permaculture

["Marsha Hanzi" <hanzibra@svn.com.br>]

> Fascinating insights flying around -- thanks for starting this one up Myk,
> and to everyone else, particularly Toby for several well-thought through
> posts. My twopennyworth:
>
> 1) Sustainability is indeed a word being battled over, particularly
between
> environmentalists and economists -- important to keep asserting the
> environmental bottom line of 'not damaging the natural systems that
sustain
> life' -- while also insisting that the 'meeting human needs fairly' aspect
> has to be taken on-board by greenies.
>

There is a word which we rarely hear any more, but which may be in fact
central to the issue at hand: "contentment" , means being happy with what
you have, that gentle state of well-being, of soft glowing happiness ( not
shouting from the mountaintops). The image to me is sitting quietly on the
veranda, watching  the sun go down.  To me, contentment has to do with
slower rhythm , free time,  having the basics ( no fear)..  Maybe
contentment is in fact one of our goals in Permaculture-- having those
basics, and recognizing  them as being sufficient for life-quality...Knowing
to stop in time... Get what I mean?  (Couterbalance to "more is better"...)

Marsha