CoSM Visionary Permaculture Folio

Please Return this book to the Pulpit in the Parlour of Grey House at CoSM
Visionary Permaculture Grimoire
Dew Pretro
2018 Edition

“True riches is having something to contribute,

having the time to be creative and being in
love with everything again.”
- Larry Santoyo

These pages are pathways into the possible,

applications of permaculture as a creative
practice. Sharing insights and observations
gathered since 2009, this is the culmination of
many years of workshops and certification
programs, reflecting the artful design process
from hundreds of different people.

This ecological guidebook connects people to

CoSM while modelling an approach to the
mapping and design of your own land, life and
livelihood. The intention of this folio is to leave
a legacy of learning, supporting people to
evolve their life design toolkit.

Part of a Doctoral Degree in Permaculture

Education with Larry Santoyo and a Diploma
in Permaculture Design with Looby
Macnamara, this folio demonstrates methods,
strategies and principles of nature as they
have been explored and applied to a non-
profit arts organization through the Visionary
Permaculture Program at the Chapel of
Sacred Mirrors.
"One touch of nature
makes the whole world kin.”
- Shakespeare

Everything is an educational opportunity.

Becoming more intentional designers of our
lives, landscapes and livelihoods can help
manifest our highest visions.

The Visionary Writer Henry Miller wrote

“One's destination is never a place,
but a new way of seeing things.”

At the Core of Permaculture Design is a shift

towards a more conscious and creative
approach to living which includes a
compassionate attention to care for the
planet, its lifeforms and our collective future.

The three jewels of the permaculture process

are : observe, integrate, apply. This report
reflects part of a 10 year observational period
at CoSM before integrating many visions into
a set of appropriate permaculture design
possibilities.

Join us on this temple building mission and be

part of a visionary cartography guild at CoSM
by making art and sharing observations about
the CoSM land.

www.visionarypermaculture.com
Deepest gratitude to Allyson and Alex Grey and the CoSM staff for their ceaseless dedication to the Work making this permaculture possible.
CoSM Intro

Nestled in the tranquil Hudson Valley,

CoSM is a retreat center for discovering the
divine artist within. Here art pilgrims can
evolve and regenerate their direct relationship
with the Divine through their artfully creative
process. The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors,
CoSM, is a sanctuary for seeing ourselves, the
world, and our cosmos as reflections of
the Divine. CoSM's mission is to build a
temple to preserve and share a collection of
visionary art beloved by a global community.
Forty acres of beautiful woods and newly
renovated buildings invite the contemplation
of art and nature, and provide a center for
events encouraging the creative spirit. CoSM
honours the mystic core of love uniting all
wisdom traditions and the transformative
power of art to awaken human potential. The
Chapel of Sacred Mirrors is a Church and a
501(c)(3) organization, supported by charitable
donations from the community.

Share about what we are doing.

Become a member.
Attend classes and events.
Shop at the store.

www.cosm.org
Table of Contents

Dew Pretro 1
CoSM Intro 5
Cultural History 8
Recent History 10
Invitation to Participate 15
CoSM Maps 16

Sectors
Light 18
Water 20
Climate 21
Sensory Activation 22
Places to Pilgrimage to 24
Harvests 26
Flowers 27
Leaves 28
Seeds 30
Berries 31
Roots 32
Insects 33
Birds 34
Animals 35
Fungi 36

Design
CoSM Composting 38
Mycology 40
Visionary Design 44
Plant Systems 45
Animal System 46
Structures 47
Water 48
Placemaking 49
Energy 50
‘

Education 51
Delvin Design 52
Allyson & Alex Design 54
Sphinx Greenhouse 56
Horus Temple 59
Chakras 60
Design Web 61
Golden Keys 74
Evaluation 75

Media
Core Notes 76
Core Concepts Cards 78
Elements Cards 79

Team
Grace 80
Delvin Teachers 82
Teaching Team 84

Programs
Mentorship 85
VPDC 2012 86
VPDC 2014 88
VPDC 2016 90
VPDC 2019 91
Seasonal Workshops 92
Planetary Pilgrimage 93

CoSM Garden 94
Articles 95
CoSM Outro 98
Credits 100
Cultural History

The Wappinger People spoke Eastern Algonquian. “Aquia” - is a friendly hello! “Wunneet” means it's good, Or it's all good. The
Wappinger were referred to as a loose confederation of tribes, mainly based on the Eastern banks of the Hudson River. Related
culturally to Lenape People (Delaware Indians to the West and South of the Wappinger people), the Mahican People who resided
to the North and the Metoac were from Long Island. Wappinger means Eastern light bearer or bringer of the dawn's light.
Wappinger Territory was inhabited by the Wappinger's for 10,000 years includes parts of Southeastern New York & West
Connecticut. Living with the land, they fished in the Hudson and surrounding tributaries and ponds. They used bone for
fishhooks and small harpoons. Their nets were fashioned out of plant material and held down with small stones. Boats were
made out of bark and they utilized dogs as pack animals to drive sleds. They also made the dogs snow shoes! Their artistic
crafts were mainly centred around beadwork and basket weaving.
The Wampun or white and purple shell beads
were used as currency and were very
culturally important. The Wappinger wore
beaded and woven belts. The patterns and
pictures told a story about the family. The
quick observation of the belts could tell any
tribe member which family they belonged to
as well as what their status and skills as a
family were.

Evan Pritchard, “Abachbahametch”

(“Chipmunk”) of Mi’kmaq and Celtic descent,
is the First Nations Scholar in the CoSM
Visionary Permaculture Cartography Wing.
He provided some information for this book.
All information about the Wappingers in this
book is directly from his genius.
www.algonquinculture.org

See the Evan Pritchard books in the Visionary

CoSM Wing of the Library for more learning.
Recent History

In the early 1950's, this land was home to the

United Church of Christ. The UCC was a
non-segregated, multi-racial congregation.
The UCC held youth wilderness/adventure
camps with a focus on team building
activities such as rope courses and wall
climbing. Synchronously, Alex and Allyson
Grey's daughter, Zena attended the youth
camp prior to the Grey's knowledge of the
land. After the camps ended, the property
was abandoned for eight years by all, other
than the groundskeeper, Oscar, who still
maintains the property with great diligence
and care. Alex and Allyson Grey fell in love
with the land and are inspiring a community
to gather here to build Temples of Art and
Creativity.

Today CoSM is home to a wonderful staff,

inspiring collections of sacred art living
available to elevate the consciousness of
curious and seeking souls.

The site is open to the public with regular

weekly hours.
A refurbished historic mansion hosts CoSM’s many overnight guests and provides an artful context for artist retreats,
sabbaticals, events and gatherings. A classroom hosts art workshops, classes and courses. An onsite store sells art, books,
clothing, jewelry and a host of creative goods. A cafe features delicious snacks and drinks.

The grounds have towering trees, spectacular foliage, art installations, fields, seating areas, labyrinth, sculptures and art
installations.

A wisdom trail weaves around the property by many art installations, exploring the grounds which are home to countless plants,
animals and a beloved community of life.
An 1882 Carriage House is now being transformed into an inspiring art environment called Entheon, a place to discover the Creator within.
A future Chapel is being visioned as the next stage of our temple building initiative.
Invitation to Participate

Join in the visionary cartography wing at

CoSM. This is a uniquely creative way to
participate in the temple building initiative
here.

We welcome any art you make at CoSM,

particularly of the naturescapes and its many
creatures.

By observing the CoSM ecological

community, we can open up a more direct
creative relationship with this holy place.

Definitive identification of plants, animals,

insects and mushrooms will help us map the
land. Detailed observations of sun and shade,
water and wind or any energies or influences
passing onto or through the property are
welcomed. Together we can learn about the
land and its many unique opportunities.

We also welcome critical feedback about our

organizational and people systems. Do you
have an idea for how we could improve our
service? online store? events? Permaculture
uses natures design principles to look beyond
just physical systems and into the invisible
structures that keep things moving and we
always seek ways to improve and better
ourselves.

Email delvin@cosm.org with any contributions

to this collaboration permaculture design
process.
Here is our original map of the land followed by a new map of the property showing changes since our arrival.
Light

Sectors are energies that are coming from off the property onto, or through, the land. These include physical energies like water,
wind and sun as well as non-physical energies like noise, views and patterns of animal movement through the site. Social
influences like bylaws, building codes and cultural norms may also be considered sectors. When we identify a sector, we usually
have the opportunity to channel it, welcome it in, block it from coming in, or capture and store it.

