Sacred Commerce: on finding a new way to serve and sustain.
Last Friday I spent 6 hours doing on-line coaching. Which was kind of foolish. I mean, what vaguely sick, part-time therapist, full-time mom would book six back-to-back clients in one day, right? Get with the program lady!
But the thing is, I loved it. I absolutely loved it. One of my major themes in life is Only Connect. And nothing gives me energy or feeds my soul like a fantastic conversation. But in a mysterious way that I won’t even try to fit words around, as much as these kinds of conversation give me energy, they also take my energy. Do you know what I mean? They feed my soul; they drain my poor, fiddly, complicated body.
So Jena, Leonie and I are dreaming up ways that I could ensure myself adequate self care while still doing the work I love to do – direction/coaching/being yours on the journey. A lot of people charge for spiritual direction, and I myself have done so in the past. But I have just enough baggage that the exchange of money makes me feel all stressed and iggy (that’s a technical term.) The minute I put my shingle out on my door and start issuing invoices all my gremlins rise up and say: “What? You want people to PAY you? Damn girl, now you really better have some good advice. You better know the answers, or people will feel ripped off, big time. Phew. Better you than me, sister.”
In an ideal, self-actualized world, I would figure out how to work around this and just be a normal person and set up a sliding-scale fee. But in real life, it doesn’t work that way. At least not now.
Still, I know two things:
1) I want to spend as much time as possible helping out those malcontented seekers, recovering evangelicals, and creative soulful types out there….. and ….
2) If I do that I need some (more) support.
So here’s what I’m going to do. You know the Giant Pool of Wisdom? The one I’ve been trying to gather up over here at Magpie Girl? You contribute to it. Whether you know it or not, you really do. Even if you feel like all you ever do is lurk, or ask questions, or get a little teary in the comments — that’s a contribution. It makes us think, and gives others the chance to offer answers. It’s so SO important. It shows us that we’ve got game – both in that we desire change, and in that we are determined to make it (let it?) happen. I mean seriously people, we are POWERFUL.
But you’ve got more than ideological wisdom. You’ve also got skills, resources, and talent fuh sure! You make stuff, you heal people, you rock html. We are wealthy up over here, you readers and I.
So here’s what I’m thinking, rather than me charging fees and getting all trippy…..rather than y’all starting every email with “I know you don’t have a lot of time but…”….rather than feeling stressed and drained and tapped out…. let’s trust the pool. Let’s trust that there’s enough for all of us. Let’s trust that we can create a form of what Leonie calls “sacred commerce” – an exchange of goods, and skills, and affection that feeds that honors the community we are building here. Let’s experiment with putting what we can in the pool, taking out what we need, and trusting that it will all come out in the wash.
So here’s the deal. I’ll keep on doing what I do: writing posts, answering questions, responding to emails, making appointments for IM and Skype chats. And you do what you do: making comments, giving advice, wondering about things, creating stuff, offering your skill to the universe. And then-and this is the really important part–we will ask for what we need. I know. That sounds scary. But it’s okay, it really is. You’ll help people feel powerful by letting them help. And you’ll feel fantastic when you can help. Its symbiosis people, and it’s pretty fan-damn-tastic.
So I’ll start. If you are out there, splashing about in the Giant Pool, and if I’ve helped you in some way, or if you just feel glad we’re helping each other, then here are my requests. If one of them resonates with you, let me know. And if not, that’s okay. You should write or call or IM me anyway. Because I know stuff, and I care about you, and that’s a pretty great combination.
Rachelle’s List of Stuff She Might Find in the Pool
I need some long distance energy work to help me maintain my health in the midst of all this soulcare. So if you do Reiki or something similar, and you’d be willing to offer me so gratis care once or twice a month that would be wonderful.
I don’t need a lot of money, but I do need to earn a little to help even out the power balance thing in the household – and I don’t want to charge for my time. But you can help! If you would like to volunteer to be my Virtual Assistant for just one project, I’d love it. The project? Setting up some private ads on the sidebar of Magpie Girl. Let me know if that floats your entrepreneurial/web hacker boat.
I could use some Etsy love. If some of you Etsy gals would donate and item or two for me to give as thank-you gifts to the people I’m interviewing for the Soultribe Practitioners series that would be lovely. These women are going to inspire you, give you tips, and help you find your way. And they are spending a lot of time typing up answers for me to share. So if you’d be willing to send something from your shop with a thank you note from moi, I would surely appreciate your contribution.
Finally–and this is a Mondo Beyond dream for me-I need an editor. I’m looking for someone who loves what I write, and has a knack for selecting the essential. Someone who would be willing to spend a few days culling through my blogs, making a list of related links, and sending them to me saying “These 12-20 posts Rachelle, this is your book. Edit these up and you’re done.” Oh my God, if that happened it would be a minor miracle!
What do you think? Do we have what we need in the pool? How can I help? How can you help? Ideas and thoughts below please! And as always, thank you for being here.
