken by the recluse monks who lived on the island ages ago by ascending 618 hand hewn rock steps to Cluain Eraird (St Fionan’s) monastery, a place associated with Archangel Michael. High winds made the trek bracing as we ascended without handrails along sheer cliffs during the pilgrimage.  

At the summit we encountered a true marvel of temple building history. Dry stacked stone created with such skill that a series clocháns, oratories and monastic structures survived the harsh weather and numerous viking attacks to remain (mostly) intact for over 1400 years, earning this place a reputation as one of the worlds most mystical UNESCO heritage sites. For many centuries this has been a pilgrimage place to what still feels like the very edge of the world. Many have come seeking contact with the divine in a place of incredible natural majesty and power. 

We are profoundly grateful to the Emerald Isle and its peoples who have cared for and preserved these sacred sites for many thousands of years so we could visit them in reverence to take the Permaculture Design Deck to the next level. 

So excited to share these limited edition, grassroots Permaculture Design Toolkits with people around the world. 

Thanks sooo much for supporting our conscious crowdfunder. The decks are being mailed out, starting with those who are confirming their postal mailing addresses. 

Endless Blessings

Delvin & Grace

Beauty in Completion : Part 1 Permaculture Pioneers
over 1 year ago – Sun, Aug 07, 2022 at 07:47:23 PM

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

A song of gratitude from the coastal rainforests British Columbia in high summer. 

Endlessly appreciate you pre-ordering a Permaculture Design Deck. Joyed to have raised over half the funds needed to produce the deck with pre-orders. Without this support it would never have happened. We are starting to ship the decks out with great love! 

 To celebrate the 'beauty in completion', a principle of cultural emergence created by Looby Macnamara, I wanted to share a few highlights and milestone moments of the 20 year creation of the Permaculture Design Deck. This will come in two parts, the first expressing gratitude to some of the key mentors, teachers and inspirations for the project.  For lack of space I just chose a small number to share here and am entirely grateful for all my teachers and mentors along the way who are all credited in the deck itself.
  The project began in 2002 with my first Permaculture Design Certificate Course and being fascinated by the principles. I taught my first PDC casually to a couple friends later that year and visioned a set of cards sharing the principles. I discovered a set of cards from Robin Clayfield sharing principles which became a core inspiration to expand the deck and take it to the next level.

    Studying with her in Australia, then again many years later in the UK was transformative and evolutionary. This marked the source inspiration for the deck that we share today. Robin and I corresponded by zoom and email during this new creation of the and collaborated to add many more of Robin's principles and tools to the new version of the deck.

   Early iterations of the project received feedback from Bill Mollison during my Masters Degree with him.

   It was amazing to take his PDC in Melbourne and spend time with him on Tagari farm in Tasmania.

   Geoff Lawton was on the PDC with Bill, and I travelled the next year to study with Geoff Lawton at Zaytuna for a teacher training, further evolving my permaculture principles list.

   The project developed with much mentorship from permaculture pioneers over the course of three diplomas, a masters and doctorate in permaculture education including 13 teacher trainings and 13 advanced courses. Everywhere I learned I took good notes and paid particular attention to principles and tools.
  Another of the most influential teachers that helped evolve the project with plenty of mentorship and critical feedback is Rosemary Morrow.

   Taking teacher trainings with her in Australia and the UK was followed by a life changing PDC in rural Greece. 

   Another milestone moment for the project was during a Teacher Training at the Bullock's Homestead with Sam & Doug Bullock , David Boehnlein and Michael Becker.  I came back many years later to an Advanced Permaculture Training there and get more input. 

   Soon after meeting Grace in 2015 we began work on a vastly updated edition beyond anything previously imagined. This was created and kickstarted in 2018 after I took an Advanced Permaculture Planning and Process course with David Holmgren and Dan Palmer where I met Brenna Quinlan. 

   Travelling to Melliodora to learn directly from David Holmgren on two occasions was a massive upgrade to my permaculture understanding and yielded much learning that would become cards.
 

   A considerable influence, inspiration and wisdom source for the project is Starhawk.
 

  Taking a Social Permaculture course in BC, then a social permaculture apprenticeship in the UK was life changing.

One of the greatest inspirations for the Permaculture Design Deck and source of many cards is the extraordinary Larry Santoyo.

   I did two teacher trainings, a master class and a non-accredited Doctorate under the mentorship of Larry Santoyo. The newest version of the deck is a core project for my current Post-Doc in Permaculture Education.

   Another amazing mentor and teacher who has taken the project to the next level is Looby Macnamara. 

   I travelled to the UK to study with Looby twice and did a 3 year Diploma with her as my tutor. The permaculture design deck was one of 10 designs for my Diploma. 

   There are so many more teachers to honour! I took so many in person trainings and received much mentorship over the decades on this project. In this light I consider the project a community collaboration.
  I will mention one more beloved teacher who contributed in significant ways to the newest 2022 edition by contributing a number of wisdom gems and new principles not previously included.
   Joyed to visit Graham in 2017 to recieve his wisdom directly in Scotland. 

We were happy to return this year to explore his forest gardens and spend time soaking in his wisdom.    

There have been many many different versions of this deck. Each is a huge evolution above the previous, rewritten and redesigned for clarity and effectiveness. 

In the next installation of this 'beauty in completion' celebration of highlights of this project's co-creation we will share a bit about our trip to the Emerald Isle where the new set was rewritten, edited and polished.
  Bright eyed
  Delvin & Grace