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Here was our response: Back in 1999, ServiceSpace started in response to the greed narrative of Silicon Valley. Many on the founding team were college kids conditioned to create dot-coms (lot of our peers indeed created household brands); but we were beating to a different drum -- here's an SF Weekly article from 2001 that chronicales this counter-culture approach. We had three principles: be volunteer-run, don't fundraising, think small. It was radically opposite of the "big money, big staff, big change" narrative. Take a look at this 2007 document articulating some of the power behind this: Tao of ServiceSpace (CharityFocus was our previous name) and this TedX talk: Designing for Generosity Fast forward 25 years, and ServiceSpace is now host to half a million visitors to its sites everyday; every year, we send out 70 million emails; we host hundreds of in-person and virtual events with some of the most prominent folks on the planet. Yet, the ecosystem sniffs out all remnants of a transactional mindset -- no solicitation, no advertising, never even a "buy this" link (even for our beloved author friends). Initially, it seems naive, but after decades of experience, the ServiceSpace journey is creating a new narrative beyond the power of 3M's of market, media and military -- where money gives way to alternate forms of wealth; broadcast gives way to "deepcast" of many-to-many networks; leadership gives way to "laddership". In this second term, Obama invited us to offer policy recommendations to unlock similarly uncommon ripples for America. That leads to an inevitable question -- so then how do you pay the bills? :) Consider the Buddha's example of needing to feed his thousands of monks daily. He could've asked the King to feed his monks (philanthropy), or asked an entrepreneur to create a transactional framework (business) to cover their needs, but instead, he asked them to go on alms rounds. ServiceSpace experience shows that there were ample good reasons for Buddha to adopt that approach. :) If you have delivered enough value, there's no stopping the flow of gratitude from the web of those relationships; and if not, all schemes to manipulate the outcomes will invariably lead to immediate or downstream violence. The Hindu sacred text, Bhagwad Gita, offers a simple practice: renounce all outcomes. After collectively experimenting with releasing transactions, it's easy to see the wisdom of that approach. You start swimming in the abundance of non-financial wealth, resting in the ripples that span much wider arcs of existence, and smiling at ongoing-wow of an emergence that is powered by a cosmic intelligence. |
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Tai-Chi is in the air! Below Marty Verhoeven is leading a group at City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and Sarah Tulivu is an upcoming guest for our Awakin Calls and India retreats. |
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So grateful to our community in Colombia -- who have hosted 4 Karma Kitchens right before the pandemic, translated various KindSpring 21-day challenge diaries into Spanish and have engaged hundreds of students in that process, and continue to build ripples. Last week, Nipun visited again for a heart-opening time. Gratitude to Julio, Adriana and Patricia at Colegiatura -- and Luz Ma, Alvaro, Enrique, Claudia, Ale and so many others who are pioneering new possibilities locally, and for spontaneous moments like this:
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KarunaNews: Japan Cafe, Staffed By Dementia Patients, Serves Mistaken Orders To Everyone's Delight |
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At the end of Week 2 of our 21-day interfaith compassion challenge, Tim Harrison, Associate Director of CBCT (Cognitively Based Compassion Training) at Emory University joined us as a guest speaker. His insights on compassion coupled with his first profound encounter with Dalai Lama deeply moved many in the call to tears. |
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KarmaTube's video of the week: Anne Lamott: 12 Truths I Learned from Life and Writing. |
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In a few hours, we are interviewing Rayna Dineen at Awakin Calls. She is founder of Reading Quest, a non-profit based in Santa Fe,that provides free structured literacy tutoring and social emotional skills to hundreds of undersupported, struggling young readers. Meeting Amma, the Indian "hugging saint" was a turning point in Rayna's life, that inspired her to a path of selfless service. Here is a short inspiring clip about their work --
And hosting the call is our volunteer Melissa Stephens, a big-hearted elementary school teacher for last 29 years. Every day at roll call, she looks into each student's eyes with a smile and whispers "I see you". In her own words, she is "excited and nervous about the call, which always feels like the best combo." Join live here. |
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KarunaNews: A Berlin Bus Gets Lifted With The Help Of 40 People To Free A Young Man Pinned By A Rear Wheel
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