YOGA and permaculture

I hit the search function and came up empty handed, so I thought I'd start our very own PERMIES YOGA THREAD. I figured this be the best place to do so, but if any mods want to move it, no problem on my end. I wanted to awaken the conversation of how our permaculture practice inter-twines with the practice of yoga. I love the idea that permaculture synchronizes the elements to bring us long-term health in soil/plants, ecosystems and humans. Both mentally, physically and spiritually. I find these same principles to be found in the yoga practice.

Through inspiration from my soul mate and the woman of my dreams, I have been getting into Yoga over the past couple of years. I have discovered the practices of yoga and permaculture to be perfectly aligned. Both are systems of ultimate balance and strategic harmony with nature and self. Both are systems designed for longevity and long term health. Both systems as simple or as complicated as you would like to make them.. And both systems evoke a sense of positivity and well-being unmatched by much else...

Can anyone relate? How so? I believe this is the "tip of the ice-berg", so let's have your thoughts people. I know they're out there..........

NAMASTE

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.

I understand very well what you are saying. However, this thread was designed to bridge Yoga and Permaculture. It's in fact about precisely that- the manifestation of mindfulness through yoga and permaculture. How are those manifestations similar? How do they complement one another? I am not refuting that yoga is beneath an umbrella of mindfulness.. I'm not sure you can speak of yoga OR permaculture without speaking of mindfulness, or conscious awareness.. But the intent of this thread was to cultivate ideas relating to two specific practices. With respect to your post, how do you find mindfulness meditation to help you in your permaculture/gardening practices? And does anyone do yoga in their gardens?

"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

Matt Chester wrote:I hit the search function and came up empty handed, so I thought I'd start our very own PERMIES YOGA THREAD. I figured this be the best place to do so, but if any mods want to move it, no problem on my end. I wanted to awaken the conversation of how our permaculture practice inter-twines with the practice of yoga. I love the idea that permaculture synchronizes the elements to bring us long-term health in soil/plants, ecosystems and humans. Both mentally, physically and spiritually. I find these same principles to be found in the yoga practice.

Through inspiration from my soul mate and the woman of my dreams, I have been getting into Yoga over the past couple of years. I have discovered the practices of yoga and permaculture to be perfectly aligned. Both are systems of ultimate balance and strategic harmony with nature and self. Both are systems designed for longevity and long term health. Both systems as simple or as complicated as you would like to make them.. And both systems evoke a sense of positivity and well-being unmatched by much else...

Can anyone relate? How so? I believe this is the "tip of the ice-berg", so let's have your thoughts people. I know they're out there..........

NAMASTE

Matt, I see what you are saying and agree very much. For me, yoga, permaculture, my craft are all entwined. I never liked using the word 'hobby'...I just wanted everything I did to be a part of the whole. I am sometimes very focused on practicing yoga but go through periods where I let it slip until this sixty two year old body says 'do something'. I have a problem quieting my mind and being outdoors wandering and observing plants and trees and rocks is very meditative for me.

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.

And thank you as well for your reply, Judith. As I have just been getting into yoga over the last couple years, I also find myself "slipping" sometimes. For me, I get the most out of yoga when I do it consistently. But life happens, and it's not always possible. Yoga doesn't grow itself I find yoga allows me to focus my mind more easily, and I find permaculture to make me far more observant of my surroundings than ever before. And vice versa. Even if those surroundings have nothing to do with permaculture, I find myself being more consistently "activated" and in tune, much like the feeling I get when I consciously focus on the alignment of my mind, body and breath in yoga. I find deep relaxation to also follow both experiences in yoga and in the garden. I feel much more content after doing both as well. As good as yoga and gardening can feel in the moment, and as much as they can liven the idea of true concentration, that feeling of positivity and balance often comes with us when those moments pass, and we continue on with our paths. There is a greater sense of balance in the soul after getting dirty black hands, and pushing our selves to yogic consistency. I wonder if paul will have some yoga sessions on his land..?

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".

Yes! yoga and permaculture aim to align with nature! really potent uniting life forces. and yes, when in the garden i do asana and kriyas sometimes with special modifications for multitasking. however, my deep consistent yoga practice takes place elsewhere (where i can stream lessons). It is amazing to experience the similar cycles and patterns shared between nature, the body, invisible structures etc. logically holistic,

Yoga is more elemental than permaculture. in the broad sense of the word yoga, the foundation of permaculture relates to the first 3 yogic limbs, but the last 5 limbs of yoga are about a cosmic place from which the humanity of permaculture is observed? from sec/zone 00 right...

embrace the polyogapermaculture to transcend.

"Design is as natural as breathing, and, like breathing, most of us can learn to do it better" - David Holmgren. Are they so intertwined as breathing is yin to the yang of design? They both have yin and yang aspects within themselves. Both should be observed and interacted with... The breath breaths you, you can interact for it to deepen. You are here, you can interact with a positive design.

If something in one discipline doesn't make sense try looking at the opposite.
Surely those extended PDC's / Yoga Immersions are incredible.

Many thanks for all of your responses! Here's a book I will start reading as soon as the wifey gets done with it. She says great things of it! Thought I'd share..

http://www.amazon.com/The-Tree-Yoga-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1570629013