Action Learning as Dharma – Design as a Living Spiral
Action Learning as Dharma – Design as a Living Spiral emerged from my Permaculture Diploma. It marks a convergence, a composting of decades of experience across computing, martial arts, bonsai, landscape design, and teaching.
In this design philosophy, I explore how action learning became my path to dharma, the harmony of being and doing. Growing up in India, I absorbed this principle at an early age. Watching my father solder radios and amplifiers with precision and care taught me that attention to detail is a form of design. Over time, I realised that design itself was not a plan or a product, but a rhythm, a way of walking in relationship with the land, the people, and my own evolving self.
The concept of Shin-Gyo-Sho, from my karate and bonsai practice, helped me transition from structured learning to intuitive mastery. It reminded me that rules are scaffolding, not prisons. That rhythm always comes before rules. This philosophy became the heartbeat of my permaculture journey.
At the centre of this design is the Action Learning Spiral—a cycle I lived through with each design:
Observe – What is the land teaching me?
Reflect – Where are the patterns repeating?
Apply – What actions feel truly aligned?
Pause – What emerges in the stillness?
Transform – How does this spiral forward?
Each cycle became a compost pile for my insights. Bonsai taught me patience and presence. Programming taught me systems thinking. Farming goats taught me humility. All of it wove together into a single thread of regenerative learning.
To honour this journey, I developed the D.H.A.R.M.A. mnemonic, which now guides my work and life:
Design as Discovery
Harmony of Being and Doing
Action Learning Spiral
Rhythm before Rules
Mastery through Meaning
Attunement to Pattern
This design philosophy didn’t just complete my portfolio. It reformed me. It helped me move from seeing myself as the architect of a regenerative homestead to becoming its student and steward. The land is no longer just a canvas for design. It is my teacher.
If you’re walking a similar path, blending personal growth, ecological insight, and creative learning, I invite you into this spiral. Action Learning as Dharma is more than a document. It’s a reflection of my dharma, and perhaps a mirror for your own.
Document Format: PDF
Total Length: 6 pages
Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes
File Size: < 1 MB