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2025 Time For A Redesign

10/1/2025

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I took this photo on the beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea at the end of 2024 - the world feels like a pretty scary place right now and its often hard to see how we are going to get out of some of the huge messes we are in. But the beauty of this moment on the beach watching the light fade at the end of a hard day did give me some hope that it is worth keeping on keeping on doing the things we can for better ways to live on this planet.
It’s been 10 years this year since I launched my right livelihood project Kt Shepherd Permaculture just after I completed my Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design.  

​Through this last decade this design has been amazing - its been there by my side through some of the most significant events of my life, adapting and adapting again to the flow through multiple grief,  illness,  a move to a totally different life, slow recovery and new love.

Over the last 6 months I’ve had a growing awareness that some of how I spend my days and seasons needs to change though and so through the early months of 2025 I will be designing my new right livelihood project. I’m really looking forward to where this new life chapter will take me and to sharing it with some of the wonderful folk old and new in my life. 
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The Cultural Emergence Empowerment Deck - Looby Macnamara

8/9/2024

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Card Deck Review 

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The Cultural Emergence Empowerment Deck is the latest creation by permaculture designer and teacher, Looby Macnamara. The deck contains  96 cards, and each one features one of Looby’s beautiful hand drawn illustrations. Although the deck is designed to be used in conjunction with Looby’s ‘Cultural Emergence - A Tool Kit For Transforming Ourselves & The World’ book, published by Permanent Publications in 2020, it's also a great ‘stand alone’ tool.

The deck features cards from the following areas of Looby’s work - The Cultural Emergence ‘phases’ (tools for balancing life), ‘practices’ (tools to embody regenerative habits) and ‘principles’ (tools to support effective decision making), the design framework from People & Permaculture, the Design Web and cards representing the 7 Ways To Think Differently, (growing supportive mindsets from systems of limitations). The last category the card deck includes is about the 8 Shields Model, designed by Jon Young, with the aim of deepening our understanding and practice of nature connection. 

It was really great to be part of a workshop Looby facilitated at the Permaculture Association’s ‘Festival Of Permaculture’, to explore how the cards could be used both personally and in group settings. Some of the ideas shared in the workshop that  fit with Looby’s intentions for the deck as a tool included - creative work, decision making, journaling prompts, problem solving, coaching, designing, and self care practices. 

I use card decks from a wide range of disciplines in both my personal and work life and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the Cultural Emergence Empowerment Deck can be used on a regular basis, especially as part of my permaculture design projects. 

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Lost In Lyme - Julia Behrens

1/10/2023

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Book Review 

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Lyme disease - Borrelia burgdorferi , is a disease transmitted to humans by infected ticks and found throughout all areas of the UK now in woodlands, fields, parks and gardens. It remains poorly understood by public health systems at a time when the number of people being infected with this multi system illness is rapidly increasing. Patients and practitioners have found it difficult to obtain reliable and effective information, test results and treatment. ‘Lost In Lyme’ sets out to address these challenges and is a welcome accessible tool to inform and empower both people living with Lyme and the health care practitioners treating and supporting them. 
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‘Lost In Lyme’ by extensively experienced medical herbalist Julia Behrens and chef and nutritionalist Daphne Lambert, is a new, well researched and super accessible resource and practical tool kit.  Its format is clearly laid out chapters with short blocks of clear text, photos, diagrams, tables and illustrations which is a big help to those of us with foggy brains, one of the most common long term symptoms of Lyme. 

Behrens and Lambert’s work includes chapters on; An in-depth introduction to the disease, diagnosing and testing, medical and herbal treatments, (including using herbal treatments to support the use of lengthy courses of antibiotics treatments), plant profiles of herbal treatments, nutrition and recipes, growing herbal treatments in pots and gardens and self care. Included in the self care chapter is Julia Behren’s inspired holistic model, STEPS ( Social, Time, Emotional, Physical, Self), a tool about self awareness of concerns, needs and strengths in living with long term Lyme Disease. 

As I enter into my seventh year of living with a chronic Lyme Disease diagnosis I am once again incredible grateful for the recovery improvements I’ve made since the early long years of some hugely debilitating symptoms. I continue to experience some long term disabling Lyme related issues though and ‘Lost in Lyme’ is presenting me with new and easily applicable ways to start exploring different ideas for improving some of these
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Everyday Permaculture - A Series Of Workshops

25/1/2023

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I’m excited to be facilitating a series of 11 workshops throughout 2023, about how to use permaculture design in everyday life situations and events.

