What is Wrong with this Conscious Community?

[SEELOVE]

This post and all following replies by this poster were deleted by request of the poster.

[Juggledude]

Nan,

Your kindness and altruism are inspiring, and your devotion to doing good is certainly refreshing and appreciated in this all to often uncaring world. Some aspect of your pleas, this one especially, however, is reminiscent of naivety. I wonder if this viewpoint may be more at the root of your current distress than some implied failing of the community? As we are all perfect beings, composed of our strengths as well as our weaknesses, the community as a whole is also perfect. Perfect in an accepting and understanding sense, one which allows and acknowledges the elements of greed and sloth as well as the elements of kindness and generosity. As a crusader of the light and a well intentioned blessing to our community, your path seems clear, and your progress is measurable. Please accept my input in the spirit of constructive criticism when I say that in the areas of being a judge of human character and personal organization, you may benefit from some conscious effort.

As we each create our own reality, we bear ultimate responsibility for the life we live, and especially the way we perceive our world. It is truly wonderful that you have been blessed with the financial resources to help others, yet you have expressed some difficulty encountered in the particulars of how you are going about it. Please remember that each person you encounter is co-creating this community, and each person has their own, very different, reality and perception. Given the level at which we are indoctrinated in the currency consciousness in our present society at large, it is no wonder to me that the mere application of money to issues of human suffering and kindness is generating some confusion and distress.

Praise to you for your work, as you are clearly a beacon of light in these changing times, and my prayers are for you to meet the strength to fulfill your needs, and to maintain your positive outlook on all things.

Namaste,

Royce

[gypsey]

Dear Nan, as the other reader has and future readers no doubt will, I appalud your altruism. However, as someone with many years experience in the non-profit world I am concerned that you apparently have allowed yourself to be taken advantage of and may have unrealistic expectations of what the general public is willing and able to do. Running a non-profit is a huge responsiblity and one that takes many sound business skills including Dian's expertise. Financial management is key and you would be subject to a lot of (fair) scruitiny because as a non-profit, you will be using other people's money. You may wish to start therefore with a lawyer and an accountant versed in the regulations.
You have a big learning curve ahead of you. If you go to the Volunteer Center (which does act as a clearing house for interested volunteers but does not guarantee them or provide them) you will find many of the educational resources you need to gain the skills and tools you will need, including low cost workshops, and a library of materials of all the things you need to do to start a non-profit. (Filling out the papers is one step, only.) Plan on spending at least a year bringing yourself up to speed.

IN your prayer or meditation on your dream, you may want to re-consider whether you are the person to lead the organization. Perhaps you need to make a list of the different kinds of skills and expertise you need and bring those people together who have them and share your vision, then allow the leadership to emerge and carry the organization forward from your spark. It does take someone with a great deal of insight into people and with a high tolerance for disappointment.

Last but by no means least there are many, many worthy issues and needs out there that draw all of us. Speaking personally I have already committed my time and passion to other causes, and I limit myself deliberately so I can do the best I can for the organizations I have pledged to. You may find that other Wacco-ites are already committed to other causes and projects. With best wishes, Gypsey.

[karen_mercer]

[this was one of the private replys for addition into this discussion]
Hi
I am equally reluctant to reply since I am just one small citizen in this community. However perhaps my story is not too dissimilar to others so let me share. Like you I have a busy life, I work and live in this community and do what I can, when I can. I recycle religiously, I free-cycle like crazy, I donate to various charities (animal welfare, family, children), I volunteer at my kids school and the salvation army, I am on the board of the PTA, Ive hosted international students, I am kind to my fellow wo/man.

When I got Dian’s plea in email I forwarded it to the social club I belong to and offered to accept an animal for emergency overnight placement.

Unfortunately I cant foster long term or adopt another animal, and I know nothing about phone systems. While I have looked at your web site before (I forget why now) I don’t feel I can volunteer for one more thing…I do what I can, when I can. Its not that I, and by my grandiose extension, ‘we’ don’t appreciate your mission its just that (back to singular here) Im maxed out.

There are so many pulls on my time, so many things that need to be done (work, kids to doctors appointments, homework) and so many good causes that want our support.

Im saddened that you feel like youre out in the wilderness fighting your challenges on your own and I wish you nothing but good fortune and friends to help. Perhaps youre right, perhaps by posting there will be those who feel they can step forward and join you in your mission. But I wanted to let you know the rest of us, the silent majority I believe, aren’t just cruising through our wacco digests remaining quiet during your calls for help out of disinterest or narcissism, merely because we feel we cant directly aid you at this time….we do what we can, when we can

peace

karen

[donallan]

There have been some beautiful and compassonate posts to this thread. I wish you the best with your projects.

I think the answer to your question "What is Wrong with this Conscious Community" is:

Nothing. Nothing at all.

There is nothing wrong with anything, unless you dream it so. And dreaming it so only causes you to suffer, and judge those you believe are causing your suffering. Judging is based in fear, not love.

We are not victims unless we dream it so.

What is wrong with this community, or the world? Nothing, absolutely Nothing. It is perfect. That is love.

Let's learn to love.

IN respect,

Allan.

[paultous]

Nan - Sorry about all the problems you have had. You might want to contact Tanya Brannan of the Redwood Justice Fund/Purple Berets. Tanya is one fantastic lady getting her law degree for specific purpose of promoting justice for women. She might be a great resource on helping you get your non-profit out of the staring gate, so to speak. She can be reached at: Redwood Justice Fund, P.O. Box 14720, Santa Rosa 95402, ph 887.0262 or at [email protected].
(The Redwood Justice Fund began with a bequest by another tremendous shakti-heroine of our time, Judi Bari, and it is certainly worthy of donational support by Waccoites, as is Rev Nan's Kindness to Strangers.)
ed

[paultous]

I think it is very dangerous and a too clever act of psychic paralysis,
as well as being too easy for some of us, to say that it is all a dream.
For those who suffer for white skin privilege and entitlement, their suffering is not a dream. For those who suffer for male sex privilege and entitlement, their suffering is not a dream. For those who suffer wars and other "developments" for corporate capitalist profits, their suffering is not a dream. And for all the species who are grist for the mill of the industrial-military 'way of life', their suffering is quite real and not a dream. In fact, it is quite possible and more than that, quite probable, that we have to take a stand of responsibility toward that suffering and to the conditions and social-economic-political arrangements that make that suffering mandatory. We cannot tell anyone--not any human out in the field getting their face blown off for Halliburton or the Rapture, or any animal in any lab or factory farm or toxified habitat-- not any being that we share this planet and the air with-- that all is perfect or that we must not judge. ... On a pure esthetic level, as an artist/photographer, I could say that the welts on an abused child are beautiful and that a torture chamber has film noir appeal and interest, but, as a feeling and thinking, sensitive ethical human, I would have to say, "there is something wrong with this picture." ... As to creating our own reality, we must first be responsible to the reality we have created; and if that reality stinks, if it is horrid, if it is inflicting great and unnecessary, systemic suffering, we must exercise appropriate discernment and we must take appropriate action to create ANOTHER reality-- one in which war, rape, pornography, famine, gay bashing, seal bashing and rainforest bashing are acts that we don't even have words for.