One of the most observable sectors is sun and shade. Not only does this influence location of plantings, buildings, solar panels,
windows and outdoor seating, this might also help with planning seasonal outdoor activities, organizing the time of day work is
done on the outside of the house, or simply planning a place to sun bathe at different times of day in different months.
Water

Walk around the land each month and look

for water. What are the water sources?
Where are the springs, running water, damp
soil and when are these spotted?
Water flows down the property via culverts
and ditches and pools in the woodland at
the base of the property.

Winter : Water freezing in the mostly

unmapped zone on the NE side of the
main drive where it forks and by the
Wappinger Cairn.

Spring : We found a trickling spring on the NE

side of the property in eye view of the cairn
and parallel to the gatehouse field.

Summer : The property dries up except for

the NE side which remains a wetland.

Autumn : Water runs through drainage

ditches during periods of rain.

We would love more water observations on

the CoSM property.
Climate

Here is information about the climate in the

area of Wappingers Falls.

Latitude 41°38'00N
Longitude 073°55'00W
160 Feet above Sea Level

January 14.7-34.2 °F : 3.19 inch rain

February 16.1-337.5 °F : 2.53 inch rain
March 25.5-47.2 °F : 3.59 inch rain
April 35.8-59 °F : 3.79 inch rain
May 46.3-70.4 °F : 3.79 inch rain
June 55.3-78.4 °F : 3.73 inch rain
July 60.2-83.6 °F : 4.72 inch rain
August 14.7-34.2 °F : 3.83 inch rain
September 50.1-73.8 °F : 3.69 inch rain
October 38.1-62.1 °F : 3.56 inch rain
November 30.1-50.6 °F : 3.53 inch rain
December 20.9-39.1 °F : 3.23 inch rain

First Frost : October

Last Frost : May
Temperature Range : 14.7 - 83.6 °F
Inches of Rain per year : 44
Inches of Snow : 41
Days of Precipitation : 81
Sunny days : 165

- USDA plant hardiness : Zone 6a

- Koppen-Geiger Dfa
Hot humid continental climate
- Analogue Locations : Sapporo Japan,
Volgograd Russia, Seoul South Korea, Bejing
China, Bucharest Romania
Sensory Activation

In each month, on a windy day, walk the

land and look for wind channels where the
wind is felt strongly. Feel the direction those
winds are coming from. In late autumn, winter
and early spring the winds rush through the
property due to leaf loss on trees. Storms
often roll in from the SE.

The CoSM land is a temple of sound. What

are all the different noises you hear and
where do they come from? Walk the land
while activating your visionary ears. Listen for
woodpeckers, owls, frogs and many bird
songs.

CoSM is also a landscape of touch and

texture. Can you find any interesting things to
touch (or not to touch) on the property? Soft?
Hard? Wet? Dry? Cold? Warm? Hot?
All year round stop and connect with the
many trees on the land. Watch out for
Poison ivy growing on some of the trees and
in the woody areas. If you happen to touch
the ivy, look for jewel weed near by, this is
Poison ivy's natural antidote.
There are so many beautiful things to see
here. Walk the land with your visionary eyes.
Where are all the viewpoints? Each
month note some of the views you
discovered.

CoSM is full of wonderful scents. Can you

follow your nose around the property? Any
pleasant discoveries? In each month walk the
land with your visionary sense of smell and
note areas that stimulate your nose. Are there
any smells coming into the CoSM land from
outside?

This blessed land is alive. There is a

gridwork of ley lines and energy flows that
create a sacred geometrical lattice over the
landscape. Can you locate places that are
good to meditate, vision quest, make art, do
journaling, or simply stop to contemplate?

All Year Long : The Linden tree next to the

reflecting pond is the grandmother tree of
CoSM. Listen for any messages she may
carry for you.

Remember to use caution regarding the ticks.

Places to Pilgrimage to

Kate Raudenbush's sculpture Altered States

is the lower meadow. Spend some time here
meditating, enjoying the views from the
balcony, or sharing energy and prayers for
the future Chapel visioned for this holy
place.

Nature Hogan's Nest is also in the lower

meadow. A lovely nook to tuck yourself into
and ground in. Also a great place to connect
as a group.

The Labyrinth along the lower wisdom trail.

A quiet place of walking meditation and
contemplation.

The Reflecting Pond. Have a peaceful glance

into the reflecting pond. Check out the living
functional art work, the wood is inoculated
with mushrooms!.

The Sun Temple Cistern is at the top of the

upper Wisdom Trail. A sacred space for sun
worship, meditation and art making. View Alex
Grey and Allyson Grey's art work
collaboratively painted with Sharon Fulcher
and Steve Shorts
Harvests

Everytime of year there are many harvests at

CoSM. Colourful flowers, leaves, berries, roots
and seeds feed the wildlife here. Used to
make tools, art supplies, structures and all
manner of medicine, the natural world of
CoSM has served humanity for millennia and
we intend to care for this generous force.
Please help us keep CoSM clear of garbage.

Your observations are a valuable contribution

to our permaculture design process. If you
can definitively identify plants or animals,
mushrooms or insects, please help us
connect with and honor the community of
creatures who live in this holy place. If you
observe energies and influences coming into
or through the property that would be a great
help for our design process. Patterns of sun
and shade, wind and water, scents and sights
are what we seek to observe across all the
seasons. Do not consume any wild plants that
have not been properly identified by an
expert.

Email delvin@cosm.org with any

observations, art or photographs you want to
share.
Flowers

February: English Elm - Ulmus procera

April : Blood Root (white) Sanguinaria canadensis,
Garlic Mustard - Alliaria petiolata, Red Oak -
Quercus Rubra
May : Calming Blue Violet - Viola papilonacae,
Ground Ivy (purple) - Glechoma hederacea,
Dames Rocket (white and pink) - Hesperes
matronalis, Great
Celandine - Cheledonium majus, Garlic Mustard -
Alliaria petiolata, Red Oak
June : Horse Nettle (white with yellow center) -
Solanum carolinense, Garlic Mustard - Alliaria
petiolata, Black Locust - Robina pseudoacacia,
Herb Robert
July : Indian Tobacco (light purple) - Lobelia
inflata, Water Smartweed or Lady's Thumb (dark
pink) - Polygonum coccineum, Pale Touch-Me-Not
(yellow) - Impatiens pallida, Lemon Balm (lavender)
- Lamium maculatum, Common Daylily (orange) -
Hemerocallis fulva, Field Garlic (white) Alium
oleraceum, Day Flower - Commelina, Japanese
Knotweed - Polygonum japonicum, Linden , Herb
Robert (pink) - Geranium robertianum
August : Field Garlic - Alium oleraceum, Day
Flower - Commelina, Japanese Knotweed -
Polygonum japonicum, Herb Robert - Geranium
robertianum
September : White Snakeroot - (white clusters)
Ageratina altissima, Brown Knapweed (purple) -
Centaurea jacea, Red Leg (white & pinkish
clusters) Polygonum persicaria, Day Flower
(orange) - Commelina, Japanese Knotweed
- Polygonum japonicum, Herb Robert - Geranium
robertianum , Sweet Autumn
Clematis - Clematis terniflora, Spice Bush - lindera
Benzoin
October : Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum
japonicum, Sweet Autumn Clematis - Clematis
terniflora
Leaves

January : Field Garlic - Alium oleraceum

February : Field Garlic - Alium oleraceum
March : Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum japonicum,
Forsythia - Forsythia suspensa
April : Garlic Mustard - Alliaria petiolata, Japanese
Knotweed - Polygonum japonicum, Woodland
Strawberry - Fragaria bracteata, Forsythia - Forsythia
suspensa, Lindera - Polygonum japonicum