The 2 hour monthly workshops are taking place at my brilliant neighbours, Salts Works in Saltaire, Bradford. Through relaxed information sharing, creativity and informal discussion, these workshops will enable  participants to explore how permaculture can be used to navigate everyday life in ways that connect with our values. Each workshop focuses on a different topic and is created to be enjoyed as a stand alone event or as part of the year long series.

Access 
Places are limited to 10 per booking. Salts Works is accessible for people using mobility aids, including wheelchairs. This includes an accessible toilet. There is also an accessible garden for anyone who needs a break from being indoors. 

COVID 19
Please feel free to wear a face covering/mask in the workshop, if this gives you the confidence to participate. People are asked not to attend if they have any symptoms of a new bug or virus. Cancellations for a full refund are available until 24 hours before the event.

Also 
Each workshop costs £20. The price include hot/cold drinks, vegan & gluten-free sweet goodies and a takeaway mini zine about the main themes of the workshop. 

The Workshops - Details & Booking 

Everyday Permaculture - An Introduction
Saturday 18th February 10.00 - 12.00

Everyday Permaculture - Edible Gardening
Saturday 18th March 10.00 - 12.00 

Everyday Permaculture - Health & Wellbeing 
Saturday 15th April 10.00 - 12.00

Everyday Permaculture - Wildlife Spaces
Saturday 20th May 10.00 - 12.00 

Everyday Permaculture - Climate Actions 
Saturday 17th June 10.00 - 12.00 

Everyday Permaculture - Designing Events  
Saturday 15th July 10.00 - 12.00

Everyday Permaculture - Right Livelihoods 
Saturday 19th August 10.00 - 12.00 

Everyday Permaculture - Caring For Others 
Saturday 15th September 10.00 - 12.00

Everyday Permaculture - Death, Dying & Bereavement 
Saturday 21st October 10.00 - 12.00

Everyday Permaculture - Winter Festivals Planning 
Saturday 18th November 10.00 - 12.00

Everyday Permaculture - Designing 2024
​Saturday 16th December 10.00 - 12.00

​Please feel free to email me if you have any questions about these workshops

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The Five Elements As A Design Tool

9/12/2022

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Earth, Air, Fire, Water & Spirit -
​Reflection, observation, decisions, & resilience 

I created the first version of this tool in 2013 after participating in Starhawk’s Earth Activist Training PDC (Permaculture Design Course) in California. Throughout the time there I gained knowledge and practice in connecting two of the most important areas of my life - Earth based spirituality and permaculture design. 

I asked myself - 

‘How can my spiritual self and practice inform my permaculture design work?’ 

In the years since, my Five Elements tool has evolved as my work as a permaculture practitioner & educator has progressed. This post is a basic outline of my own current tool, which can be used and developed in a way that works for other permaculture practitioners’ own style of designing. 

Earth

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​In the North
​Midnight


As the designer, how can I remain grounded and focused while implementing the design?
Do I need to address the fertility of the project in order for healthy growth? 
How will the project within the design grow? 

Air

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In the East
​Dawn 


How can I use meditation and breathwork to enhance my wellbeing as a designer for this project?
What spiritual and physical aspects of air could influence the design?
How is the wind, ventilation or other aspects of air, present in the design? 
What are the key aspects of communication about and within the design? 

Fire

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​ In the South
Midday


How can I ensure that I balance my own energy needs as the designer?
How can I use my creativity as a core aspect of this design?
How is the sun or other aspects of fire, present in the design?
How will energy and transformation be directed in the design?

Water 

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In the West
Sunset/Twilight


How can I ensure that my emotional wellbeing as a designer is a function of the design?
What are my key emotions about this design?
How is water present in the design?
How can I support the flow of this design? ​

Spirit 

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In the centre

How can my spiritual practice support me as the designer?
What is the overall vision about this design? 
What is it about this design that gives me meaning? 
How are the other four Elements connected?

