Patterns are that which allow us to understand our surroundings. They give objects meaning by enabling us to recognize similarities and identify difference; to discern, say, a cat from a blade of grass (The patterns I am discussing here are less about the general ability of recognition more about dominant patterns which enable me to discuss the function of patterns, though the concept of pattern usage is not limited to these alone).
The watershed of the Mississippi River.
Patterns carry meaning and, if we pay attention, indicate particular functions. Throughout the world there are several types of distinct patterns which reoccur at various scales, from the cosmic to the microscopic. We will discuss two of them.
The art of Hiroshi Sugimoto is created by running electrical currents over photographic plates.
The fan shaped pattern of a watershed is a good place to start. Neither function nor form preceded the other in the shaping of the great rivers; each is inherent to the other. The ever-beckoning path of least resistance dragged water over the surface of the earth, scouring its path and returning the water to the sea, creating the form and satisfying the function. The rivers are dynamic, changing shape with time yet the pattern remains constant.
The human circulatory system.
We can see the same fanning design in the circulatory system, river deltas, lightning, and the branches of trees. This is a branching pattern, collecting or distributing, creating a system which provides pathways and enables movement.
The other pattern is the spiral. A spiral is a pattern of expansion or contraction. Consider a snail and his shell which must spiral outward as he grows or the water in the drain which rather than gurgling and belching its way down the pipe, finds a smooth ride on a whirling vortex.
A grapevine snail.
Water spiraling down a drain.
By moving out of their own way spirals create space. Tightening or loosening, spirals can maximize surface area and fit more stuff into smaller spaces. They also provide a means of easy expansion or movement; consider a coiled snake or a spring. There are many examples of spirals but the particular examples are not important, what is important is that we can identify the function and reapply it for targeted use.
So how can we make these patterns work for us? Well, there is the all too cliché herb spiral that permaculturalists like to point to as a space-saver which can also create microclimates, but it goes far beyond that. Food distribution systems, though not necessarily intentionally patterned, are a good example of human networks which take a familiar form. Whether it is from the farm to the market (the watershed/veins), or the market to the consumers (the delta/arteries) it is clear that the form and function of movement remains.
The best example I can think of is that of the development and philosophy of Aikido.
The spiral of shihonage, an Aikido technique.
Morihei Ueshiba sought to find meaning in his life’s study of martial arts in a post-nuclear world. With the logical conclusion of escalating conflict in the bombed out cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Ueshiba created something different. He created Aikido, a martial art focusing on the resolution of conflict. Ueshiba insisted that the lessons of Aikido were predominant throughout the universe, not simply in physical interactions between people. The spiral form is prevalent in Aikido technique and allows one partner to receive the energy of another and guide it as peacefully as possible to an alternative to direct conflict.
(I am in good company since Peter Bane, publisher and editor of Permaculture Activist describes permaculture as “ecological Aikido,” a fact I did not know until I mentioned Aikido in my PDC course.)
The fiddlehead of a fern.
Another good example is the use of a roundabout instead of a four-way stop, a spiral pattern to reduce conflict in opposing energies.
Whether it is the brutal efficiency of evolutionary design, the dictate of physics or the conscience design of the hopeful permaculturalist, patterns shape our lives. A useful pattern will create niches, roles and responsibilities, for all of the elements within the design. We should train our eyes to see the themes around us and find uses for their functions within our designs. In this way we will be planning with the frameworks laid out before us, adding durability to our designs and capturing the beauty of the universe.
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The Lena River Delta.