May : Broad Leaved Plantain - Plantago major, Calming

Blue Violet - Viola papilonacae, Ground Ivy - Glechoma
hederacea, Garlic Mustard - Alliaria petiolata, Dames
Rocket - Hesperes matronalis, Great Celandine -
Cheledonium majus, Broad leaf Bitter Dock - Rumex
obtusifolius, Pokeweed - Phytolacca americana,
Japanese Wineberry - Rubus phoenicolacius, Japanese
Knotweed - Reynoutria japonica, American Linden - Tilia
americana, Purple Dead Nettle - Lamium purpereum,
Artemisia vulgaris, Chickweed - Stellaria media,
Calming Blue Violet, Jewelweed - Impatiens pallida,
Dame’s Rocket - Hesperis matronalis, Fox Grape - Vitis
labrusca, Woodland Strawberry - Fragaria bracteata,
Curly Dock - Rumex crispus, Ground Elder -
Aegopodium podagraria, Japanese Barberry - Berberis
thunbergil, Lindera - Polygonum japonicum, Black
Locust - Robina pseudoacacia, Japanese Maple - Acer
palmatum

June : Purple Dead Nettle - Lamium purpereum,

Chickweed - Stellaria media, Dame’s Rocket - Hesperis
matronalis, Fox Grape - Vitis labrusca, Garlic Mustard,
Greater celandine - Chelidonium jajus, Jewelweed -
Impatiens pallida, Red Leg - Polygonum persicaria,
Curly Dock - Rumex crispus, Ground Elder -
Aegopodium podagraria, Japanese Barberry - Berberis
thunbergil, Nipplewort - Lapsana communis, Motherwort
- Red Leg - Polygonum persicaria, Artemisia vulgaris,
Sensitive Fern - Onoclea sensibilis, American Linden,
Lindera, Japanese Maple
July : Dame’s Rocket - Hesperis matronalis, Field
Garlic - Alium oleraceum, Fox Grape - Vitis
Labrusca, Ginko Biloba, Jewelweed, Red Leg -
Polygonum persicaria, Curly Dock - Rumex
crispus, Day Flower, Ground Elder - Aegopodium
podagraria, Japanese Barberry - Berberis
thunbergil, Japanese Knotweed, Motherwort,
Mugwort

August : Dame’s Rocket - Hesperis matronalis,

Field Garlic - Alium oleraceum, Fox Grape - Vitis
labrusca, Jewelweed - Impatiens pallida, Red Leg
- Polygonum persicaria, Curly Dock - Rumex
crispus, Day Flower - Commelina, Japanese
Barberry, Japanese Knotweed, Nipplewort,
Motherwort, Artemisia vulgaris, Wild Asparagus -
Asparagus officinalis

September : Field Garlic - Allium vinealae, Indian

tobacco - Lobelia inflata, Pallida, Red Leg -
Polygonum persicaria,
Day Flower - Commelina, Japanese Barberry -
Berberis thunbergil, Mugwort - Artemisia vulgaris

October : Field Garlic - Allium vinealae,

Chickweed - Stellaria media, Red Leg -
Polygonum persicaria, Japanese Knotweed -
Polygonum japonicum, Sweet Autumn Clematis -
Clematis Terniflora

November : Spruce, Purple Dead Nettle - Lamium

purpereum, Chickweed - Stellaria media

If you are a plant person, we would love more

definitive identifications of plants
Seeds

February : Black Locust - Robina pseudoacacia

May : English Elm - Ulmus Procera
June :Dame’s Rocket - Hesperis matronalis, Garlic
Mustard - Alliaria petiolata, English Elm - Ulmus
Procera
July : Dame’s Rocket - Hesperis matronalis, Garlic
Mustard, Greater celandine - Chelidonium
majus, Jewelweed - Impatiens pallida, Curly Dock -
Rumex crispus, Day Flower - Commelina
August : Dame’s Rocket - Hesperis matronalis, Garlic
Mustard, Greater celandine - Chelidonium majus,
Jewelweed - Impatiens pallida, Curly Dock - Rumex
crispus, Day Flower - Commelina, Japanese Knotweed
- Polygonum japonicum, Japanese Wineberry - Rubus
phoenicolasius, Red Leg - Polygonum persicaria
September : Black Walnut - Juglans nigra, Greater
celandine - Chelidonium majus, Jewelweed -
Impatiens pallida, Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum
japonicum, Red Leg - Polygonum persicaria,
Multiflora Rose, Pokeweed - Phytolacca americana,
Black Cherry - Prunus serotina, Curly Dock -
Rumex crispus, Day Flower - Commelina,, Japanese
Wineberry - Rubus phoenicolasius, Norway maple -
Acer platanoides (sap), Spice Bush - Lindera benzoin
October : Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum
japonicum, Red Leg - Polygonum persicaria,
Maidenhair Tree - Gingko biloba, Multiflora Rose,
Pokeweed - Phytolacca americana, Virginia
Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Curly Dock -
Rumex crispus, Norway maple - Acer
platanoides (sap), American Linden, Red Oak - Quercus
rubra
November : Maidenhair Tree - Gingko biloba, Virginia
Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Black
Locust - Robina pseudoacacia, Flowering Dogwood -
Cornus florida, Pokeweed - Phytolacca
americana
Berries

April : Spice Bush - Lindera benzoin

May : Fox Grape - Vitis labrusca, Spice Bush -

Lindera Benzoin, Woodland Strawberry -
Fragaria bracteata, Black Cherry - Prunus
serotina, Japanese Barberry - Berberis
thunbergil,

June : Japanese Wineberry - Rubus

phoenicolasius, Fox Grape - Vitis labrusca,
Black Cherry - Prunus serotina, Japanese
Barberry - Berberis thunbergil, Flowering
Dogwood - Cornus florida, Virginia Creeper -
Parthenocissus uinquefolia

July : Fox Grape - Vitis labrusca, Virginia

Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia,
Japanese Wineberry - Rubus phoenicolasius,
Flowering Dogwood - Cornus florida, Raspberries -
Rubus

August : Fox Grape - Vitis labrusca, Virginia

Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia,
Japanese Wineberry - Rubus phoenicolasius,
Spice Bush - Lindera benzoin, Huckleberry

September : Spice Bush - Lindera benzoin,

Pokeweed - Phytolacca americana
Roots

March : Field Garlic - Alium oleraceum,

Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum japonicum,
White Avens - Geum canadense, Tulip Tree,
Virginia Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia

April : Field Garlic - Alium oleraceum,

Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum japonicum,
Spice Bush - Lindera benzoin, Tulip Tree,
Virginia Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia

September : Japanese Knotweed -

Polygonum japonicum, Virginia Creeper

October : Field Garlic - Alium oleraceum,

Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum japonicum,
Spice Bush - Lindera benzoin, Virginia
Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia, White
Avens - Geum canadense, Sensitive Fern -
Onoclea sensibilis, Tulip Tree - Liriodendron
tulipifera

November : Field Garlic - Alium oleraceum,

Blackcap Raspberry - Rubus oxindantala,
Barberry, Poke Root - Phytolacca Americana,
Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum japonicum,
Spice Bush - Lindera benzoin, Virginia
Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia, White
Avens - Geum canadense, Sensitive Fern -
Onoclea sensibilis
Insects

This is a listing of the insects spotted at

CoSM. We welcome amateur or professional
entomologists with definitive identification of
insects here to contribute to this growing list.

All Year Long

Deer Ticks - Ixodes scapularis (most active

in warmer months)

Stink Bugs - Halyomorpha halys (inside and

outside buildings)

Powderpost Beetle - Lyctoxylon dentatu (in

Ash Trees)

June : Gold Beetle - Charidotella

sexpunctata

July : Squash Borer Beetle - Melittia

cucurbitae

September : Jesus Bugs - Gerridae

Arthropoda

Use caution with the ticks. Wear shoes, long

sleeved clothing and a hat when in the wild
woods. Natural tick sprays can be used on
legs and body, ask in the hospitality office or
purchase at a local health food store.
Birds

Sharp Shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus

Red Winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
Sandhill Crane - Antigone canadensis
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor
Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus
Red Tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis
Feral Pigeon - Columba livia domestica
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos
Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis
Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Wood Thrush - Hylocichla mustelina
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula
Red-Bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes
carolinus
Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo
Black-Capped Chickadee - Poecile
atricapillus
Barred Owl - Strix varia

If you are a birder, we would love more

definitive bird observations in different months
of the year. We would love more art and
photography of our avian friends.
Animals

A listing of the animals spotted at CoSM.

