This is a story that I am practicing each day. In this practice, I open myself to feedback and questions from others so that I can refine, respond, and create greater clarity around the language and intention behind it. Each step of the way I am supported by those inspired by my gifts and I desire to share this opportunity with anyone who wishes to free their creative potential and co-create their dreams. As more people share their needs with me I am better able to respond with my fire starting. This story is one of those fires.

It all starts with a gift.

A dear forest sister gifts her treasure book to her new festival tribe and their dome home. The intention of free expression ignites artistic declarations now and beyond. Underneath it’s latches and bratches, beneath the playa lay-on’d. Colourful wisps, hap-hazard crayon’d!

 

A seed was planted and a plant did plount. Out of the fertile soil, no toil was ’bout. How to free our collective creativity? How to fly free like the bee, who rests in a tree? Then, the water of gratitude washed over and a circle was reflecting me…

 

The Circle of Gratitude is a platform for people to create gift relationships within a

community of individuals desiring to support each other.

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Circle – Many points coming together in equality. The symbol of return, cyclicity, and trust in the flow of life. Illustrative of giving around the corner by giving in one direction and receiving in another. Better yet, imagine a cheerio-torus.

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Gratitude – The feeling of having received a gift and the desire to give in return. We see someone being swell and we think, “Hey, if they can be that swell then I can too!”. Gratitude arises when a gift fills a need and is a foundational feeling to a supportive relationship. When we receive help during a time of need we are inspired to give back when others are also in need. This is gratefulness.

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Platform – A foundation to build upon. Like a story. Preferably a permaculture greenhouse, that way we can also let it grow organically. Or maybe a website and phone app. Yeah, that would make it easy to connect! Anyone want to help?

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People – Who is “they” anyways? They say that anyone who is wanting to discover and free their creative potential (a.k.a. living in the gift) through supportive relationships will be into the Circle of Gratitude. Inspired by the gifts of someone or receive value from another someone and want to support them with monitude? Then you are also people!

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Gift Relationships – A relationship in which gifts are given free of conditions and received in gratefulness. Think like a parent giving to their newborns. Thanks for keeping me alive! No force, pressure, or coercion welcome here.

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Community of Individuals – The integration of our individual uniqueness and our common tribe. We all share our home and we each offer distinct and essential gifts. The community we individually create reflects our uniqueness and embodies our collectiveness. One big messy web of circles.

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Desiring – Worth mentioning again that there is no force, pressure, or coercion in this story. Together we remember to embody trust and inspiration, allowing the inner fire to ignite our joyous passions and generosity. That feels good to me.

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Support – Once all of the previous pieces are in place (i.e. when you are ready) it is time to explore how we can empower and inspire one another. We need the inner desire, we need our spotters in community, we need connective relationships with other people, and we need the intention of gratitude to release and imbue the circular flow of money. Always mutual. Always balanced.

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I look forward to connecting with you if you see/hear/feel yourself in this story. This is my new story of philanthropy. Follow the breadcrumbs. Thank you for your support/shares/monitude along this journey.  ::)

Skye Dreamer

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Story Archives:

The Circle of Gratitude: A New Story of Philanthropy

The Circle of Gratitude: Part One – Entering the Circle

The Circle of Gratitude: Part Two – Opening to Gratitude

The Circle of Gratitude: Part Three – Planting the Platform

The Circle of Gratitude: Part Four – Finding the People

The Circle of Gratitude: Part Five – Watering Gift Relationships

The Circle of Gratitude: Part Six – Growing Community

The Circle of Gratitude: Part Seven – Kindling Desire

The Circle of Gratitude: Part Eight – Celebrating Support

(P.S. I wrote of this story in the past some time ago – although the concept has evolved, feel free to explore the archives for more of the back-story about living in the gift and the Circle of Gratitude – The Circle of Gratitude: Seeding the Heart, The Circle of Gratitude, Uniting Work and Play Through the Gift: Part One and Part Two).