Subject: [permaculture] Certification vs Rites of Passage (was Permaculture as a brand name...)
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:22:41 -0600
I am intensely involved in defining a "graduate" of our school, which
uses permaculture as a goal concept. So I really appreciate as many of
these conversations as I can follow. I see the problem is the same as
thru the ages. One can study with a Master or a Student Group (school)
for many years and, because of ties to other beliefs, not really grasp
the heart. One can attend without personally integrating the
"knowledge." Then one day there's an "Aha" that enlivens and everyone in
that school and that Master see an integration and a growth. That school
group can find a way to celebrate and "brand" the person as one of them.
But each of our paths is, by definition, varied. Some can come in with
"all ports open" and absorb everything we've got and spend most of their
time with us sharing possibilities they see from other schools.
I can hothouse some knowledge streams into virtually any child but until
they've made the necessary connections it is not useful. I can expose a
child to the concept of connections in any way that child has an access
point and they will have a life that can integrate any knowledge stream,
for life. Both need to be measured to assure "completion." But the
second, which is harder to measure, is the more critical for me to feel
I've been of service to the student.
As I look at some of the forming "certification" programs they look as
artificial as some existing schools. A person exposed to a set course of
study will get as much, or as little, as they are able at the time they
are exposed to it. Many certificates say a person has been exposed to x
for a certain period of time. If I am needing an ally to build something
(even something like a school) I know more about a person from a reading
list and a note on what they've dabbled with in life. The book that
found its way into their hands and what they did with it, let's me know
connections. Someone having a paper that says they purchased and read,
under direction, a prescribed set of books/papers doesn't tell me the
same thing. Also, I acknowledge much of the thoughts I value are not in
manuscripts so time spent at the side of someone I know or know of will
tell me much, especially if I know that person is selective in personal
recommendation.
Maybe if we think of ourselves as Greek Islands. Time spent with a group
of us offers a kind of openness, but each "school" offers something a
bit different, some rigorously philosophical, some very practical. It
seems unlikely students would integrate at remotely similar levels in a
proscribed term. I, personally, would find it a wonderful life to spend
some time each place and each school could benefit from some people like
me doing that. But each school would therefore change in offering. (I
see that subculture developing and look to pollination patterns on where
we should locate.) But, I think, the striving I'm hearing here is how
can each of us offer a broad base to those who may only attend one
school, then launch into their own endeavors. And, more importantly, for
me, how can we nourish and harvest the knowledge they develop wherever
they go next.
My input here, certificates that have a period of study time should
include the content of that time- season- empty dream time, planning
time, planting time, living dream time, tending time, harvest time,
celebration time, elder dream time, replanning time, replanting time,
etc. We need people excelling in each identified.
Certificates based on Aha factors need to honor a person sharing our
heart who connect us, thru themself, to each other.
Peace,
Kathyann
ps Anyone have global perspective on pollination points for locating
knowledge centers please contact me.