Gut Feeling and Honoring My Intuition

I know what you mean, Aley.
This place is Very Unique & i don't want to lose that spiritual tone to corporate control
either.
I do trust Brian to not want that as well.


Since the beginning of Zaadz, following The Mission statement is “the plan”…

Our Plan. Ours involves Conscious Capitalism infused with Spirituality and a healthy dose of Enthusiasm, Love, Service, Inspiration, Passion, Humor and Teamwork. People CRAZY enough to think they can change the world, Courageous enough to do something about it, AND Committed enough to stick to it when they feel like giving up.

i have had people, outside friends, turn down my invitation to join Zaadz because they were afraid of losing control of their art, music, ideas, or whatever it was.
but i think whenever we open up ourselves to anything online, we take a chance it will be
used w/o permission, shared, or just plain ripped off.

it comes down to TRUST.
trusting the spirit of Zaadz in it's purity.
the people here, the sharing that goes on, and most of all Brian and the team.

Here is that cool video interview.

His note the other day said something like he was looking to move onto his next
project, but i think his heart will always remain with Zaadz.  In it's purest form.

When I first joined Zaadz, you know how you have to confirm your account before they set it up?  The reason it took me 2 months to confirm, was because I saw this coming back in March.  Brian built a gold-mine.  Just our email addresses in the system is a jackpot in itself for marketing.  And free to boot?  He knew exactly what he was doing, and is a smart businessman as well as a visionary.

I'm just going with the flow until the flow changes.  And then I'll decide if the flow fits me or not.  And if not…. Z-Town has been a great place and I met great people.

We all change, we all grow…. and the connections we've made here….
Trust me, That will Never end.
Well…….. unless you want it to.

Hopefully…. when they start charging for memberships (because I know it is coming) it will be reasonable.

~Wendy

Your reaction or should i say feeling is spot on. It's good to question these events. I too have met some amazing people on here and certainly hope the site continues as it is. It's too early to tell whether things will change much or whether Zaadz can keep its initial spirit intact.

However, I think Zaadz missed an opportunity to open up the business aspect to its spiritual owners i.e. us. Now that would have been conscious indeed :-)

Instead we may just become “customers” who may be worth x$ a month.

The “conscious capitalism” schpeel was what kept me away from Zaadz initially; should such an impossibility manifest, I'd have to stick around! I mean, c'mon! If there's such a thing as “conscious capitalism,” there's also an Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa Claus to boot! Maybe it's the kid in me that wants to find out.

I joined Zaadz for its community. Should that community be compromised in any way, I'll be gone. One way to compromise it is to corporatize it (further). Another way will be to de-emphasize the 'spiritual' aspect of this site, the writers and the artists and those of us who, while selling nothing, are seeking to spread just a little light and beauty in a world suffocating under the regular, normal, cancerous kind of capitalism that Zaadz may well be part and parcel to now. We'll see.

Shawn

well said, Shawn. 

For awhile at least, I'm sure our little corner of Zaadz will remain the same.

Let's see what happens; I feel with each, as I read what you write. On the whole, I always feel that what happens, is for the best. Sometimes people meet to part; and as they know they need to part, they learn to relate to each other in a way that goes beyond the physical aspects.
'
What I mean by that almost-gibberish, is , that we now know how many people in the world have begun to vibrate harmoniously - we can link to each other in many ways in future. There are yahoogroups, and other places.

But yes, none like zaadz. I'm not ready to let it go, either.

You all are so incredibly beautiful with your raw feedback on this!  And I can tell you … as an employee of Zaadz I had the same feelings at first…. but those feelings were only because of my “fear of the unknown” …. so I let it go…. I trust fully in the Love and Intent on which this site was built… IT IS STILL ZAADZ… that is the beauty of this acquisition … Gaiam does not want to change what Zaadz is… it wants to empower it even further and make it THE community that spiritual ambassadors and seekers alike utilize for networking.

Gaiam is very focused on the same “conscious capitalism” and “conscious consumerism” as well… making our money make a difference, make a change, BE empowering, be expanding and making the flow of energy and awareness headed in the right directions… not just about “their” products… it's about the LIFESTYLE of living to your highest potential… Gaiam coined the term LOHAS … Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability.  I feel good about connecting with a company that has that kind of focus and intent. 

Fears aside…. and “what about me” aside…. the greater good of all concerned can now be delivered and serviced at a greater extent … the goal now?  To keep on doing what we are doing… making a community filled with such inspiring and empowering people that we WILL BE SEEN, HEARD and KNOWN as THE online social networking site that seriously intent people go to make connections and expand their life's purpose.

