 The Business of Evolution
You are viewing this page either because you think our fees are a bit high, or you feel our cancellation policy is a bit unreasonable, or perhaps simply becase you're curious about what was on the other side of that link.
From an integral perspective, we invite you to consider the following:
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We like to think that our intention to serve the evolution of consciousness is authentic. We constantly question ourselves, and remain open to questioning from others, to ensure we do not compromise our raison d'etre. And, we make no claim to perfection. We do the best we can for who we are on the day, warts and all.
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There is a worldview (=system of values) 'out there' that finds it just a little offensive to pay money for an altruistic service. The thinking goes something like "Surely if you were authentic, you would not be trying to take my money! Shouldn't you be doing it for Love?"
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An integral worldview recognises that simply because someone evolves to a level that is concerned for the greater good does not mean that they no longer have bills to pay. The most altruistic of enterprises must still balance the books, pay taxes and provide for a time when it's 'employees' are too old or too ill to work. It hardly seems like work because we both love what we do, bit is is work in that it provides us with the income we need to survive in today's world.
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We have spent a considerable amount of our own money buying the property and building the centre to what it is today. It costs us about $500 a week just to sit here (and that excludes any outgoings to cover any debt). Whatever other values or interpretations are draped over our activities here, these are hard facts that form the economic backdrop to our need to charge what we do.
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We do not suffer the delusion that our good intentions alone will cause money trees to sprout up in our garden and bear infinite fruit. As practitioners of the Integral Approach, we recognise that we must offer a service that has value to others. Our centre and our workshops are our best effort to manifest 'right livelihood' (to use a Buddhist term) that offers authentic value to others. The harsh reality of supply and demand will be the ultimate judge of what value we ultimately offer. If we don't offer enough value, we'll go broke, and that's the way it should be.
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The whole system of money is a system for exchange of value. We appreciate and honour that you may have other gifts to offer in exchange for the service we offer, but at the end of the end of the day, given the realities of today's world, we need a cash income.
- We have a vision for the centre that will require several hundred thousand dollars of additional infrastructure to manifest into existence. Our profits do not go into buying expensive material comforts for ourselves, but are rather ploughed back into the centre and the vision that is held here. Our intention is that the centre will continue to flourish long after we are dead and buried, and to ensure that, we know that economic sustainability is one of the foundation stones upon which that future potential will rest.
Having said all of that, a limited number of scholarship places are available for a reduced price for those suffering genuine hardship. Please contact us if you wish to apply for one of these places. In your email, please make a compelling case that will help us to understand why we would compromise our livelihood in service of your evolution. There are plenty of good reasons but we need to hear it from you if we are to make an exception on your behalf.
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