permaculture

[Andrew McSwain <aeromax.way@gmail.com>]

Not much to say at this point. I just want to acknowledge that your words
have had power in me. Thanks much for sharing your insights. I hope that
others take this observation about the vital difference in communication
between our cultures to heart. I see a lot of buzzing bees and not a lot of
slow Lakota thinkers.

People often spend so little time thinking about what they have read or
listened to,  and not much more considering deeply the impacts of what they
are saying. They think about your words based on impulse, assume the first
conclusions that come to mind, and then speak on impulse, ignoring little
the impacts of this kind of recklessness.

Many new ideas, radical ideas, are often ignored in the heat of a
discussion. For example during the talk about the national guard, and the
politics and potential weaponization of permaculture, It seemed as though
few were truly interested in coming to build a better understanding. It was
more about protecting personal intellectual territory.  In such a defensive
mode, personal attacks and phrases that incite aggression take precedence
over all others. They drown out most of the fewer and more quiet-spirited
postitive and creative voices in the room. In short, we are stunting our
growth with this kind of excessive chattery dialouge. Not just in our
arguments, but in all of our discourse. Certainly it has it's place, but if
we can't also learn to listen as Cory teaches us that the Lakota do, then we
are stunting the growth of our capacity to co-create.

A lot of subte changes occur in the individual and group mind when each of
us (or even more than two or three) decide to change the rhythm with which
with we think and respond to others. These changes combine and culminate
into the strong difference in the way the Lakota and the European groups see
the world. If we want to be more Native American and less European in our
approach to life and society then we would do good to learn that their
harmonious relationship with nature is perhaps predicated on the way that
they relate to one another through language and ideas.

We have much to learn from the Lakota. At the heart of the spiritual power
of their ceremonies and the clear understanding of things that we see
through their thinkers and prophets is the heart-speech circles and the
utterly profound and holistic way in which people recognize one another
throughout the process.
We could learn much from them.

Thanks much for bringing this into the discussion, Cory.

On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 4:02 AM, Cory Brennan <cory8570@yahoo.com> wrote:

> There are certain things about the Lakota culture and people that I really
> treasure and love; working with Lakota has given me some really valuable
> insights into applying permaculture principles.
>
> A couple of nights ago at Pine Ridge on a chilly fall night, we shared
> tobacco and heart-speech around a fire, Lakota fashion.
>
> Each person was given a chance to speak from his or her heart, for as long
> as we wanted to, and say whatever we wanted to say, while everyone else gave
> full attention, respect and honor to that person. What a healing action that
> was for our project!
>
> When I first arrived at Pine Ridge in 2005, a Lakota explained to me that
> in their culture, they often pause before responding to someone's comment,
> and this is often misinterpreted as "being slow or dull."  In fact, it is a
> deep sign of respect for the other person - an indication that you are truly
> listening - and not just listening, but taking the time to actually consider
> what the other person said and their viewpoint on things, thoughtfully,
> before responding.
>
> A form of thoughtful and protracted observation...
>
> I am a fast talker from Los Angeles; at first, this manner of speaking was
> quite disconcerting to me and even jarring. I was continually interrupting
> the person I spoke with or finishing their sentence.  I still find myself
> going off half cocked at times, but I've learned something from the Lakota
> way. When I do use this form of communication, it almost always results in
> deeper understanding and better relations.
>
> To Lakota, listening to and understanding others is important. That is not
> something that is much valued in this culture - we put far more emphasis on
> communicating our own viewpoints and convincing others of them.
>
> One Lakota friend said jokingly, "sometimes it takes us a week or month to
> respond to someone's comment."  But it wasn't really a joke. I've actually
> seen Lakota do that with each other, and it is totally understood when it
> happens.
>
> I realized that sometimes it takes all of us that long to truly process
> certain things that happen to us, or that are said to us. Or even years!
>  What a luxury, in a way, to be able to wait that long to respond, and have
> the other person understand and appreciate that you are being thoughtful
> about it :-)
>
> I have incorporated the "talking stick" or "sharing tobacco" into all of my
> community efforts. It is one of the most powerful invisible structure tools
> I know of for building compassion and understanding and therefore, a
> stronger community.
>
> It's harder via email - I've tried it one on one with wonderful results,
> but never in a group.  But perhaps it is something we would want to try
> here....There really is no reason it wouldn't work, now that I think about
> it.
>
> I realized after the tobacco sharing that I have a modus operandi on the
> internet, especially when debate is raging, of going into persuasion essay
> mode, which doesn't usually entail careful listening and understanding.
>
> I am going to hand over the talking stick to whoever wishes to hold it and
> speak their heart with respect and honor. I pledge to listen thoughtfully,
> and to strive to understand your heart.
>
> Love, Cory
>
>
>
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-- 
Andrew Edwin McSwain
055(11)6785-1176 (São Paulo)
01(501)681-0439 (United States)