Resources 

For more information about the Five Elements, I can recommend the following resources 

Sacred Earth Celebrations - Glennie Kindred
The Fifth Sacred Thing (fiction) - Starhawk
The Earth Path - Starhawk 
Earth Pathways Diary
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Events Update

10/11/2022

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Here is a little update about events I am participating in over the next few weeks 

Local Creative Fairs 

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I’m so pleased to be participating in the above creative events this month, all of which are within a ten minute walk from my house. I’ll be selling my cards, prints and zines  along with permaculture books and other resources  by Graham Burnett, Pippa Chapman, Twigs Magazine and (free copies!) of Permaculture Magazine. As always I’ll also be happy to chat about most things permaculture related! 

Thriving With Principles (Online Project) - An Update

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Thriving With Principles is a design that Diploma apprentice, Kate Dickinson and I are collaborating on. Its a design about sharing and celebrating the voices, knowledge and experiences of permaculture designers using permaculture theory and practice to thrive while living with disabilities from chronic illness. We are at the stage of evaluating the first part of the design and are getting excited about where this will lead in the months ahead.  
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Brilliant art for one of the Thriving With Principles Zoom sessions by Kate.
Check out Kate’s Instagram space for more of their creativity and wisdom 
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Thriving With Principles - Further Sessions Planned

5/10/2022

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Online discussions through Zoom, then the creation of a zine, hosted by Kate Dickinson and myself.

Take part in a permaculture project documenting and sharing about how permaculture principles can enable people affected by disability and/or chronic illness/long term health issues (CI/LTHI), to thrive. 
​

This project is aimed at both people living with disabilities and/or  CI/LTHI and/or people supporting others living with disabilities and/or  CI/LTHI 

Following the success of the first two Zoom sessions, we are hosting a further three one hour sessions, throughout October. 

Tuesday 11th October 10-11am 

Saturday 22nd October 2-3pm 
​Sunday 30th October 10-11am

All sessions are are UK  timings.
​ 
You are welcome to attend any number of sessions. You are also very welcome to attend these sessions if you didn’t participate in the September sessions.

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​We are inviting participants to share experiences they have had or ideas about, using the Holmgren Permaculture Principles in managing their disabilities and/or CI/LTHI and/or supporting someone else with disabilities and/or CI/LTHI.

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The Holmgren Permaculture Principles

This link features more information about each of the 12 principles

Permacultureprinciples.com

Ways of sharing these experiences and ideas with others in the session might include -

Talking
Sharing an image (photo, doodle, illustration, mind map) 
Written/typed so that Kate or Kt can share on your behalf 

Participants will also be encouraged to discuss these experiences and ideas in the sessions. There is no pressure to either share or discuss in the sessions. People who want to attend the sessions and just listen in are very welcomed.

The Zoom sessions will be recorded and then the content shared about experiences and ideas will be collated and used to create a zine which will be available to others as a resource. The zine will be available in both electronic and paper versions. 

The zine content can be anonymous or participants can be named and attributed to their experiences and ideas - either preference is great. 

​In the week after the Zoom sessions finish, you will be asked to complete a short evaluation tool so that we can learn from the experiences of participants and plan future events accordingly. 

We will be sharing information about this project on social media and on Kt’s blog and newsletter 
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Please email Kt if you would like to take part in this project - remember it’s totally fine and very welcomed to just listen in to the ideas sharing and discussion. Also, feel free to email me with any questions you may have. 

[email protected] 

If you have already attended the initial sessions I will automatically be sending you an email with the link for the Zoom sessions.
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Thriving With Principles

27/8/2022

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An online discussion through Zoom, then the creation of a zine.  A project by Kt Shepherd & Kate Dickinson. This is timed to connect with the Edges of both the Festival Of Permaculture and My Green Community events from the Permaculture Association in September 2022

Take part in a permaculture project documenting and sharing about how permaculture principles can enable people affected by disability and/or chronic illness/long term health issues (CI/LTHI), to thrive. 
​

This project is aimed at both people living with disabilities and/or  CI/LTHI and/or people supporting others living with disabilities and/or  CI/LTHI 

We will be hosting 2 x 1 hour Zoom sessions over the weekend of 17/18th September. 
The Saturday 17th September session is at 10-11am 
The Sunday 18th September session is at 3-4pm 