White Tailed Deer - Odocoileus virginianus

Bobcat - Lynx rufus
Eastern Coyotes - Canis latrans
Virginia Opposum - Didelphis virginiana
Ground Hogs - Marmota monax
Red Fox - Vulpes Vulpes
Skunks - Mephitis mephitis
Eastern Gray Squirrel - Sciurus carolinensis
Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo
Racoon - Procyon lotor

Can you help us definitively identify any

animals? They are our roommates here on the
land. We would love more art and
photography of the animals here.
Fungi

All Year Round : Turkey tail - Trametes

Versicolor mushroom is omnipresent, best
harvested early fall in general. Witches butter
Tremella mesentericalso is always around.
Artists conks Ganoderma applanatum can
also be seen year round. Spring Summer and
Autumn yields Edible Shiitake - Lentinula
edodes.

April : Lentinula edodes - Shiitake

May : the 'pink toothpaste' Slime Mold -

Lycogala epidendrum, Pearl Oyster -
Pluroteus ostreatus, Dryads
Saddle/ Pheasant Back - Polyporus
squamosus, Witches Butter - Tremella
mesentericam

July : Pearl Oyster - Pluroteus ostreatus,

Turkey Tail / Coriolis - Trametes versicolor

September : Pearl Oyster- Plueroteus

ostreatus (by Grandmother Tree), Edible
Shiitake - Lentinula edodes
October : Shaggy Mane - Coprinus comatus,
Coprinus micaceus, Galerina marginata
(poison), Lepiota Cristata, Pearl Oyster -
Pluroteus ostreatus, Turkey Tail / Coriolis -
Trametes versicolor
CoSM Composting

The CoSM compost is surrounded by

biodynamic plants. It was built by the
awesome Peaches and Jeffrey to have two
components; set of 3 main wood compost
boxes and a raised sink vermiculture system.

1.0 MAIN COMPOST

Filled from a labeled bucket in the kitchen
that have raw veggies, tea and coffee only (no
fruit, no tea bags with staples, no wheat, no
dairy, no oil, no meat). These are taken out to
the compost biweekly and covered 1:1 with
brown material: leaves or dried grass from the
'brown box’. Tender garden trimmings, weeds,
dead plants, biodynamic plants and
composting super plants mix with organic
kitchen waste.

2.0 BROWN BOX

After adding kitchen or garden green waste, a
roughly equal amount of brown materials
from the land is added including leaves, dried
grass or tender brown organic matter.

3.0 COMPOST PILE MAINTENANCE

Making sure the piles are covered in 'brown
materials' will help the process, keep down
smells and pests while maintaining moisture
content. Harvest by sifting compost through
mesh frame placed over a wheel barrow.
Uncomposted materials that don’t go through
the mesh can go back into compost.
4.0 WORM BIN
Filled from a labeled bucket in the kitchen
and under the coffee station, for non-spicy
and coffee only (no onion, garlic, hot pepper,
fruit, no tea bags with staples, no wheat, no
dairy, no oil, no meat). Love the worms by
giving them mild tasting, soft greens, veggies
and weeds like lettuce, dandelion and torn up
black and white newspaper too! Add some
material from the Brown Box as well as
biodynamic plants and composting super
plants growing nearby.

5.0 WORM BIN MAINTENANCE

A bucket underneath the worm bin holds
fertilizing tea. If the liquid is black, you can
water it down until it is the colour of tea. This
is for watering on other gardens. The bin can
be cleaned out and laid on tarp in the sun
every 1-3 months. Worms will crawl to the tarp
and top compost can be gathered and sifted
through mesh frame into wheel barrow.

6.0 PERMACULTURE DESIGN

CONSIDERATIONS
Set up to perfectly host worms and other
aerobic decomposers: damp but not wet,
oxygenated but also protected from the
elements. Square bins lined with chicken wire
have thin spaces between boards for air to
come in. Lid has small holes drilled in for
oxygen and rain water percolation. Most
effective in shade.
Mycology

This cool climate site is perfect for mushrooms and has many species growing onsite throughout the year. Mycologist and
visionary painter Martin Bridge is on the Teaching Faculty at CoSM and offers an annual class on mushrooms. He has installed
some statues that are plugged with mushroom spores and produce shitakis. He painted the compost signs and has collaborated
with Delvin to create a series of posters and teaching tools. Martin’s teacher Paul Stamets, a leader in the field and author of
countless books on mycology, has come to CoSM to teach as well.

The mushroom cafe onsite is well known for Grace’s baked goods and drinks infused with a variety of medicinal mushrooms. It is
filled with visionary art related to the theme of mushrooms from artists around the world. Surrounded by visionary art depicting
mushrooms, this is a tribute to the magic of mycology. Martin’s portrait of Maria Sabina, mushroom shamanka is featured there.
Martin Bridge, artist extraordinaire and his portrait of Mycologist Paul Stamets.
Many different petals of permaculture, creative ways to contribute meaningful service to the larger community of people and planet.
Download these posters freely at printable resolution at www.visionarypermaculture.com/tools
Visionary Design

“When we design, we are always building for

future floods, future fires, future droughts, and
planting a tree a few inches tall that will be
future forest giants, and throw future shadows.
Future populations will need future soils and
forest resources, shelter, security. So
somebody needs to range ahead in time,
scout out the next century. We are not
daydreaming. We are time scouts. Finding
places now for what will be needed then.”
- Bill Mollison, Originator of Permaculture,
from his autobiography Travels in Dreams

Our collective visionary permaculture design

process includes hundreds of people over a 6
year period and is expanding each year. All
the participants from the permaculture
workshops and courses since 2012 have all
done design charrettes, exercises to apply
permaculture concepts, strategies and
methods to the design of CoSM. Some of the
harvests of this massive collaborative design
process which is spread across space and
time are included in the pages that follow.
Plant Systems

- Low maintenance plants

- Food, medicine, tool plants
- Plants for making art supplies
- Herbs for repelling mosquitos and ticks
- Cut flowers
- Orchids in windows
- Edible flowers
- Butterfly garden
- Native plant gardens for pollinators
- Grafting different fruit trees
- Spiral forest gardens
- Birch trees or Maple trees for sweet syrup
- Cedar Balsam Woods
- Firewood coppice forest
- Living shade structures (grapes, kiwi,
passionflower, other vining plants)
- Bamboo fence for vines to grow up upon
- Rooftop gardens on buildings and structures
- Hedge or tree stand between CoSM and the
neighbours house
- Use of bamboo for structures and fencing
- Wild food forest strips of nuts, fruits and fuel
- Orchard with fruit and nut trees like Black
Walnut, Hazelnut and Chestnut
- Sprawling plants over septic field
- Spiral shaped fairie and fungus forest garden
- Mushroom logs for shiitake, oyster,
lionsmane
Animals Systems

- Bee hives with nearby water supply, pollenator gardens with early and late season forage, roof protection & observation bench
- Chickens to eat ticks, lay eggs, provide fertilizer, entertain us, give feathers, clean up garden waste and scratch around
- Horses for companionship, trail rides, therapy, poop for fertilizer and mushrooms, transportation of wood with Cob Shelters
- Goats for land clearing, dairy, soap, clear poison ivy, weeds and brambles
- Sheep for eating grass, wool, dairy and meat
- Guinea Fowl to eat ticks
- Bird, Bat and Owl houses
- Llama for protection, wool and fertilizer
- Create aquaculture in pond to raise fish. Deer net around veggie garden. Earth animal shrine temple
Structures

- Groups of small one-room cabins, Teepee housing, Tree houses, Yurts, Sweat lodge, Gazebos
- Communal area for overnight guests
- Raised wooden decks for camping, Viewing platform, Outdoor Amphitheater, Bamboo stage
- Yoga studio, Geodome meditation sanctuary, Zen garden with yoga space
- A-frames with gutters and vertical garden. Eco lodge housing, campground
- Art installations that double as housing or rentable daytime art nooks, Outdoor movie theatre
- Sauna, Bathhouse, Tetrahedron greenhouses, Sound wall, Living fences
- Compost outhouse surrounded by bamboo. Underground food storage, Firewood sheds
- Thatched aviary for birds, Thatched stone manger for deer with salt-licks
Water

