3. Reflections on pathway progression
You can see my original pathway design below.
For a higher quality version that you can zoom into please download here
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Looking back at these ambitions now it is so clear that this isn't a pathway for a two year course, it is a life long leaning journey. I thought at the beginning that it would be simple enough to design a project or two around each point, natural building for example, and then wham, ten weeks later I'd know all about that. But that's clearly not how it works.
I think the best thing would be to let go of the unrealistic ambition of fulfilling this enormous task and pinpoint my goals down a notch or two. Being satisfied with exploring each point instead of wanting to become an expert in each is a much more realistic ambition. And this small shift gives me a lot less pressure (entirely imposed upon myself by me). I know this is a common habit of mine, trying to do more than my life and spare time will allow, and then beating myself up when it doesn't work out.
I have seen one of my major challenges in accomplishing more than I have been able to is that I knew right at the beginning that I needed to work on creating the best learning environment, a 'space for this to manifest'. I think perhaps this has been a challenge greater than any others, and something that everything else rests upon. But who knows if there ever is an ideal working environment, and as this is constantly changing for me, I know now that I need to work on using the facilities and resources around me in their most productive way. So what I am trying to say is that I think I've come to understand that this is quite a subjective point, and one that needs to be a constant throughout, and for me to keep in my conscious mind.
I think the best thing would be to let go of the unrealistic ambition of fulfilling this enormous task and pinpoint my goals down a notch or two. Being satisfied with exploring each point instead of wanting to become an expert in each is a much more realistic ambition. And this small shift gives me a lot less pressure (entirely imposed upon myself by me). I know this is a common habit of mine, trying to do more than my life and spare time will allow, and then beating myself up when it doesn't work out.
I have seen one of my major challenges in accomplishing more than I have been able to is that I knew right at the beginning that I needed to work on creating the best learning environment, a 'space for this to manifest'. I think perhaps this has been a challenge greater than any others, and something that everything else rests upon. But who knows if there ever is an ideal working environment, and as this is constantly changing for me, I know now that I need to work on using the facilities and resources around me in their most productive way. So what I am trying to say is that I think I've come to understand that this is quite a subjective point, and one that needs to be a constant throughout, and for me to keep in my conscious mind.
Anyhow, so here I looked back upon my original pathway again, and then made some notes on whether my first five projects and life in-between them have worked towards the learning outcomes that I was hoping for. I had started to feel that as I hadn't really looked back upon this for a while I was going really off track.
What I found was that my learning outcomes were in fact much more entwined with my original plans than I had thought. Even though I hadn't been conscious in looking back to this original design and planning my projects to meet my pathway needs, and though things were not in any kind of order, I have still been following the areas of interest that I was hoping for, and reaching quite a lot of different areas. This feels right, as it shows that the original design was truly following my interests and by setting out this intention right at the beginning I have steered my activities and surroundings to be able to support learning in come of those areas. Here is an adjusted map showing how it is all becoming connected.
What I found was that my learning outcomes were in fact much more entwined with my original plans than I had thought. Even though I hadn't been conscious in looking back to this original design and planning my projects to meet my pathway needs, and though things were not in any kind of order, I have still been following the areas of interest that I was hoping for, and reaching quite a lot of different areas. This feels right, as it shows that the original design was truly following my interests and by setting out this intention right at the beginning I have steered my activities and surroundings to be able to support learning in come of those areas. Here is an adjusted map showing how it is all becoming connected.
How projects 1-5 meet my learning pathway aims
(You can download a higher quality version of this map that you can zoom into below.)
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So, from doing this I can see what parts of this pathway need to be focused on for the next few projects. The main areas that haven't been touched on are:
And there are some topics I have begun to work on but that I feel are so central to my aims and interests, that I will keep coming to them again and again. For these I would like to focus my next projects on also:
Looking at this pathway I still feel that it includes everything that I would like to explore and learn about on this diploma. But, to give myself a break, I thought maybe it could be useful to see if I should see if there are areas that I really feel to be crucial for my learning journey to focus on, and to put priority on and head for those now above anything else. The other points will hopefully also enter into my work, but it just feels like a less daunting task ahead if I have a few things that I know to focus on. I've highlighted the points that I would now like to direct my attention to on this next version of the map below. I've also included one point that is becoming more and more interesting for me - to start focusing on children and families in permaculture and how to make courses and information sharing more available to them. Also to direct some attention to my own family and how permaculture design can help us to live more fully. So I've included this in the map.
- plant identification
- living sustainably off the land
- freedom from conventional financial systems
- nurturing and developing a sustaining spiritual practice
And there are some topics I have begun to work on but that I feel are so central to my aims and interests, that I will keep coming to them again and again. For these I would like to focus my next projects on also:
- natural building skills
- organic gardening practice
- running workshops
- finding my natural place within permaculture teaching
- developing sustainability in all areas of my life
Looking at this pathway I still feel that it includes everything that I would like to explore and learn about on this diploma. But, to give myself a break, I thought maybe it could be useful to see if I should see if there are areas that I really feel to be crucial for my learning journey to focus on, and to put priority on and head for those now above anything else. The other points will hopefully also enter into my work, but it just feels like a less daunting task ahead if I have a few things that I know to focus on. I've highlighted the points that I would now like to direct my attention to on this next version of the map below. I've also included one point that is becoming more and more interesting for me - to start focusing on children and families in permaculture and how to make courses and information sharing more available to them. Also to direct some attention to my own family and how permaculture design can help us to live more fully. So I've included this in the map.
Pathway design for projects 6-10
(For a higher quality version of this map that you can zoom into please use the download link here)
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As for how our support group is working out
Over the past few months it has been hard keeping up with the diploma route that we set out for ourselves, with regular deadlines. After we took a month's break I found it hard to get back into things on time again, and it was at a time that other things in my life very easily fit into the place of this work and I found no space for working where there was before. It's taken me ages to re-open that space again for this to exist fully, and it's been quite a challenge. Short breaks are helpful, long ones can be an energy killer!
There was also lot less contact between the group throughout this time and it shows clearly just how useful and motivating it is to stay in contact with others on the same route, to maintain support and encouragement, and inspiration. On my side I think that as I was working on this all less, I almost didn't want to face up to talking about how little I was doing with others. When actually now, unsurprisingly, I can see very clearly the spirals this perpetuates.. less contact means less support which means less effective working environment and less work... whilst a positive spiral surely starts with more contact, more support, and more effective working environment and more work! I'd like to place myself into positive spirals from now on please!
There was also lot less contact between the group throughout this time and it shows clearly just how useful and motivating it is to stay in contact with others on the same route, to maintain support and encouragement, and inspiration. On my side I think that as I was working on this all less, I almost didn't want to face up to talking about how little I was doing with others. When actually now, unsurprisingly, I can see very clearly the spirals this perpetuates.. less contact means less support which means less effective working environment and less work... whilst a positive spiral surely starts with more contact, more support, and more effective working environment and more work! I'd like to place myself into positive spirals from now on please!
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