Exploring Social Permaculture

Social permaculture is a juicy little phrase that can evoke some good energy. It speaks to something foundational to our very survival. We can start this short exploration by considering the current definition of permaculture, by one of its two co-originators:

Consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of local needs. 

People, their buildings and the ways in which they organize themselves are central to permaculture: the original permaculture vision of permanent or sustainable agriculture has evolved to one of permanent or sustainable culture (Source).

It’s encouraging to see how the definition has evolved since the origins of permaculture in the 1970s. The main aspect of that evolution is the inclusion of people and culture in a broader sense. And that broadening is reflected in a growing interest in what’s being called Social Permaculture.

It’s on the radar, at least in part, because of the recognition of the limitations on success at the permaculture project level of not being able to communicate effectively and not being able to navigate the inevitable disagreements that arise. And in the larger context, because those same limitations are obviously writ large across entire cultures and societies, there will never be anything resembling permaculture unless they are addressed. 

The challenge in the social realm of relationships—communication, decision-making, conflict resolution, etc.—is an essential aspect of learning regenerative ways to inhabit the earth. Thomas Berry’s wrote of the need for “mutually-enhancing” relationships between people and the earth and he called this the great work of our time. And whatever that looks like, it’s increasingly clear that moving in that direction at any kind of scale will require deep levels of human collaboration, which in turn, will require levels of personal and relational capacity and resilience that humanity has yet to embody.

So where do we start in the social arena? 

Regenerative Relationships

My research on social permaculture suggests that a lot of the folks interested in it are applying the permaculture design principles to the social dimension, with limited success.

I can understand those limitations because my reading of the principles tells me that they simply weren’t created for application in the social realm. So we need to look elsewhere for strong foundational principles. And because the whole idea of “permanence” is suspect and not aligned with nature and life in general, an overarching focus on regeneration seems more fitting for both the vision that many of us now carry, and the challenge we rise to meet.

This points us toward a vision and a practice of regenerative human relationships. Starting with individual capacity—groundedness, clear seeing, clean communication, resilience—we can imagine relationships that nourish and are resilient enough to transform inevitable conflict into deeper levels of authenticity and connection. Human relationships that are themselves an open field of self-discovery and collective possibility.

I’ve been working this territory for over 15 years and I’ve never been more jazzed by it. As more and more people rise to the relationship challenge they will be able to put their good intentions into practice more effectively—being supported and appreciated in the process—and we will experience the co-creation and emergence that the earth itself and the human longing for a more beautiful world calls forth.

All of this, including Five Foundations and other capacities for regenerative relationships, is explored more deeply in the free, 90-minute online session I offer called The Relationship Pivot: Catalyst for the Great Turning. More information can be found here. Email me to register for the next class.