❤ Regarding Money
I wouldn’t want money to prevent anyone from learning, exploring life, and asking for presence in whatever they are going through.
I see money as a strategy to care for the sustainability of my giving. It’s important for me to have a sense of mutual contribution. ‘Receiving’ supports me in meeting my practical stability, as well as supports me emotionally to be in balance and keep my heart open to more giving. While I stand firmly for our need of mutual contribution, I am flexible about possible strategies on how to meet this need. I want to be able to build my relationships with money based on Gift Economy.
Gift Economy is a form of economic exchange which allows us to feel our own sense of value, to appreciate the experience of giving and receiving, and to humanize our money-matters, making them transparent and placing them in the context of community enrichment. It works like this:
I give a gift; my gift to you, and the community, is providing a space, structure, and facilitation of different programs, sessions, and meetings. I give this gift joyfully, from my heart, and enjoy giving it. As the receiver of this gift, you are fed and nourished (hopefully!). You are naturally inspired to give a gift in return, in the spirit of reciprocity, balance, and mutual support. Everyone is empowered to enjoy the process of giving a gift from the heart, supporting and strengthening the community. In this case we are talking about a monetary gift. The “amount,” or “value,” is up to you.
This is an incredible opportunity to look at our sense of value; how and where do we use our resources? What do we place value on in our lives? What does money mean in our hearts? What feels good to give, from a place of being nourished, supported, and supportive? It also allows us to respect the fact that different people, at different times, are in different relationships with money, and that a “gift” can look many different ways depending on your situation.
This is a paradigm shift, and metaphors are helpful for wrapping our heads around it, so here is one: Rather than me being the deliverer of goods, that you must then pay for…instead we are all sitting around a table exchanging gifts. Your gift is just as valuable as mine. What you give, both in your presence and your monetary contributions, is as valuable as what I give. And we are all richer after sitting around the table together, giving and receiving gifts. No one feels depleted.
SO, the amount of your gift is up to you, within a range that also meets my needs. As facilitator, it is an opportunity for me to reckon with my own value, and understand what supports me in order to continue making this offering. Based on the amount of time, energy, and work that goes into the session or workshop, I will let you know about an offer that I would be grateful for ( for example, in a range between $10-$100 ). What feels right for you, within this range? The choice of fees depends on your income and free will. The idea behind a sliding scale is that we all have different current financial situations, and we like to be flexible so that your financial contribution fits your financial situation as well as your personal wish to support me.
I ask for your gift in the beginning of our journey together, to support our commitment to each other. You are welcome to give a gift that you can manage up front, and to give additional gifts after the end of the program, if this meets your needs; your resources or situations may shift, and/or you may begin to feel the value of the work more fully.
If any of this is financially challenging for you (aka does not meet YOUR needs) please let me know, and we can have a personal chat to figure out something that will work. The gift economy is about creating nourishing relationships, and meeting everyone's needs.
I am very happy to build relationships in this way, have a conversation with anyone about your needs and desires for gifting, and create access for as many people as possible.
Larger gifts also enable under-resourced individuals to take part in my programs/session. If you are able to give more to support access for those who are under-resourced, that is welcome and deeply appreciated.
I am also new to this new way of relating to money and people, and I am excited to see where my exploration leads me and others, hoping that eventually we will all be moving into the realm of full giving and receiving from the heart...