A few weeks ago, I told some friends that I had decided to quit teaching meditation because it wasn’t working out financially. Specifically, I struggled to attract enough people to my online courses. My plan was to downscale Wildmind significantly and find a regular job. So, I started working on a résumé (my first since 1993) and looking for job opportunities.
I had mixed feelings about this decision; it was a tough choice. I felt sad to give up on something I loved and found incredibly fulfilling. At the same time, I was anxious about re-entering the job market but also excited about the prospect of a steady paycheck and more financial stability. Overall, I felt a sense of acceptance and even relief that I was letting go of something that hadn’t been financially viable.
I even wrote a long blog post explaining my decision but didn’t publish it. A few days later, I had a complete change of heart. I realized that Wildmind’s supporters have always rallied behind it. This led me to the idea of turning Wildmind into a Community-Supported Meditation Initiative.
With help from a few people, I refined the key concepts. The initiative would be community-supported, and I’d ask people to sponsor shares to generate enough income to keep Wildmind alive. Instead of charging for my courses (which I never felt comfortable doing), we could offer them for free to everyone. In appreciation, I’d create new courses to support my sponsors’ meditation practices.
Two weeks ago, I launched the initiative, asking the Wildmind community to sponsor 1,500 shares at $4 each [2020 Note: Shares are now $8 each].
By sponsoring shares, you’ll feel good knowing you’re supporting a website that has reached millions since it started in November 2000. We project over 800,000 unique visitors this year. Additionally, I’ll make the 30 or so courses I’ve developed available for free. This should give you a sense of satisfaction.
As a sponsor, you’ll also get access to:
We will gradually introduce these benefits as we progress toward being fully funded. Shares are just $8 each, and every sponsor gets the same benefits regardless of the number of shares they sponsor. So far, if you want to give more support and can afford it, it helps us even more.
Click here to subscribe to the meditation initiative.
Your support is hugely appreciated. Already, I feel uplifted by the contributions and the love expressed. I look forward to being free from financial concerns so that I can focus more on sharing my practice with you, my community of sponsors, and bringing the benefits of meditation to more people.