- Ponds for biodiversity and human enjoyment

- Big pond in lower left quadrant of the
property with cattails and marsh plants
- Rooftop water harvest from office building
- The Marsh area could be used for rice
production or as a sanctuary for turtles & birds
- Hydroponic system in pool
- Water Reclamation Inverted Pyramid
- Aquaponics with lotus root
- Fedge protected pond
- Drip irrigation on timers
- Reinstate abandoned water tank
- Collect Rainwater with rainbarrels and
cisterns
- Grey water treatment for outdoor shower /
bathhouse
- Koi pond
- Solar shower
- Greenhouse with algae culture in septic bank
below, use clarified septic effluent to grow
algae, use algae to make biodiesel and then
biodiesel to power farm machines and
transportation vehicles, use left over algae
solids for gardens and soil amendment
- Separate male and female bathhouse,
outdoor showers, composting toilets
- Permeable pavement for parking
- Pump to drain swimming pool and keep it
drained, maybe potted garden goes in there.
- Swimming pool turned into aquaculture fish
pond with Tilapia and Bass
Placemaking

- Raised art making platform

- Recycle center onsite
- Geodome meditation pod
- Farmers Market stand with crafts and goods
- Paint beehives
- Artful back of shoe rack in front of house
- More face sconses
- Permanent outdoor easels
- Totem poles
- Rock waterfall and sand pit for meditation
- Rock garden, zen meditation area
- Outdoor medicine art making stations
- Camp fire zone
- Meditating wood seats
- Sundial compass rose mandala mosaic
- Cob pizza oven
- Seed library
- Compass rose mosaic
- Solar Light for wisdom trail
- Solar lit archway
- Entry gateway and portals
- Arch ways
- Rope swing
- Wildcrafting station
- Teahouse outside open all hours
- Found item art making station
- Attention to wheelchair access
- Volunteer ambassadors
- Areas for seasonal rituals / ceremonies
- More walkways and paths
- Wisdom trail board walk
- Bike Rack
- Electric Car charging station
Energy

- Waste management upgrades

- Collect storm water for gardens
- Composting toilets with bamboo screens

- Geothermal
- Pyramid Greenhouse
- Compost heated showers
- Windmill : cycling water, hydraulics, forging,
metallurgy, bakery, smithy
- Petal power : generating electrical wattage,
water pressure, health, fitness
- Onsite recycle sorting and upgrade recycling
service
- Elon Musk solar roof
Education

- Traditional sweat lodge teaches about native

traditions, honors the earth, cleanses and
purifies
- Cob house for fermenting and medicine
making
- Tetrahedron structured plant house and
shrine, teaches about sacred geometry with
highly stable and easy to build structures, in a
beautiful sacred space for meditation,
surrounded by plants to inspire a deeper
connection with nature
- Spiral shaped fungus faerie garden

- Expand Library
- Id all native species on the land and use
them
- Consider how to incorporate more history of
the land and Wappingers people
- Find inspirations in botanical gardens such
as the “Jardin des Plantes’ in Paris, or in
Bucharest
- Research : stormking 2, Damanhur with its
sculptures along pathways and iconography
from different wisdom traditions
- Holistic buildout of the educational programs
at CoSM including more weekday offerings,
as well as hands on outdoor classes.
- Development of longer certification or
diploma programs that include many classes
and may include self-directed projects or
other educational requirements which can be
done from a distance.
Delvin Design

Visions 2011

CoSM is growing into a World Heritage Site, a

monument to planetary culture and place of
pilgrimage representing the evolution of our
creative spirit for the betterment of
humankind. Planting the land with sacred
plants that reflect the traditional practices,
food and medicine of the original culture of
the land, we honour the history of this holy
place.

Visions 2014

A holistic Operating Manual and map to

CoSM could share information about the
project, ways to have self-guided experiences
of the wonders of this place, the function of
different areas, how to contribute and help
out, as well as the rules and guidelines to
support visitors to have a respectful presence.
The development of CoSM currency could be
used for CoSM products or events onsite.
Visions 2018

The Visionary Permaculture Program could be

expanded to include more classes from high
level permaculture teachers, herbalists and
ecologists like Starhawk and Paul Stamets.

The completion of the wisdom trail could be

followed by plantings, statuary and art making
stations along its path. A butterfly pollinator
bed with color in all seasons is being
imagined by Grace. The continual planting of
flower bulbs around the site adds beauty.
Ongoing annual planting of evergreen trees for
diversity and winter shelter is another
successful pattern that will be good replicate.

An expansion of the
visionarypermaculture.com website and its
newsletters could include nature updates
sharing plants of interest in flower or animals
spotted on the land, photography and art
done on the land, garden updates and
volunteer initiatives. This could be expanded
to share quotes and images from
permaculture teachers of the VPDC program
like Susun Weed, Dina Falconi and Andrew
Faust.
Design Visions
Allyson & Alex Grey

Patterns
- Commitment is key when creating land art
- Design land to be supportive of
transformational experiences
- A place where peaceful humanity is
sacramentally enhanced
- A public offering of beauty and
contemplation and spirit
- Areas of inspiration and art making

Priorities
- Entheon
- Housing for Staff and Visitors
- Staff house
- Permeable barrier on west and northwest
sides of the property
- Large barn (lumber, park truck, wood shop,
staging area), basketball court could be used
as a foundation for the barn
- Raised beds in the pool and pool area

Challenges
- Financial limitations
- Co-ordinating aesthetic changes to the land

Ideas
- Plant trees every year in Autumn
- Boxwood hedge down driveway
- Chamomile on way to office
- Retreat cabin 
- Gate and parking at bottom of property 
- Laser cut wisdom quotes about the path
along the wisdom trail
- Inspire people to move into the
neighbourhood next door
- Open air art studio behind Cabin
- Pond lined to hold water
- Semi circular pad that can be used as a
stage on lawn by parking lot by Entheon
- Camping or tiny homes with bathhouse in
old basketball zone
- Heart pavilion
- Greenhouse with devotional temple at pulpit
- Privacy Walls
- Fence at top of property
- Relocalize energy with solar
- Replace willow on property
- Nature strips
- Meadow below bees, milkweed for
butterflies
- Path up from bottom for pilgrimage and
exercise
- Extend wisdom trail to continue through the
northeast portion of the property
- Head of the goddess at entry to wisdom trail
- More sculptural elements
- Yoni portal or gateway into the meadow
- Large prayer wheel with 6 foot diameter
globe inscribed with prayers from all over the
planet, prayers for the regeneration of all the
elements and regenerative of the life web
- Flowers at entrance, under sign and around
Wappingers Shrine
- Ritual fountain at wellnest
- Sphinx Greenhouse over the swimming pool
Sphinx Greenhouse Temple around pool. Alex Grey napkin sketch from 2018
Mountain Man Dan has helped vision the greenhouse and enlisted the help of Timothy Gilligan who made the above renders.
Alex and Allyson envision a Horus temple with Kiva over the cistern at the top of the property. Here is a sketch from Alex Grey 2017.
Chakras

Root Chakra
- Entry Point gate and Wappingers Cairn.
Sacral Chakra
- The Well Nest might one day have a
ceremonial statue of the Cosmic Mother with
Earth as her pregnant belly. This could include
a fountain where people could add their tears
to the tears of the creatures, a place for
grieving and washing, a connection with
water.
Solar Plexus
- Flagpole and buddha statue.
Heart Chakra
- Pulpit is near the bee hives which represent
our social web.
- Allyson had a ceremony at the heart chakra
of the property with all of the women of her
family and buried a large rose quartz.
Throat Chakra
- One day a Sphinx kiva could go over the
swimming pool for contemplation of the
shadow and garden greenhouse and
Crown Chakra
- Perhaps one day there could be a Sun Horus
Temple to cap the Cistern and make into a
kiva. Built on a platform 10-15 feet about the
opening and hosting a large Horus head
sculpture would allow the rising sun to shine
through it's beak or eyes on the Winter
Solstice. The altar could be a meeting ground
for the Cosmos and Mother Earth, with the
dual use of protection and honoring.
Visionary Permaculture Program : Design Web

The design web is a permaculture method innovated by my mentor Looby Macnamara. It outlines 12 conceptual anchor points
which are a synthesis of different permaculture principles, strategies and processes. Going through all the anchor points, you can
use this design web to upgrade the design of a garden, home, business, project or relationship. Articulating your design through
the lens of each anchor point gives you a holistic vision and helps you to manifest it. This may include recognizing your gifts,
skills and the opportunities around you. It can also make space for the emergence of new and unexpected manifestations.
Holistic design illuminates how all the different parts work together. Through this process you can cultivate a conscious
awareness of where you are now, where you want to be and the actions you need to take to move from here to there. The goal is
to articulate your core vision, identify your core needs, and understand the core functions you want to fulfill with your design.
From here you can design systems to fulfill the functions and needs while manifesting your higher vision.
Vision

"To honour the sacred is to create conditions

in which nourishment, sustenance, habitat,
knowledge, freedom and beauty can thrive. To
honour the sacred is to make love possible."
- Starhawk

Looby Macnamara asks us to be visionary.

