Offering Gifts: Novasutras and the Gift Economy

In keeping with our commitment to ubuntu, Novasutras events and other content are provided on a gift economy basis. Right now, we rely on small money donations from individuals to keep our website operational, to host online and in-person events, and to pay basic expenses.

When all the world is a gift in motion, how wealthy we become.

~Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

We invite you to listen within to understand your role. If you are inspired to make a money contribution, we thank you. If you are inspired to spread the news about this work and why you value it (e.g. sharing our information and links with a friend), we thank you. This is our collective work. We are grateful for your part in it.*

Contributing Money in the Gift Economy

We want to approach money with honesty, humility, and care. It is vitally important to us that everyone can trust that we only want to receive money if it’s truly freely given, out of your desire to support something you believe in. We ask that you give only what you are moved to give, if you are, and only if you are able to do so without hardship, resentment or expectation.*

The essence of the gift is that it creates a set of relationships. The currency of a gift economy is, at its root, reciprocity.

~Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

Participation and Service in Our Gift Economy

Your presence and participation in our events is actually one of the most important ways to help build the Novasutras movement. The more we can weave our community together, the more we will be able to accomplish. Of course, if you can invite some friends to join, we can grow and accomplish even more.

The Gift of Octal Celebrations

Our online Octal Celebrations are key times for us to unite as a community. We offer these gatherings eight times per year, using the astronomical timings of Solstices, Equinoxes and Cross-Quarters to provide a truly global moment for reconnection. These celebrations emphasize agaya and ubuntu, global wellness, joy and loving-kindness for all beings. We are invited to reconnect with the beauty and wonder of Nature. Please join us in harmonizing our intentions for worldwide well-being and loving-kindness, and share in this opportunity for conversation with our Novasutras community.

Like all Novasutras events, our Octal Celebrations are offered in the gift economy (freely given, with donations welcome). Can’t donate $1 right now? Become a Novasutras Events Announcement subscriber to receive the direct Zoom link.

Uplifters Share the Gift of Time

Organizations, like organisms, have different needs at different stages of their growth. We need teams of people who can help us reach even more people in order to get securely rooted so we can begin to really thrive. 

In Novasutras, we refer to our volunteers as Uplifters. Share the fun and soul-satisfaction of working alongside others committed to growing agaya and ubuntu in the world. Learn more about opportunities to get involved with Novasutras, and find where your gifts might intersect with the needs of our emerging movement. Right now, there are projects underway where your help could make all the difference.

College and university students, we are happy to work with you and your institution’s internship coordinators. Contact us to find out about how you can get academic credit, and possibly even a stipend, as a Novasutras intern.

Sharing the Gifts of Novasutras with Friends

You can help us thrive by telling your friends about Novasutras and our events. Follow, like, comment, and share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram, or better yet, reach out directly and have a good conversation with someone you love, to reconnect and share agaya and ubuntu.

Do you have suggestions, or questions about contributing to Novasutras? Please share them with us – we’d love to hear from you.

*Portions of this explanation of the gift economy were modified from one created by BayNVC.