Engaging in the use of Permaculture Design is both a commitment to shifting our agriculture to a more regenerative, beyond Organic, approach to growing food and utilizing natural resources (or “relatives” as Chief Oren Lyons would say) in a balanced way.  We recognize that Earth, Water, Fire, and Air combine to create plants and therefore food and medicine.  In attempt to live in right relationships with the elements, we utilize patterns of nature and principles of ecology (both drawing upon Traditional Ecological Knowledge and modern systems-based science, which ranges from Quantum Physics to Agro-ecology to the Unified Field Theory – all of which help us to see the context and content of sustainable regenerative living.  We can expand this design process beyond agriculture to culture itself, which not only relies upon an intact agriculture, but also includes various invisible structures including governance, economics and currencies, land tenure and ownership models.

As a Designer, I utilize an elemental approach to site analysis and whole systems design.  Weaving wisdom from yogic, daoist, and other elemental medicine wheel teachings, I focus my designs not only on whole systems, but on personalized dietary and herbal medicine that is appropriate for individuals and families.  As a Planetary Herbalist with the East West School of Herbs, my goal is to support individuals in growing medicinal plants for themselves and for Earth.  Whether for bees or butterflies, habitat for lizards or songbirds, our gardens can become not only oases for life, but sources of healing food and herbs for ourselves and our families.