SYMBO: A Symbolic Permaculture Supported Language for the Post-Chaos Era. By Willi Paul, CommunityAlchemy.com

In the near future, after world-wide Chaos breaks apart long-held corporate control on financial and transportation systems, humans will be living in tribes, with a host of food and security issues. New sustainable systems, based on resource specialization (solar energy, water production, medical services) and geography - called Grids - will be required.

"The Permaculture Grid." A Prototype. New Myth #63 by Willi Paul, presents a vision to these not too distant permaculture settlements:

"One of the many unforeseen of many consequences in this human-born tragedy is that super rich Asians, Europeans and South Americans left their versions of black holes with their body guards, barter dreams and intestinal fortitude, came to America to re-cave and start a new global crisis chapter. With so many formal languages colliding into the muck of the blackout, a fellow in San Francisco invented a new global symbolic language especially in support of community outreach and permaculture.

Electronic notebooks are still working. The symbolic language incorporates many communication formats, including a rich sound sample collection, a graphic language called "PermaGram", photographic and video libraries and a new alphabet. New global stories and Myths emerged are emerging!"

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The SYMBO System
"Runners & Horses are the new World Wide Web" – WOX

Two types of communications are possible:

A. Person-Person: Local site, real-time, direct (synchronous communication)
B. Horse / Runners: Distant site, delayed, indirect (asynchronous communication)

An electronic notebook will be used to produce all messages and sent with horse or runner to another tribe. SYMBO works with very limited local tribe internet wireless networks (LAN) as some tribes have solar panels and battery storage (limited capacity).

Messages that are easy to produce and share are Text & PermaGrams. Communiques that require peripheral gadgets & electricity include:

+ Sound sampling
+ Music files
+ Photos
+ Videos

Tribal messaging is mostly utilitarian to save electricity and horse trips. There can be very little art / entertainment asynchronous communications. High Priority Message Types concern these topics:

+ Water
+ Food,
+ Security
+ Gatherings
+ Grid News
+ Medical

Like the modern day library loan and the pony express, distant communications are to be delivered by horse or runner, experienced, with notebooks then recharged and returned with a response. If the tribes are 25 miles apart or more, asynchronous communication could take days.

Transition in the Post-Chaos Era
"Machines break. Nature Won't." – WOX

In 2076 there are no paper products – and no electronic printers. Tribes practice "subsistence electricity" where electricity is rationed and given highest security measures. Unless systems like SYMBO are replicated, the production and use of electricity will be a localized process only.

In this future scenario, animal husbandry will be elevated to highest importance as animals run the farms and feed the families. Security around each tribal zone is also critical to get right. As a related concern, family size is now strictly regulated as resources are scarce.

Time will "relax" or slowdown from "instant internet time" to a slower pace reminiscent of 1850.

Impact on New Mythology
"Sister, can you spare a story?" – WOX

One key impact of a "SYMBO future" the evolution of the New Mythology is that our geo-cultural focus goes backwards from global to local settlements. This is "survival withdrawal."

Storytelling goes back also to the weekly campfire; visiting storytellers are prized. Family stories and New Myths are oral traditions.

SYMBO, based in the future, actualizes what Joseph Campbell called an artists-driven vision called Creative Mythology.

"Sources for New Archetypes in the SYMBO vision: Family Survival; Animal Husbandry; Fire / Cave Man; Scarcity"

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Permaculture & Symbol-related Research from Willi
6 SCORE pieces using SYMBOL.

Myth Lab & New Myths.

New Animation Model & Case Study for Transition Children.

SoundSourcing: Building the New Permaculture - based Mythology Video / SoundScape.

water sound symbol myth: building new nature-based myths (Video).

Symbols for the Permaculture Age? Interview with Paul Burley, author of The Sacred Sphere: Exploring Sacred Concepts & Cosmic Consciousness through Universal Symbolism.

inner & outer system of the sacred - Video Instruction.

Permaculture Symbols 2. A Video for Kids with Eyes of Steel and Overflowing Feet! by sacredpermaculture.net.

The Garden Symbol in Old & New Mythology. A Resource for Teachers.

"Symbols in the Transition?"

Permaculture Teaching Video #3 - Sacred Alchemy & Symbols for the Permaculture Transition.

Building a new sound symbol library for global community storytelling. Videos (3) + Lesson Planning + PDF.

Permaculture Age Symbols 3: Colors, Archetypes & New Myths.

Permaculture Teaching Video #3: Permagram Symbolic Language for Global (Post-Crash) Permaculture Tribes.

Permaculture Ritualizer: A Kid's Tool for Writing New Stories, symbols, Songs & Myths. Video.

"Permaculture, Carl Jung and the New Archetypes" (+ PDF) by Willi Paul, New Global Mythology Group @ Depth Psychology Alliance.

"textsongs - sound scapes for kids" - eBook #15