What are your wildest dreams?

She notes that this vision becomes core

functions of the design. This is a foundational
driver for decisions you will make throughout
the process.

The CoSM visionary permaculture program

seeks to connect people with nature, inspiring
them to be live a more conscious lifestyle that
cares for the Earth community of animals,
plants and people while considering future
generations. Ideally the program inspires
people to create their own life curriculum
including taking ongoing workshops, classes
and courses as well as experimenting with
plenty of hands on experience. Inspiring
people to skill up and become proficient in
creating and maintaining their own home and
garden systems is a core function of our
program. A larger vision is to inspire people to
bring nature’s design principles into the
design of their businesses and projects,
allowing them to green their livelihood, saving
time, energy and money while living more in
alignment with their values.
Helps

“A true teacher is someone who helps you

discover the teacher in yourself.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh

Be motivating. What resources do you have

within you and around you?

Identifying what can help you, and how you

can help others, is a touchstone in deciding
where to invest the time, energy and money
you have available.

The Visionary Permaculture Design Program

can help CoSM by bringing an ecological
perspective to the planning, design and
implementation of the 40 acre site and its
many buildings. Pairing with the volunteer
program at CoSM could help motivate and
co-ordinate some site work like fence
building, path clearing, collection of deadfall
for firewood, unwanted plant removal,
garbage detail, leaf collecting, bulb and tree
planting, compost sifting and general cleanup
work. This would give people meaningful
hands on experience with community while
benefiting CoSM in a practical way.

The program is helped by the onsite gardens

and growing of food, now managed by
Charlie, the CoSM Chef. A new compost
system relocated into the gardens complete
with biodynamic plants, vermiculture system
and mushroom logs will also help this growing
small scale intensive design.
Patterns

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature,

they find it attached to the rest of the world.”
- Jon Muir

We are encouraged by Looby Macnamara to

be pattern literate. What would a spiral of
abundance look like?

Recognizing helpful patterns you can reinforce

with habits and routines. Identifying
dysfunctional patterns that need designing
out of the system is a keynote in the process.

Systems can spiral upwards into abundance

or downward into erosion. A spiral of
abundance for the CoSM Visionary
Permaculture program could include building
out the educational offerings across the four
seasons by bringing in more teachers and
facilitators of sustainability and DIY projects
that encourage the development of hard skills
working with nature, gardening, building,
medicine making, food preservation and land
art. As more diversity of programs happen
here, increasingly skilled volunteers will arrive
to help with caring for and developing the land
as an artful park, place of learning as well as
many outdoor classrooms for creative
practices and pursuits.
Principles

“We must be willing to let go of the life we

planned so as to have the life that is waiting
for us.” - Joseph Campbell

Be guided. What ideas do the permaculture

principles give you about the direction you
want to go in and how to get there?

The underlying principles of Nature’s

Operating System, OS Gaia, are the secret to
natures successful design. These principles
can be drivers for our own design decisions
and help align us with effective, efficient and
ethical outcomes.

The visionary permaculture program seeks to

offer something educational, engaging and
experiential. The creation of more in-person
classes, self-guided tours of the land and
online resources can encourage a creative
and fun approach to learning that is driven by
passion and fuelled by inspiration. A nature
guidebook to support wisdom walks and
share permaculture principles could be an
upgrade.

Connecting people with nature’s principles

while encouraging the design of flexible
learning pathways can empower the CoSM
community to articulate goals and achieve
them. Education is a part of everyone’s
creative practice.
Ideas

"The best way to predict the future is to

design it." - Buckminster Fuller

With this anchor point Looby Macnamara

asks us to be inspired. How can you generate
ideas and lead creative processes with
others?

Ideas drive the design with new possibilities

and allow it to integrate observation and
generate appropriate solutions.

CoSM is an athanor, an alchemical furnace to

stoke peoples creative practice, a place they
can gain the skills to express their ideas.

The visionary permaculture class could invite

more high level guests who are teachers,
designers and consultants to contribute to
and inspire a continual exploration of what is
possible at CoSM.

Hosting larger creative design processes in

the context of other onsite events including
volunteer days may yield more diverse ideas.
Organizing off site learning adventures to
different permaculture sites in the region could
also bring in fresh energy.

This book is intended to inspire ideas. If you

have visions, ideas or concepts for the design
of CoSM please share by email with
delvin@cosm.org
Limits

“Those who don’t believe in magic will never

find it.” - Roald Dahl

Be aware. Can you spend more time

observing limits and defining problems? Limits
are rooted in self-limiting beliefs.

Looby taught me that the vision is the source

of core functions and limits can identify core
needs. These needs can become driving
functions of the design as well. We can flip the
limit into an affirmation.

The Visionary Design program, like most

peoples live’s, is limited by lack of money and
time. Our brains can imagine things alot faster
than it takes to make them or pay for the time
and supplies it takes to have them made.

By expanding our staff, empowering visiting

faculty to participate and evolving our
volunteer program, we can have more help to
earn money and tackle the every day tasks
that will unlock more time for us to make and
promote art, products and programs in order
to earn more money for the organization.

Instead of the self limiting belief that because

we do everything ourself we have limits of
time and money, our affirmation welcomes the
expansion of our organization to included
skilled support to launch our next level.
Appreciation

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly

trying to make you something else is the
greatest accomplishment."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Modelling her design prowess, Looby

Macnamara shows us how to be
appreciative. How can we bring in gratitude
for ourselves, those around us and the larger
ecological community to help us build
connections and meet our needs?

Appreciation helps maintain momentum and

inspires the team to step up to their higher
potential. Appreciating ourselves and
welcoming in positive gratitude from others
can be empowering and uplifting.

The Visionary Permaculture Program could

consider how to honor and integrate past
participants in programs at CoSM by holding
alumni events or giving graduates discounted
access to certain events.

We could make medicine or collect symbolic

elements from the land like acorns or small
stones to gift to volunteers to show our
appreciation for their contributions.
Action

"Action is the foundational key to success.”

- Pablo Picasso 

Be active. How can you get organized and be

effective in taking action to create, implement
and maintain your design?

This is a touchstone for the design web.

Getting clear on what is going to happen
including why its happening, where its
happening and when its happening is a core
function. Following through to make these
intentional actions happen is the larger
function of permaculture design.

Supporting the buildout of the CoSM garden

as an appropriate classroom for permaculture
activities on site is a great start. Helping to
inspire the completion of the wisdom trail and
bring more art installations on site would also
uplift the design. Sharing this book with the
permaculture participants, past, present and
future, wh,ile welcoming their feedback and
input on this design and on the overall design
of the Visionary Permaculture Program at
CoSM will be a next step. Considering the
designs outlined in this book will continue in a
10 year observation phase that will inform a
truly visionary site design for this amazing
place and the educational programs that
happen here.
Momentum

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open

doors for you where there were only walls.”
- Joseph Campbell

Identifying a key part of any design process,

Looby Macnamara asks us to be a mover.
How can we uplift ourselves and those around
us?

Maintaining momentum is a place many

design processes need to focus on. Once the
honeymoon stage where the vision is fresh is
over and the implimentation has just been
started, its important to drive forward to
completion through any lull that may come up.

The Visionary Permaculture Program at CoSM

can keep reinventing itself in new and creative
ways in order to stay fresh. Upgrading regular
classes while creating new opportunities and
formats to share permaculture learning could
unlock many refreshing expansions. My plan
is to find ways to continue taking high level
international courses from elders and pioneers
to bring ‘the new edge of permaculture’ into
the programs here. This can inspire me to
continue consistently creating new learning
and teaching tools while writing articles for the
worlds permaculture magazines.
Integration

“To live a life you love, love the life you have
and imagine a future worth drawing you
forward.”  –Alex Grey
“What would be the most loving choice?
What choice would look most like our eternal
self?” - Allyson Grey

Be decisive. What are your main functions

and needs? What systems can you put in
place to serve them?

