3 weeks after I found the cyst, I started to write a blog and also started to fundraise for the treatments I wanted to try. (https://www.nanawoo.com/blog/money-and-love)
Last summer Nil said,
'Nana, I think you know how to receive.'
'Well, now I think so, it is still not so easy, but yes'
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Crowd funding
The first time I heard about this concept was when i finished my 3rd year of study of Eurythmy, at that time I was about giving up continuing with the 4th year.
Lindsey, my best friend, heard and discussed it with some other friends.
'We are having a crowdfund meeting for you at Ashley's house'
On the table, there was a laptop and around the table, there were Ashley, my storytelling teacher, Melody and Lindsey. Melody explained what crowd funding is;
'If you have a project, study or initiative, you ask for donations on a internet platform, you have to write and make a short video and also create a pledge as a gift and people can donate how much they would like to give’, she just did crowd funding for her MA programme in Oxford at that time.
and she created an account for me on a crowdfunding website.
Video, ‘who can film it?’ ....'I know ‘BB', I texted him immediately,
and then we shared different ideas for pledges.
'If you donate £50, I will tell stories to the children in the street'
'Butterfly pictures'
'Head massage'
'Korean food: Kimbab!'
'maybe a smile'
'a hug!'
Writing, Ashley sat in front of the laptop:
'What is Eurythmy? '
'What do you want to do after finishing the training?'
A whole evening was created for me at that moment. I looked at these people, who were willingly giving their time and energy for my studies.... who are they? and why?
I was so touched by their acts... When I came out from the house, after a few steps.... I just couldn’t walk anymore, I sat on the ground and my tears were pouring down… they were burning tears...
A few days later, I organised a filming day at Emerson College.
BB came as the film maker, different teachers and people from the community were there to be interviewed, and many people came to do a social Eurythmy exercise to be filmed. Finally we published the page [Nana's Dream - Social Eurythmy]
And that was the beginning. The goal was £7700 (training fees and accommodation)
I had two months to complete the crowfunding before the dead line. That summer I think I was in front of computer for 3-4 hours, sometimes 5-6 hours per day, sending emails, etc. Half way, I decided to make: '£10 x 300 people = £3000'
So I started to send messages one by one to all my facebook friends.
One by to every single person; by that time I had over 1000 as facebook 'FRIENDS'.
I had to copy and paste the message, however I decided that at least I write the name of the person and have a moment to think about this person's face.
More than sharing the posts, I spent a lot of time responding messages.
Some people got angry because I never contacted them and just contacted to ask for money. Some told stories of how they have been, a friend from Korea was upset because in Korea students eat only noodles to be able study and you study in England and ask for money, so I responded honestly why I was doing this crowdfunding, if anyone asked. And a teacher told me: 'Nana I got your message, I just gave some money to my students, I haven’t managed to pay my rent, but i will send you 10 very soon'
I felt bad.... to ask money… as she was already giving support.
I went through all kinds of emotions and there was an emotion which was the most important, Gratitude, thinking of those three friends who encouraged me to start the crowdfunding, thinking of people one by one who supported my path, I wanted to do my best. After two months, I raised all the money I needed.
However, the real process began after that.
After celebrating the success of fundraising and getting so much support, I became very sick! 'What if I run away with this money? Why people trust me? Am I worth it?'
Suddenly I left alone with those questions... I was so sick that I had to stay at home for a week. I realised I have to be humble from the all the love I have got, and I have to trust myself.
It was a huge process to understand the nature of Money, not only about my studies but also about the fear and greed around money.
At the end I realised that people never gave me money, they gave me trust. Money just supported what I needed, money created the possibility.
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From that moment on, when I receive money, I know that it is trust and love. How I spend money is up to me, and I trust this, of course I still have to practice again and again, and check myself, where I am with these support. Am I doing the right deed for goodness.
With my illness now, again I am in the situation of asking for help and then to receive.
Emerson community supported this path; from the world, the connection with so many people supporting this path,
Two friends contacted me and gave me a big amount of money.
The first time I did crowdfunding, if I am honest, sometimes I was begging, I was more like dying....But this time, I feel i am more trusting,
maybe this is what Nil meant, 'Nana i think you know how to receive.'
It is indeed huge love to receive, whenever I am overwhelmed, I go back to my candle on my altar, sometimes I just let myself cry of gratitude. And from time to time I have to remind myself to send this love back to the spiritual world, it is a spiritual practice to receive, I don’t think this love is because of me, but it is because it is the human nature to share, to care and to love. I think that the higher beings know that there is so much love existing on earth, so much sharing, caring about each other, even for a person who has a 18cm ovarian cyst.
Thank you again for all your decisions to support.
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(work in progress)
Flow In
- Community fund : £ Emerson Community : £323
- Crowdfund : £ Website & Paypal: £1800 - commission + Paypal
- Crowdfund : £ Facebook (flight tickets): £925 - commission
https://www.facebook.com/donate/191663831732589/
- Private Fund : £1100
Flow Out
https://www.nanawoo.com/support
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