I often run Pay What You Want “specials.” Honestly, though, it’s not that special. It’s been a spiritual tradition for as long as there’s been spiritual traditions.

Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/conditionthemind
Venmo: https://venmo.com/Stewart-Snyder

Pay What You Can

Often known as Pay What You Can or the Gift Economy, Pay What You Want begins with the historical concept of alms – or almsgiving.

Traditionally, the monks of the town would begin each day (or have a ritual time) coming into town and “begging” for food. The townspeople would share the food from their homes. The idea was that the people of the town would give to the monks in accordance with what they felt they were receiving spiritually.

Fascinating!

Could you imagine a life where your basic sustenance was determined by the value you provided?

Each and every day you are given the opportunity to provide a service – to give of yourself – and each day you are provided for in exchange for your own personal service of yourself.

How Does Pay What You Want Work?

Pay What You Want is best explained through the moniker: The Gift Economy and The Gift Economy is simple:

I give you a gift.

You give me a gift.

It’s really that simple!

We agree that we’d like to work together. I gift you work such as yoga, spiritual guidance, or a CST session. Once you’ve taken the class, attended the workshop or experience the session, you decide what it’s worth to you.

It’s the exact opposite of the idea that “you get what you pay for.” Here, you pay for what you get – and you decide what it’s worth.

Why the Gift Economy?

I’ve never been comfortable with the idea of exchanging energy + teachings for money. I do this work I do because I believe everyone in this society could use a little more love and clarity.

Prosperity to me is sustaining my own existence by giving the things I have been blessed to be able to give. When I can support my own life out of the gifts others return, that is a life worth living. That, for me, is purpose… is happiness.

It doesn’t matter to me whether your gift is in currency or commodity. The point isn’t a bank account; the point is sharing a lifestyle of mutual prosperity.

How much am I supposed to give?

Well… there is no “supposed to.”

I do this work to support the community. I enjoy spreading the experience of flowing the body, the knowledge I’ve learned, expanding consciousness, and easing the mind/body.

There’s no price for healing. It either means something to you… or it doesn’t.

You may choose to gift “fair market value”.

You may choose to pay an amount based on time.

You may choose to gift an arbitrary amount.

You may even choose to “pay it forward”.

The gift amount, value, or vehicle is entirely up to you. You “pay” a value in accordance with what you feel you receive.