By Ischa Lea
The backbone of our spiritual practice at Sunburst is the application of the Twelve Virtues in our lives: Charity, Faith, Loyalty, Patience, Honesty, Perseverance, Temperance, Humility, Courage, Equanimity, Continence, and Compassion. This makes for balance, peace, and inner joy — the barometer of all spiritual success. Likewise, the application of these virtues with the Twelve Principles of Permaculture and Permaculture Ethics ensures success in our outward endeavors at Sunburst.
A successful Permaculture project is contingent upon the application of Spiritual Principles, whether we use such terminology or not.
Charity resonates with the Permaculture Ethics of Fair Share and People Care.
Faith and belief in our endeavor creates the motivation for success.
Loyalty among participants ensures steady commitment.
Patience is critical, for even the best designs and objectives in Permaculture are still subject to extremes in environmental conditions.
Honesty is important — As in spiritual practice, we must walk our talk.
Perseverance in meditation and living in virtue ensures spiritual advancement; likewise, perseverance in Permaculture and living in integrity ensures generational rewards.
Temperance in spiritual practice ensures balance; in Permaculture balance ensures that no strand in the Web is broken or weakened.
Humility in spiritual practice ensures that we’re not acting from our lower ego selves; likewise, humility in Permaculture ensures that we are open to suggestions, respectful of other’s opinions, and are able to “hold hands with each other” and work together toward our common goal.
Courage is critical: Spiritual advancement requires courage, patience and perseverance. Likewise, Permaculture cannot survive as a practice without courage, patience and perseverance.
Equanimity in spiritual practice means overlooking obstacles and maintaining even-mindedness in our goal to achieve enlightenment. In Permaculture we are faced with doing the same in order to maintain symbiotic relationships that ensure successful outcomes.
Continence, the practice of self-control, ensures the conservation of vital energies necessary for higher meditational practices. Likewise, self-control is necessary in Permaculture — it ensures that our goals and visions do not exceed our physical capabilities.
Compassion may sound simple; yet, in spiritual practice our ego selves can often propel us into being critical and judgmental rather than compassionate and understanding. Likewise, in Permaculture, without a loving and compassionate relationship with the Earth and each other as we work toward a common goal, there can be no successful rewards.
In the end, Permaculture at Sunburst is Spiritual Practice!
Ischa during Sunburst’s “Permaculture As Spiritual Practice” workshop