Core Functions include uplifting the CoSM

staff and community while inspiring the
conscious design and development of the
land. Addressing Core Needs can include
enrolling helpers to invest more time and
human power to do everything that needs
doing. Inviting famous teachers, artists and
leaders to host powerful and uplifting events
that also bring in much needed financial
revenue will help us fulfill our need to
complete the building of Entheon and the
future Chapel on site while developing the
area as a curated and beautiful garden-park.

Design of a guidebook for doing self guided

tours of the site is a key upgrade.
Expanding the offerings of visionary
permaculture with the volunteer program
could also have amazing yields. Keeping the
momentum going with classes, free media,
blogs, short videos, articles and newsletters is
an important driver for the success of the
program.
Reflection

“For the fact is, that this seeming chaos which

is in us is a rich, rolling, swelling, dying, lilting,
singing, shouting, crying, sleeping order. If we
only let this order guide our acts of building,
the buildings we make, the towns we help to
make, will be the forests and the meadows of
the human heart.”
- Christopher Alexander

Slowing down enough to use the design web

and permaculture processes when making
decisions allows you to be thoughtful.
How can you evaluate your past and apply it
to future plans? Can you ask yourself and
your team reflective questions?

While you see how these design web anchor

points can drive the ongoing design of
visionary permaculture program at CoSM, I
hope you have been reflecting on how these
might apply to your own project or practice,
life or livelihood, business or relationship.

I will continue to do a ‘Roses, Thorns and

Buds’ analysis after every day of permaculture
class or after completing any permaculture
projects at this site in order to harvest yields
and apply learning to evolving the Visionary
Permaculture Program.
Pause

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret

is patience.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Be still. How can you do restoring and restful

activities that have nothing to do with your
design systems?

This underestimated anchor point is just as

important as all the rest. Without healthy
breaks from the process we can burn out and
develop blind spots. Refreshing our
perspective by taking time away from the
design is a keynote.

Work on the visionary permaculture program

is immersive and never-ending. Planning a
sustainable amount of time to be put into
these systems and considering empowering
others to help care for and maintain the
systems that have developed will be key. In
the gardens we can develop more of a team
who could be invested in the garden by being
able to share its yields and that can take care
of it when Charlie is away.

Everyone is encouraged to get out and have

adventures, travel the world and gain new
experiences in order to vitalize their creative
practice and take restorative breaks from ‘the
everything’.
Golden Keys

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread,

places to play in and pray in, where nature
may heal and give strength to body and soul
alike.”
- John Muir

Mentorship activations on site

one-on-one programs with students.

Biz card sized fliers, one side art, one side

programs.

Advanced Program buildout, meet seasonally

and include movie, field trip, design charrette
and participant presentations, happens on
weekdays and inexpensive as only 4 meetups.

Synch up with volunteer program for land

based projects.

This book will be released through the

network freely.

Activate social media with more regular

offerings.

Buildout of next VPDC, go back to seasonal

model to make it accessible for those who will
travel in to take it.
Evaluation and
Assessment

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up

people together to collect wood and don’t
assign them tasks and work, but rather teach
them to long for the endless immensity of the
sea.”
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

In permaculture we always make our design

before acting. This design is informed and
driven by the principles, strategies, methods
and techniques of nature. Once this is done
our observation period continues and we can
assess and evaluate the outcome of our
actions, making changes to the ongoing
design and implementation over time.

In this light I will come back to this page in the

future and reflect on successes to reinforce
and failures to redesign.
Visionary
Permaculture Textbook

Developed over 16 years of Delvin taking

advanced courses and programs around the
world, this is an essential synthesis of
permaculture design from the core curriculum
of the Permaculture Design Course. These
crib notes for permaculture are being freely
offered to the World Community.
Download printable resolution files or order a
professional hardcopy book here :
www.dewpermaculture.com/core-curriculum-
notes

Profound gratitude goes to VPDC Alumni Kym

Chi www.gigglingchitree.com for countless
contributions and editing as well as intensive
work on this over the past two years and to
Sijay of www.onbeyondmetamedia.com for
the truly exceptional design. More thanks for
core contributions from Annaliese Hordern
and Tamara Griffiths as well as editing and
support from Jacob Aman, Tes Tesla and
VPDC Alumni Niki Hammond. Special thanks
for the source inspiration and core
contributions from Permaculture Pioneers Bill
Mollison, David Holmgren, Rosemary Morrow,
Toby Hemenway, Robin Clayfield, Larry
Santoyo, Michael Becker, Looby Macnamara,
Scott Pittman, Geoff Lawton, Robyn Francis,
Mark Lakeman, Patricia Michael, Starhawk,
Bullock Brothers, Tom Ward and Jude Hobbs.

This book is available for purchase in the

onsite CoSM shop. It’s also on display in the
Visionary Permaculture wing of the Library.
Near this book in Grey House Parlour is cards sharing permaculture principles. Both are free downloads www.visionarypermaculture.com
A set of elements commonly found in gardens and farms can be used with a base map for your site to gamify your design process.
Grace

“The measure of love is to love without

measure.” - St. Augustine

I am so grateful to my teacher, collaborator,

friend and true love Grace for sharing in the
mission of creating the Visionary Permaculture
Program at CoSM. She adds a lifetime of
practical experience including medicine
making, wild crafting and leading us in
extraordinary hands on activities that often
send us home with something healthy and
homemade. She is also a top notch cook and
never ceases her creative explorations
including developing a series of gluten free
baking and drinks for the Mushroom Cafe on
site that are filled with medicinal mushrooms.
Her life long study of herbal medicine is being
complimented by an apprenticeship with
herbalist maestra Susun Weed and studies
with the extraordinary Dina Falconi. Together
we are developing the future of Visionary
Permaculture at CoSM including lots of new
and exciting opportunities. I am dearly grateful
for Grace and so joyed to have found my soul
mate and perfect permie partner.

Awesome Portrait : Mathew Dell

www.mathewdell.com
My Teachers: Geoff Lawton, David Holmgren, Robin Clayfield, Bill Mollison, Larry Santoyo, Rowe Morrow, Tom Ward, Starhawk, Chris Evans, Jude Hobbs, Jason Gerhardt, Scott Pittman
Looby Macnamara, Jenny Pell, Mark Lakeman, Penny Livingston, Robyn Francis, Toby Hemenway, Patricial Michael, Michael Becker, Dave Bullock, Sam Bullock, Dave Boehnlein, Peter Cow
VPDC Teaching Team : Allyson Grey, Alex Grey, Bruno Vernier, Jonathan Bates, Susun Weed, Dina Falconi, Andrew Faust
Visionary Mentorship

Upgrade your life team with personalized

permaculture advisor and mentorship support
from a seasoned design teacher. Do monthly
or seasonal hour long check in’s in person, by
skype, phone or email. For some this may
simply be an opportunity to interact and
explore permaculture design methods. For
others this can support you to create a
learning plan which can evolve and change
over time. Some may use this opportunity to
work on a garden, livelihood or life design to
support their next level. Open to people of any
experience, this program will support you to
strengthen your life design and achieve your
goals while saving time, energy and money in
the process.

Delvin has a Diploma and Masters Degree

with Bill Mollison and the original
Permaculture Institute, and a Diploma with the
Permaculture Institute of the USA. He is on his
third year into a Diploma with the
Permaculture Association under the
mentorship of Looby Macnamara. This is the
6th year he has been working through a
Doctoral Degree on Permaculture Education
under the guidance of Larry Santoyo. Delvin
has also completed a PDC with Bill Mollison
and Geoff Lawton in Melbourne, with Toby
Hemenway in Portland, and with Rosemary
Morrow in Greece in addition to 13 Teacher
Trainings and 13 Advanced Permaculture
Courses internationally.
2012 Response Team

In 2012 we called together the first wing of the

CoSM Visionary Permaculture Design Guild.
During that time we had many collective
design ideas and a significant amount of
these have come true including : Entheon
funding was acquired and construction has
begun, manifest a Staff House offsite, extend
wisdom trail including adding wood chips on
the trail and placing logs along the sides, cap
the crown chakra solar temple cistern with a
platform for yoga and gatherings, install Cob
oven outside the kitchen, add sculptural
features around the property

Team (left to right, top to bottom): Haya

Baumstark, Kaedden Landy, David Bruner,
Michael Cox, Delvin Solkinson, Alex Grey,
Allyson Grey, Kym Chi, Scott Corman, Lauren
Blair Churchill, Dylan Hereford, Jester Jaimi.
Also present but not shown here : Peter Riso,
Gary Harvey, Mike Sharpe, Sharon Stelluto
and Ian Arremony
2014 Visionary Permaculture Design Team