Both sessions are at BST (British Summer Time) timings 
You are welcome to attend either or both sessions 

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We are inviting participants to share experiences they have had or ideas about, using the Holmgren Permaculture Principles in managing their disabilities and/or CI/LTHI and/or supporting someone else with disabilities and/or CI/LTHI ​

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The Holmgren Permaculture Principles

​This link features more information about each of the 12 principles

Permacultureprinciples.com

Ways of sharing these experiences and ideas with others in the session might include -

Talking
Sharing an image (photo, doodle, illustration, mind map) 
Written/typed so that Kate or Kt can share on your behalf 

Participants will also be encouraged to discuss these experiences and ideas in the sessions. There is no pressure to either share or discuss in the sessions. People who want to attend the sessions and just listen in are very welcomed

The Zoom sessions will be recorded and then the content shared about experiences and ideas will be collated and used to create a zine which will be available to others as a resource. The zine will be available in both electronic and paper versions. 

The zine content can be anonymous or participants can be named and attributed to their experiences and ideas - either preference is great. 

​In the week after the Zoom sessions you will be asked to complete a short evaluation tool so that we can learn from the experiences of participants and plan future events accordingly. 


We will be sharing information about this project on social media, on Kt’s blog and via the Permaculture Association’s website events notice board 
​
Please email Kt if you would like to take part in this project - remember it’s totally fine and very welcomed to just listen in to the ideas sharing and discussion. Also, feel free to email me with any questions you may have. 

[email protected] 

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S.H.M.A.R.T.E.R - A Tool For Goal Setting

13/2/2022

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Recently I created a new goal setting tool for a  current project design I’m working on.

S.H.M.A.R.T.E.R

Specific
Healthy
Measurable 
Achievable 
Relevant 
Timebound
Ethical
Rewarding 

S.H.M.A.R.T.E.R has influences from both Heather Jo Flores and Leonie Dawson goal setting work and is aimed at being used in people focused projects. It’s already  proving to be a super useful core tool in my 2022 Permaculture Educator design and I will share more about this here as the design progresses.

Please feel free to use it in your own life/work designs - I have created a PDF for the S.H.M.A.R.T.E.R tool for you to download here 

Also, check out my shop where I sell prints and cards of some of my favourite illustrations. You can also access free (or pay as you feel) digital versions of my  illustrations here 
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Creative Dying - My Own Advanced Care Plan  - “When I Die”

21/6/2021

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Creative Dying - Resources and tools for designing our own death and dying is one of the designs in my portfolio for my Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design. I started this design in 2013 and it’s had several incremental changes over the years since. You can read more about Creative Dying and how permaculture can improve how we die, in a previous article I wrote here . The online resource I created then has now being archived and I’m currently in the process of designing the next steps of the project.

Triggered by several major life changing events, including serious illness, I have recently been updating my When I Die plan, which was part of the initial Creative Dying design. I’ve not explicitly named the permaculture principles used throughout my plan, but see how many you can identify as you read through. Could the same principles help to shape your own Creative Dying related design?

(The information shared in this blog relates to death, dying and bereavement in the UK)

The functions of my When I Die plan

The functions of my When I Die plan are

  • To support friends or family who are alongside me as I come to the end of my life. Knowing what my wishes are will hopefully help them in decision making and then how they grieve during my illness (if I die because of illness) and following my death.
  • For me to be able to have some control over the way I die and care following my death if possible.
  • For my death to have as beneficial environmental impact as possible. Or at least as less damaging environmental impact as possible.
  • For others to be able to be inspired and motivated to use a personalised version of my When I Die plan in their own lives.

When I Die - Three Sections

My When I Die plan consists of three sections

  • Before I die
  • As I die
  • After I die



The Before I die and As I die sections of my plan contain personal information that isn’t appropriate to share in this blog, but the information can be categorised under the following headings -

  • Place - Where I want to die
  • People - Who I want to be present before and when I die
  • Care - What kind of medical or nursing care I want to have before and as I die
  • Activities - What kind of activities I want to engage in , for example listening to music, connecting with nature
  • Alternative plans - I have listed alternative ideas for in the event of any aspect of my When I Die plan not being able to be implemented

Through both my work as a palliative care nurse and as a Carer for various family members, I am aware of some of the difficulties in meeting the wants and expectations of a person approaching the end of their life. These include -

  • The availability of resources (financial, nursing/care, equipment, safe environment)
  • Sudden deterioration of condition or sudden death
  • Symptom/medical management needs
  • The needs of family and friends

Not being able to meet the exact expectations of a person who is dying can be a significant burden for friends and family which can in turn impact on their bereavement. So including various options in an advanced care plan can be really useful for everyone concerned.

