As we at Seven Stones consider what it means to build a business, make a living and be of service – all inside of sufficiency, we are turning inward to our own listening and to the deep listening of our advisers. One Seven Stones adviser, Roger Burton, has brought the wisdom of permaculture to our awareness. Permaculture is “consciously designed landscapes that mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fiber and energy for provision of local needs.” (from Permaculture Principals & Pathways Beyond Sustainability, 2002) In its broadest sense, permaculture is attending to the reality of energy descent, or the diminishing availability of cheap fossil fuels, and though permaculture principals are largely used in reforestation projects and in farming (aka food growing), I am interested in permaculture for how it can inform our evolving business “landscape.” (from same source)