18 comments
Rachelle, you are really on a roll here with a series of superb posts. I love this concept of the Giant Pool of Wisdom. May be able to help – will email you separately.
I just found your website yesterday (or the day before) and I love you! Your writing resonates and I really don’t understand why you don’t get more comments. I will keep reading and try to think of ways to help. I’m not very tech savvy but would like to give back.
Hi Rachelle. I’m not real active over here, but I’m listening. i get what you’re talking about and i could just about use some of all of it myself, even the editor thing… which I’m tempted to offer you, but I’m overwhelmed with the thought of doing it on my own blog, so don’t feel confident saying I can do it for you.
However, I do have an etsy shop, and my mission is to inspire others, in their creativity, in living a powerful, authentic life, in reaching their dreams… so I’ll donate to you a Flying Girl print from my shop. rowenamurillo.etsy.com You can pick the one you want to give or you can offer them a choice.
This is me stepping out of my comfort zone. It’s a little spooky.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6493421
Oh this is SO cool!!
I don’t know yet what I need or what I can offer, but I LOVE IT!!!
Hi, Rachelle~
I am mostly a lurker here but one of your needs perked me right up! I have been trained in Reiki for 3 years, but have only recently been putting it to frequent use. I would love and welcome the opportunity to send you distance Reiki. I am a novice but my intention is good and I think that’s the most important part! Thank you for writing posts that lift me out of funks and for offering ways to find community.
hey darling.
WOO HOOOOOO!
love this post darling.
and i love how you’ve so clearly and easily defined what you need from this. i love that you know what help you need. i know i need help, i just don’t know *what* exactly… so this has been so so so good and inspiring for me.
LOVE LOVE LOVE what you are doing darling.
big big hugs and love
xoxoxox
leonie
YEAH, RACHELLE!
Hi Rachelle,
I’m a sometime reader, first time commenter, and while I can’t give you any of the things you’ve specifically asked for, I can offer this:
I am a professional opera singer and voice teacher. If you have any questions about vocal or musical matters, I’d be delighted to be a resource for you.
Best wishes,
Cindy
I can help with the ads on your website :)
Also re: editing – I’m a relatively new reader, but if you talk to me about your book I can help look through posts and find ones that resonate.
A theology of abundance! Yes!!!
My knowledge of Reiki is minimal, my experience with web ads & Etsy even more sketchy, but I’m immediately drawn to your editing project. I’ll email you later today with some thoughts.
I LOVE the idea of sacred commerce and mutually beneficial relationships!
I’d also love to help out. I could pick out some posts that I think would be a witty compilation for a book (as I do some editorial and writing work) and you could tell me what you think?
Hi Rachelle–
I’ve been in Seattle all weekend (yay for temporary community!) so I didn’t get a chance to comment until now, but I’d love to send some etsy love to your peeps. Let’s talk soon and I’ll tell you my ideas. Or you can go to my etsy page and pick out some of the jewelry– it would be an honor to pay you back in a small way for all the things you give here.
Jolie
Hello All!
Thank you for all your great comments, ideas, and offers to help.
I’ve been laid up with migraines for a week and haven’t been able to think clearly enough to email y’all back…but I’m working on it! Don’t think for a second that I haven’t heard you or that I don’t care — because really, your kindnesses have carried me through this rough week of ill-health.
Hope to write to you all soon,
Rachelle
Sacred commerce. I love it. When we know others are looking out for us, advocating for our needs and striving to meet them in various ways, it completely frees us up to give of ourselves to others. Perhaps this is at the heart of the book you need to write?
Rachelle,
I too have just discovered your blog in the past week. Such a wealth of information and positive ideas. I will do my best to help contribute to this Pool of Wisdom.
I have nominated you for a Lemonade Award…details on my blog. I hope that this will bring even more readers to your blog.
All the best, Kathleen
Hi :-)
I LOVE this idea!!!
I am a wellness and holistic life coach (with Level 1 Reiki attunement). I’ll be glad to help you in any way I can.
Also, although I’m not on Etsy, I do have some photo greeting cards that I would be willing to donate for your gifting stash.
What fun!
Thanks for sharing your unique self and this incredible idea with us. We are blessed by your presence and amazing energy.
Rachelle, I love the idea of sacred commerce. If you ever interview anyone in the Chicago area or someone coming to BlogHer in July and need to give something away, I’d be happy to donate a photoshoot.
xoxo
p.s. I’m so sorry about the migraines. I am a sufferer myself, and having recently weaned my hormones are doing weird stuff, and I just went through 8 months worth of imitrex in 2 months.
Hi Rachelle,
So so sorry to hear about your continued migraines. I have a dear beloved whose been through quite a journey with this.
One of the womens’ circles I’m part of is doing some in depth giving and receiving practice–wow, so engaging, heart opening, transformative. AND FUN!
In the spirit of sharing l’d be honored to offer some energetic bodywork via phone/skype. The energetic bodywork focuses on the chakra system, releasing what’s ready to go and bringing awareness to what isn’t.
Wishing you a pain free moment that lasts forever.
Blessings,
Staci
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