Entrepreneurship in Permaculture

This week on the Seeds of Tao Podcast Episode 016, we have the amazing Adam Jastrzebski on the show. We’ve known Adam for a little while now in our Slack community, and he is an amazing source of knowledge and experience in a number of different fields. One of the big ways we connected is through our love of marketing and entrepreneurship, which is exactly what we both agree that the permaculture needs a little more of.

Permaculture and Business

The permaculture scene is an amazing source of grassroots efforts to create positive, regenerative change in the world. Everywhere we see people healing the land, fighting for food freedom, and coming together over community garden initiatives. Permies are amazing at banding together to create change, and that’s exactly how we’re going to see real change start to happen. 

However, we also see a lot of permies almost pushing themselves away from the...

Starting with Understanding Yourself to Create Regenerative Communities

This week in Episode 015 of the Seeds of Tao Podcast, Garden Jane joins us and shares her amazing journey to becoming a Regenerative Community-Builder. Through a number of different avenues and adventures, Jane boils down what it really takes to create prosperous, regenerative communities - amazing individuals. Jane tells us, “We need to take the time to do our own work,” and we couldn’t agree more. That’s exactly the direction we’re going to go in this blog post, doing your own work and what that can look like. 

Why Start with the Self?

We found it fascinating that originally when Josh and I were putting together the systems and approaches for Seeds of Tao, we believed it was imperative to start as Jane suggested, with the “self.” 

But why not just head out into the community and start throwing ourselves into service projects, grabbing a shovel...

This week on the Seeds of Tao Podcast Episode 014, we interviewed the amazing Levi Gardner, an environmental educator, Non-Profit Executive, father, musician, and aspiring writer. Levi has an amazing knowledge of the mindset side of permaculture, and especially maintaining hope when things get dark - and really that’s what permaculture is all about, creating regeneration in the face of destruction. In fact, we here at Seeds of Tao would argue that Hope is the 13th Permaculture Principle, and we’ve found that those permies who do not apply this principle, are greatly handicapped in terms of creating the change they wish to see in the world.

Hope vs. Fear

When it comes to environmentalism, there are really two camps, the fear-mongering camp, and the hopeful, enhancing camp.  You will find both in just about every community of sustainability, and even within the permaculture movement. 

Why is hope so important?

For one, people aren’t...

Exploring the WHY and Its Significance in Creating a More Intentional Life

This week on the Seeds of Tao Podcast we’re interviewing Robin Suggs about his permaculture journey and discussing the magic ingredient to success and impact - your WHY. Robin is an excellent example of a permaculture “convert” having come from a background of ornamental horticulture, and gradually being introduced to ways he could work WITH the environment, rather than against it to create beautiful, flourishing landscapes. But today in the blog post we’re specifically going to be handling the WHY statement that is so important and integral to confident, forward motion towards your wildest dreams.

What is the WHY?

The WHY has been a hot topic as of late at Seeds of Tao. Whether in our FREE Dreamcatcher Mini-Course or with our personal mentoring clients, we’ve been helping permies uncover their WHY in order to give them greater clarity and focus moving...

Resources Mentioned in Dana's Story 

Let's start us off this week by taking a moment to share some of the awesome resources that Dana mentioned in her episode. Both Emily and I are continually grateful for the many things we learn from those we have on the show and I hope you take advantage of the opportunity to learn from them as well. Here are some of those links and resources to check out. 

Awe and Reverence Media (link):  

Awe and Reverence Media is Dana's business and website and you can find out more about the many awesome projects she is involved in as well as reach out to her personally there. 

Prayerstream Community Art Project (link):

One of those Awe and Reverence projects Dana has involved herself in has been Prayerstream which has brought generations and cultures together through handmade spirit flags that are put on display at events like Intention, Astral Harvest, Reconciliation in Action, and Imagine Orcas. 

Dana's Collaboration...

Are You Still a Dreamer?

Hey everyone! Did you hear the amazing announcement on the podcast episode? Our first ever mini-course is LIVE!!! Oh, and did I mention it’s FREE!?!? We are so excited to have you go through this mini-course, where you will learn the tools and go through the exercises so that you can get grounded, and confidently moving forward to achieve your…(you guessed it) … DREAMS!

So definitely head on over and sign up for the Dreamcatcher Mini-Course and get rolling towards your dreams!

But here in the blog post, we’re going to dig a little deeper with our dreams, what they are, what they can be, and why it’s important to shoot for them. You can scroll through countless websites and Pinterest boards, being bombarded by inspirational quotes here and there, but that’s all just nebulous, abstract inspirational words being put together. Let’s get down to the roots and nourish the soil that grows the dreams.

What...

This week on Episode 010 of the Seeds of Tao Podcast, we interviewed Kevin Danaher, an author, and anti-globalization activist. He is an amazing go-getter who discusses with us his land, mission, and message to get to work and start creating change. He brings up the Golden Rule, and how we should do to others, and the earth, as we want them to do unto us - which I think every permie can resonate with. While this may seem like an elementary school guideline for good behavior in the classroom, it’s actually an amazing concept that has many levels to be applied. Let’s dig in!

The Golden Rule with Permaculture

There are two components to the Golden Rule, the giving and receiving. DO in the first part of the rule indicates action, forward motion, and in essence, WORK. Any practicing permie will tell you permaculture is a lot of work, especially if you’re just starting out. According to the Permaculture Compass from Episode 002, there are three spheres or...

The Merit of Questions

In Episode 009 of the Seeds of Tao Podcast, Josh interviews Sebastian, a permie living an amazing life in a Tanzania Jungle.  He and his wife have a beautiful food forest and desire to create positive change in the environment around them. He sent Josh a YouTube video where he gives us a tour of a small part of their land at it's something many permies would be jealous of, including me. In the episode, Sebastian talks about questioning systems we take for granted, and finding a better solution, especially in the case of sewage and humanure. 

Here, we’re going to explore the need for more questions to be asked so that we can make better progress towards a sustainable, and even regenerative lifestyle. 

Questions for Progress

Throughout time, the famous historical figures we see oftentimes created positive change by starting with a question.

Can we grow food better?

How can we come together to make change?

...

Achieving Your Permaculture Goals 

Today on the Seeds of Tao Podcast we’re interviewing Joel Karsten, the head of the worldwide straw bale gardening movement. Joel is a great example of someone who took the permaculture principles (even though he didn’t know them at the time) and developed a business that would change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world. He is a master at this, and we really think this is a viable strategy for permies to add to their arsenal. Here are some resources to dive deeper into straw bale gardening and you can also message him on our Slack community

Oftentimes we look at people like Joel, turning their passion into a business and creating a huge impact, and we think - why can’t I do that? So in this blog post instead of rehashing all the amazing details and methodology of straw bale gardening, we will focus more on the self-development side of achieving your goals like what...

Taking Permaculture Urban

One of the most beautiful things about permaculture is that it can be applied ANYWHERE! We are so excited to talk to Adam Brock and learn about his endeavors in Episode 007 of the Seeds of Tao Podcast. In the interview we see that while designing and creating food forests for yourself and those around you is awesome and valuable on its own, it definitely not the only form permaculture can take. 

Many permies think they are limited to practice permaculture because they reside in an urban environment. Living the urban or suburban life and applying permaculture may be more tricky or complicated, but the results of effective implementation are absolutely astounding.

Personal Scale

How might one go about applying permaculture principles in their urban home? Well, to be honest, that’s a blog post series in itself! But no matter what tactics you may employ, it always starts at the beginning with the 12 Principles, and at the root of those- to...