The Five Elements As A Design Tool

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

​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

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

​ 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 

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 

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