I'm a nerd for words and I love taking and breaking them down to the root. I've done so with permaculture and found a very lovely definition I think you all will appreciate.
PERMA can be broken down to Per & Ma. In Ancient Egypt 'Per' meant house
Ma, on one hand, can be interpreted a variety of ways. most notably, it is the start of Mama, as in Mother Earth.
Relatedly, the Egyptian root of Ma refers directly to the Goddess Ma'at, who presides over the scales used to weigh the heart (against a feather) after death. Ma'at, therefore, is the Goddess not only of balance but measurement as well. From Ma'at we get a host of words related to measurement like Math, Mastery (measurement of the asters ((stars), Mater, Manifestation, etc.
Finally, the root of culture refers to the practice of cultivation (duh). So, if you put it all together, the definition of permaculture is something like:
The Living House of Balance That is Nature.
p.s. I share this definition because words are magical things. To write is 'to rite' in that it constitutes one of the most fundamental of sacred rituals. the word scribe (and I assume sacred) have deep ties to the 'scarab' the Egyptian God Kephra whose name meant 'To Bring into Being.' Every time we 'spell' a word we take part in an act of magic. Grammar is like a 'grimoire' a book for magical spells. The period at the end of every sentence refers to the 'per' (house) and yod, the Hebrew letter for spirit). Hence, every period makes a little house for the words we right. I could go on but you get the point.
“Trees know when we are close by. The chemistry of their roots and the perfumes of their leaves pump out change when we're near...when you feel good after a walk in the woods, it may be that certain species are bribing you”
― Richard Powers, The Overstory
per = according to
ma = mother
cult = a group bound together by veneration of the same thing
ure = one character shy of "urea", a compound much venerated by permaculturists
Thus, permaculture = "according to mother, a cult which venerates urine".
Devoured by giant spiders without benefit of legal counsel isn't called "justice" where I come from!
-Amazon Women On The Moon
Morgan Freeman narrated the birth and life of this tiny ad:
the permaculture bootcamp in winter (plus half-assed holidays)