He told us the following:
“Here is the way things are. There is never a charge for the two times a week Satsang. People are free to come and go. There is no charge for transcripts, but if you find them of value, please leave a donation. There is no charge for the all day meetings with celebrations held every two months.
There was no charge to any of the many, many people who wrote him, or phoned him, for advice or his teachings from all over the world. There was no charge to those who went to lunch or dinner with him. However, people were free to give donations.”
But few donations were coming in. He was broke.
He said, “This is the deal you strike up by being with a guru or teacher: The teacher takes care of your spiritual needs and progress. He gives you the directions and lessons he thinks you need.
“In return, the agreement is that the student has to take care of the teacher’s worldly needs.” Robert requested that people think in terms of giving regular monthly support donations.
Similarly, I am 70 years old and until two months ago was making money editing medical reports and psychiatric rebuttals. I am in a lot of pain and need bilateral hip replacement surgery. It is difficult for me to get around anymore, especially feeding feral cats at night.
But for the last two months I have dedicated 100% to taking care of the spiritual needs of students in terms of constantly producing new teachings on the www.itisnotreal.blogspot.com blog, beginning live online Satsangs again, as well as L.A. live Satsangs. I spend a lot of time with students on Skype sessions or phone or email, providing support and advice as I can give. All at no charge.
Our website, www.wearesentience.com offers hundreds of free resources, including chanting, taped Satsangs, downloadable books, etc. All at no charge.
In addition, each night I go out and feed homeless cats and take care of their medical needs when I can, and often find homes for the adoptable ones. In addition, I help other colony managers feed and take care of over 300 street cats. During the first year of operation, this effort alone cost nearly $10,000.
However, during the past month, donations have fallen to an all time low, and the past three months have fallen
beneath the maintenance I need to feed the feral cats, and keep all the
websites going, and provide financial support to allow me not to work, which allows face-to-face Skype and phone meetings, as well as answering many emails.
I may be the only teacher left of the old way who charges for nothing.
I may be the only teacher left of the old way who charges for nothing.
Please, if you find value in what I am providing, and what Satsang and our Sangha are providing, there has to be a significant improvement in donations for me to continue, and not go back to doing medical reports for income for the work of our We Are Sentience nonprofit.
The cats need you, several hundred of them, and I need you.
Thank you, I love you.
Ed
Please consider adding a "Recurring donation" button. I see them on other blog sites, with a place to choose amount and frequency of donation. There's bound to be others like me who forget shit. This way it's automatically handled at whatever rate and frequency suits the person's budget.
ReplyDeletePranams,
Love,
Chris n' Fritz
Can't help right now Edji. My circumstances are as impecunious as yours. That situation may change reasonably and if it does I will do what I can to help
ReplyDeleteLove,
Dave
Thank you for this opportunity, Ed. As always, you are so direct and honest, whether describing your ecstatic spiritual states or your mundane circumstance. This is an honorable and traditional means of giving support to one's teacher that you are calling us to. Even if I never received another word of wisdom from you, you have already given me so much of value to work with. I will figure out how much I can offer on a consistent monthly basis, rather than the sporadic giving I have done. I hope that I and others can respond at a level that will allow you to do the work you are here to do.
ReplyDeleteI believe it was Swami Rama who when he first came to America to teach was going to give lectures for free until a wise friend insisted he should saying 'people only value something they have to pay for'.
ReplyDeleteYou should charge a 10 or 20 dollar fee for people attending online satsang. It may actually grow the satsang. People are stupid. Like the man said above, they assume something isn't worthy if it's free.
What you teach is Extremely valuable. You need to charge something for satsang.
HI Ed Comments for this blog have been spookily quiet.
ReplyDeleteAfter much thought and consideration here is where I am at in response to your request for donations.
First, I apologize unreservedly Ed, you just should not have to ask let alone "bare your soul" and "beg".
This is not rocket surgery it is stuff I learned at my mothers knee, if people give a gift be it time, energy, teachings, chants ,advice or anything their is a correct response. Sometimes a thank you or a smile might be appropriate and sometimes money,(if i was there I would likely be feeding the cats too.)
Here where I am (rural Australia)cats are seen as vermin and many people in their defense of native fauna see the only good cat as a dead cat - I guess that is as valid as as anything else that is going on on this planet. Which battle do you pick, who to help, frankly I find it all very very confusing, and distressing. My passion is caring for the elderly and the dying, obviously there are more of them than of me so I do what I can for those that God guides me too and I take from them what they can afford - so far it seems to work.
For me it becomes a question of "Let it begin with me" I need a teacher and that teacher has needs too. So "how can I help" seems to be the question - well ED thanks for being clear about how I can.
I'm on to it!!
I would like to share a true story with you which may seem to off topic yet it has been on my mind ever since i read your latest blog ED
Davey H told me -
... a little girl about 2 yrs old called Felicity fell down some very steep stairs. It was quite a tumble and the adults present expected she would be badly injured - however Felicity jumped up and said very clearly " good job I didn't die else i might have come back as a cat like I was the last time "!! a few months later a stray cat wandered in the back door and Felicity said " Let's call it Sanshu 'cos that was my name when I was a cat"! out of the mouth of babes...
Anyway ED who knows who or what your beloved cats may become... and what gifts they may bring...
much love
maggie
i want to contribute as well; my situation is always so so. i will meditate with intent for the overflow of abundant resources for you and your kitty cats. love joy bliss~
ReplyDelete