Michael Milligan

Matt Chester wrote:Thanks for your reply Michael. The intent of this thread is this very conversation. So tell me, what is mindfulness in your opinion? And to you, what is the difference between mindfulness and concentration? Is there one? I am surprised you haven't mentioned consciousness... What is your take on "it"? And have you ever practiced, not just "done", yoga? Or is your experience vicarious? Thanks again for the conversations.

"Mindfulness" is the practice of being in the "now", the present. It is the active pursuit of self-awareness and development of emotional self-understanding. You may know it as "vipassana". I was first introduced to it via mental health, as stress reduction. All the mental health science points this way.

As for my "take on 'it'" as in conciousness... well... I don't know if I can say with any clarity what that would be. But it is "us", our sense of self. It is that think I know as Michael and it exists behind my eyes and looks out at the world. It is not my brain, but something the brain generates that thinks of itself as "me".

Please help me make another's dream come true!


Hello everyone. There is a woman very dear to me. She has had a dream for years and years of going to California (LA) and taking classes in spiritualism. I don't know the details as of yet.

Happiness to me is a function of the happiness I can bring to others. She is in a bad place in her life, I love her, I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't do everything to help this relatively simple dream be a reality.

What I'm hoping to find are some caring permies (are there any other kind? I mean seriously!) with a cheap room to rent somewhere in LA. Again, a pretty simple dream, I know.

This is important to me because it is important to her. If I help her, she will be able to help countless others. She needs to go on this journey and I need to help her do that.



If you have a room, allowing this spectacular Canadian woman to share your home for a while will bring as much to your life as this adventure would bring to her's. We just need to bring the cost of this trip down to make it feasible. LA is expensive and as a Canadian she can't legally work there. I know she has some money and will need to stay for a handful of months.

When you meet her, you will fall in love as I have. She is just that type of person, but she needs our help, and she is worth the world.



Thank you,
Michael

Sheet mulching is the way to go for me! Always lol.

"With respect to your post, how do you find mindfulness meditation to help you in your permaculture/gardening practices? "


I recently told a friend that gardening doesn't help with depression; it's that when I'm gardening, I'm not depressed.

Gardening IS a mindfulness meditation. It doesn't need to be a separate act. Paying attention to all the smells, colours. Actually BEING there while playing in the garden. It is my understanding that much of the physical act of yoga is to relax the body so that the mind is free to do exactly what I'm talking about. To feel the breath or the sun light or experience your garden without distraction of restless legs or tension.

The garden is a place for all of this. Being mindful of ourselves is the only way to grow a garden we want.

So, I don't really know what you are looking for in terms of people's contributions to your thread here, but I don't think you will find many people with much practice at "vipassana" or mindfulness or focusing on the present that find any line between these and their garden. There is no real boundary between us and our environment. imho

I was introduces to mindfulness meditation by some mental health professionals. While you say that yoga and permaculture "intertwine" well, the actual thread (inmo) is mindfulness. Yoga is one way of practising and exercising mindfulness towards our minds and bodies, permaculture is to exorcise mindfulness over our surroundings. It's about what we actually are and where we actually sit in the actual universe.

You will have a great time. Here is a trick, look for "propagation Bonsai". A bonsai can be made of any type of tree, so what you'll find is tons of info written for the beginner. Lots of pictures and forums and articles about propagating trees like it's going out of style! lol

Seeds and "soft wood" or "tip" cuttings are the places to start, imo.

There is a requirement to label GMO foods in the UK. I think. In the USA however, given the power of Agri-business I think a ban on labelling of gmos is more likely!

There is a good chance you'd have an easy time of it if you pitch it as a "low maintenance edible landscape". Sounds more familiar, simpler, and you can avoid going "full permie" right out of the gate. It is just PR, practical concern. Same thing in the end.

Oh... Never mind, I found the link to the "full site". [blush]

Forgive me if this has been covered, but the forum is really awkward to navigate by phone, I don't even know how to find the search field! Lol that is my question. Is there some better way to view these forums? The link I really want is the one to see all the new posts, but it is absent.

Is there a forum app or something? Is it just me?