In 2014 a second round of visioneers arrived to expand the visionary permaculture cartography guild. Our ideas included
installing gate and gatehouse, more seating around the property, imagining a ring of cluster housing of tiny homes, campsites or
tents in a mini ecovillage with a bath house, pay parking to encourage commuting and allow for more visitors to be here, pair
with local organic farms in the local area to save money by investing in Community Supported Agriculture, solar lamps to add
lighting to parking areas, fence or fedge surrounding the property, bamboo living fence (Laura Wyeth suggested a shade tolerant
clumping form of bamboo called Fargesia 'Rufa' that grows well in this climate and is deer resistant).
Team (left to right, top to bottom): Martin Bridge, Raetta Towers Luz Libreros, Esti Dorfling, Eli Blank, Kathy Lund, Brian
Dickinson, Luke Jeffery Ridings, Niki Gallo Hammond, MacKenzie Greenwood, Delvin Solkinson, Allyson Grey, Alex Grey, Edna
Benziger, Gene Stull. Also present but not shown here : Camilla German and Karen Bryant.
2018 Visionary Permaculture Design Team

A exceptional program catering to local participants and running over 16 months included 8 of the CoSM senior staff. Having 5
different field trips throughout the program added adventure to the course. This class designed next level social media activated
eco-promo of green initiatives at CoSM, reimagined the garden and pool as aquaculture with Tilapia and Bass, imagined garden,
fence and gate upgrades to the new staff housing, a Hentheon chicken coop, and explore the application of permaculture to the
different CoSM departments and jobs, raising effectiveness and efficiency, organization and co-operation, team building and
considering CoSM values in the goods and services we offer and purchase from the outside world.
Team (left to right, top to bottom): Dan Schaub, Genevieve Wood, Ivette Lama, Peter Squires, Grace Solkinson, Delvin
Solkinson, Dina Falconi (guest teacher), Andy Baldwin, Jesse Stacken, Caren Charles, Keiara Gallodoro, Stephanie Johnson,
Kayla Kronsberg, Mike Gaden.
VPDC 2019

Join us for a uniquely creative learning journey

to become permaculture designers,
consultants and teachers. Together we will
learn how to map and design our lives and
landscapes, working with nature as conscious
planetary citizens to build a regenerative
future.

Course Topics include:

• Design methods • Patterns in nature • Soils
and composting • Water • Trees • Animals
• Design for cool, tropical and arid climates
• Social permaculture • Native food and
medicine plants of the First Peoples

Learn from worksheets, permaculture design

gaming tools, field trips to learn from many
amazing sites and teachers, as well as the 40
acre CoSM grounds including hundreds of
plants and animals as our living classroom.
Throughout the program we do a variety of
medicine making, ferments and food
preservation techniques as hands on
activities. There are course readings but no
tests, written work but no grades. The main
personal project is to start a year long map,
and begin the design for your home, land, self,
practice or business. The flexible group
project includes adding to the map and
design of CoSM. This is an awesome way to
make an enduring and positive contribution to
the CoSM project that is creative, fun and
educational. Missed classes can be done with
no extra tuition and no time limit to complete.
CoSM Seasonal Permaculture Workshop Program. Take all four workshops for a certificate of completion.
Join a group of permaculture adventurers to travel to study with the worlds best teachers at epic level permaculture sites across the planet.
Visionary Photographer Digenger visits CoSM Chef Sunflower Charlie who is planting the seeds for the future of food and fertility at CoSM.
CoSM Outro

“True riches is having something to

contribute,having the time to be creative, and
being in love with everything again.”
- Larry Santoyo

Visionary Permaculture Design is an offering

of the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors to connect
people with the nature field, inspiring our
global community to Care for the Earth, Care
for People and Care for the Future.
Encouraging the cultivation of a ‘Design
Mind’, permaculture provides a deep,
scientific and intuitive study of nature and our
process of making decisions. Relocalize and
skill up so we can create and maintain the
systems that we live in.

With permaculture, people can consciously

design their practice and projects, diet and
home, garden and farm, life and livelihood to
be more effective, efficient and ethical. CoSM
is a legacy project in service to the evolution
of humanity.

Honor Earth.
Respect Life.
Artfully co-create a peaceful and loving future
culture.
The magic of the world is awakening in us
again. Visionary Permaculture is a clarion call
to consciousness. Get more involved in what
is happening around you. Take the time to
meet the people and animals, birds and
insects that live in your neighbourhood.
Reconnect with sun and stars, wind and
water. Make a map, do a design and
implement it. Take the next visionary step
towards redesigning your life and lifestyle,
home and community in a way that cares for
the Earth, its People and the Future.

Learn and explore with the Visionary

Permaculture Program at CoSM.

“Philos Ergo Sum... We Love... Therefore We

Exist...
Therefore, we Dedicate the Merit of this
Moment,
this Practice and this Lifetime
for the Benefit of All Beings.
May All Beings Be Happy.
May All Beings Be Peaceful.
May All Beings Be Free From Suffering.
May All Beings, By Grace, Discover their True
Purpose, and
thus Realize Love Bliss On This Earth,
In This Lifetime!
For this We Pray, For All of Our Relations.
A Ho Mitaquosin!”
- Open Source Bodhisattva, Jester Jaimie
Credits
Endless gratitude to the extraordinary visionary artist Martin
Bridge www.thebridgebrothers.com/martinclarkbridge/ Cover,
Composting Signs, Mycology, Visionary Design, Elements
Deck art, CoSM Outro Portrait
Exceptional Visionary Design by Sijay of
www.onbeyondmetamedia.com Dew Pretro, Cards in Design
Web section, Permaculture Textbook, Core Concepts Cards,
Visionary Mentorship, VPDC 2019, Planetary Permaculture
Pilgrimage Posters
Glowing gratitude to the visionary photographer Scott Corman
www.scottcorman.com Inner Cover, Table of Contents,
Cultural History, Recent History, Invitation to Participate, Light,
Water, Climate, Sensory Activation, Places to Pilgrimage to
(left), Harvests, Flowers, Leaves, Seeds, Berries, Roots,
Insects, Fungi, Composting, Plant Systems, Animal Systems,
Placemaking, Energy, Delvin Design, Design Web, Golden
Keys, Evaluation, 2012 Response Team, 2014 Design Team
Pen and Ink from the profoundly awesome artist Ben Tour
www.thetourshow.com Dew Pretro, Education, Elements
Deck
Awesome thanks to Gene Stull for the beautiful photography
www.healthylivingspirit.org Design Visions, Pilgrimage
Many thanks to the true visionary John Harris : Staff Picture
Next level Visionary art from the maestro Alex Grey
www.alexgrey.com Entheon and Chapel drawing, Delvin
Design, Sphinx Greenhouse, Horus Temple, Chakras
Epic thanks to Chief Builder Brian James for his photos
capturing some of the CoSM animal family Birds, Animals
The new CoSM map vector was made by Grace
www.gracejewels.com and Dan Schaub
www.danschaubdesigns.com
Plein Air painting maestro David Heskin www.davidheskin.com
and Aloria Weaver www.aloriaweaver.com
Awesome gratitude to the visionary media maestro Jon Ohia
Water, Workshop Class picture
Awesome Alexa Spaddy www.etsy.com/shop/AlexaSpaddyArt
rocks Core Cards photo, Permaculture workshop graphics
Thanks to Mountain Man Dan and Timothy Gilligan for the
renders of the Sphinx Greenhouse
Beautiful thanks to Illuminated Rosie www.illuminatedrose.com
for the luminous photography Water, Grace
Epic beautiful Portrait from Matt Dell www.mathewdell.com
2018 class picture from Caren Charles www.carenartist.com
Uplifting pictures form visionary photographer Digenger
www.instagram.com/digenger/ CoSM Gardens
Gorgeous 2014 VPDC poster made by visionary designer Unity
Life Avatar www.unitylifeavatar.ca
Next level Visionary art from Luis Tamani www.luis-tamani.com
Numinous digital art by Android Jones www.androidjones.com
Starhawk, Vandana Shiva
CoSM Outro Group Works Card thanks to Dave Pollard
www.groupworksdeck.org/deck