The third section of my When I Die plan, After I die, is typically the aspect of dying that most people planning for their death, focus on. It’s something which I am very happy to share the main elements here -

  • Place - I don’t have any specific needs about where my body is held after my death
  • I dont have specific needs about whether my body is washed or dressed in my own clothes
  • If not distressing or difficult for the people close to me, I would like to avoid the use of a funeral director.
  • If a funeral director is needed, then I have named one that I would like to be used
  • I do not wish to be embalmed

The final resting place for my body

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My first choice for the placement of my body after my death, if available in the UK or other country where I die, is to be composted. Recompose are an amazing organisation founded by Katrina Spade, a permaculture designer and architect, in the US, who are pioneering the composting of human bodies. It’s a process that is already legal in several states and one if the aims of Recompose is to enable organisations in other countries to create similar systems.

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If human body composting is not not possible, including because of the wellbeing of people close to me, then I would like to be buried in a woodland burial site nearest to the address where I am living when I die. Ideally I would like to be buried in this blanket that I have made from felted knitted squares of natural coloured wool, (wool which is produced and sold directly from small farms in the UK).
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If burial in my blanket is not possible, including because of the wellbeing of people close to me, then I would like to be buried in the coffin I have already designed and purchased. This is in use as a book shelves and (the lid) as a notice board in my house.

If I die outside the UK then I would like my body to be treated and placed as local custom, with my ideal choice always being burial. I would not want my body to be transported back to the UK.

Celebration of life and saying goodbye

I have no fixed ideas or needs for those around me to celebrate my life and say goodbye after I die. Here is a list of some ideas I have that might assist people close to me involved in my after death care -

  • Pagan related rituals , see for example - The Pagan Book of Living and Dying by Starhawk , Sacred Earth Celebrations by Glennie Kindred (Both available on my book shelves)
  • An online as well as physical event/celebration so that folk don’t have to travel
  • Sharing of food
  • Playing my favourite music
  • Having a gathering round a fire
  • Asking people to plant a tree - making trees available for people attending an event to take away

I have listed friends who are celebrants of various kinds and might be available to facilitate an event

Legal aspects of my When I Die plan

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A really important part of the update of my When I Die plan has been getting some of the legal aspects of the project completed. I got both Lasting Power of Attorney, Health and Welfare and Property and Financial Affairs, documents arranged, meaning that a close friend of mine can act on my behalf if I am too unwell to make decisions for myself and my own needs known. At the same time, with the same local solicitor, I wrote my Will which means that when I die my wishes for any belongings and/or financial assets that I own will be carried out.

These documents took a bit longer to process than anticipated as they had just got into the legal system as the first lockdown for the COVID 19 pandemic commenced in the UK. However, they are complete now and the details in them will be honoured for the rest of my life. I can also change the content of any of these documents at any time, should I want too. A copy of my When I Die plan, while not legally binding, also sits with the Power Of Attorney documents and Will, both with my solicitor and in my paperwork at home. Two close friends have also got a copy of my When I Die document.

Useful Resources

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These books are some of my current favourite resources for making plans for dying.

The following list is a selection of my current favourite online resources -

Dying Matters
Life. Death. Whatever
The Digital Legacy Association
The Good Grief Project
End Of Life Care - LGBTQ Route To Success - Macmillan Cancer Support
Anti-Racism: The Outer and Inner Work - End Of Life University Podcast
How To Have An Environmentally Responsible Death - Marie Curie
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
A Greener Way To Go, What’s The Most Eco Friendly Way To Dispose Of A Body - The Guardian
Eco Friendly Funerals - Green Eco Friend
The Natural Death Centre



Finally

Whether for your own death plan, or someone close to you, I hope its been useful to read about my own When I Die plan. I have other other new elements of Creative Dying planned over the next few months, sign up to my monthly newsletter to access them when available.
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