Where else on the internet can you go where people are EXCITED for you to live out your dreams and will find ways to support you in that journey??  Zaadz is the only place that comes to mind for me… and I am one geeky gal who cruises the net… Zaadz is really IT.

Again, thank you for all of your comments and conversations like this - expression is beautiful…. It warms my heart to know that YOU ALL are the ones whom I serve… and I will keep doing this because of that warmth … that Love.

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!  And yes, Let's See What Happens…. let's see where it grows from here!

Interesting points here. Besides the fact that membership is free for now, I think it has always been a commercial side. Sponsors advertise, because that's the way traffic and servers and programming get paid. So you always have your flashing links to get a discount on Yoga, some Integral Workshop, a book or a movie, a spa pool weekend, whatever the commercial world considers interesting for spiritual people.
I'm not in that sense spiritual, so I never bought anything. May someone else get 20% off on a shamanistic drumming and chanting retreat with a bonus journey to your inner self as recommended by Deepak C. This is a side of Zaadz that I wholeheartedly ignore. And I think that's just what we do. We go and meet in our alcoven, a split part of Zaadz, a niche where we find like-minded people and ignore most of the rest. Agree to disagree, don't resonate…whatever you call it.
This is Zaadz to me. I've found a few friends, I've had great discussions, a few arguments, and generally it was nice. It is still nice. But I will not pay anything for membership. In fact I will not pay anything, full stop. If anyone tries to make profit, if anyone tries to manipulate what Zaadz is, how we talk and what we talk about, of course I'm out. Mind you, there's always the chance to re-build or stay in touch by regular e-mail independently from this platform.

Best wishes

“We are very pleased with our performance for both the fourth quarter and full year 2006,” said Jirka Rysavy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Our media-focused strategy, continued development of community assets, increasing gross margin and additional volume in our centralized distribution center should continue to improve our pretax margin, which during the fourth quarter increased to above 10%, from 4.2% a year ago.”

“Our strong earnings growth validates Gaiam's business strategy,” said Lynn Powers, President. “We are committed to improving the quality of peoples' lives through our premier products and services. With our extensive media library, distribution network and expanding subscription business, we are well positioned for continued growth. We currently expect gross margin for 2007 to be approximately 62- 63%.”

Gaiam Reports 2006 Results


And more recently:

“Our recent acquisitions provide Gaiam with the tools to become the premier online LOHAS community and enhance and expand our existing subscription clubs and online community programs. We plan to launch our overall community site in the fall,” said Jirka Rysavy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The number of paid subscribers in our community and subscription clubs during the fist six months reached 135,000, increasing the growth rate as compared to last year.

Gaiam Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2007 Results


Not mentioning “conscious capitalism” must have been an oversight.  From that report, Zaadz entertains 850,000 unique visitors per month.  I know exactly how I'd make good on numbers like that! 

Lastly, here's what “community” seems to be really about.  You can't argue with the bottom line.

Actually, the sponsors on Zaadz are reviewed by our Team Members to see if the company or the product “agrees” with the Zaadz intentions and purpose.  So the “commercial world” doesn't choose who advertises to our members… Team Members specifically approve if a sponsor can advertise to the community.  It's an exclusive thing. 

Just wanted to pass that along. We've truly kept the community in mind in all aspects of the building process… and we do realize that not every member is going to “resonate” with every sponsor… but that's just life in general… “you can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time” … but we do keep positive intentions 100% of the time. :)

Thank you Kiso…you can't seem to stop commercial spiritualism in the land of the free. I can't elp but feel a little disappointed, because it feels like someone sold his ideals, and it affects people who cared…

I can't say I was over the moon when I visited gaiam.com and found the mother ship greeting me with a red welcome sign, with bold white writing “SAVE 25% - 70% OFF!”… cuz thats what its about, isn't it folks? Getting the stuff we buy in the world for cheaper… supporting the yogini product providers who manage to get it in from the 3rd world countries for us all under the radar on a redlight special… buying from those who have managed to gather such a power they can afford to give it away.

Ok ok… so that was my initial thought…. but seriously… Mum… change the welcome doors I really don't feel like coming inside… but hey, if thats what you need to do Ma so I can play in this garden… 

Thanks for this blog.   It echos my own concerns having lived through numerous corporate takeovers and watching service and support spiral down on tribe.net after being sold to a commercial firm.  
I'm in the wait and see mode now and not willing to put a lot into my zPro site as a number of the earlier statements and promises re zPro disappeared with this merger and pushing out of zPro to everyoner at once.
Blessed IS,
Jeremiah

I have had similar thoughts… but what we've got to always remember is that we are apart of a dream here… which ever way you want to interpret that… this is a dream… a mans dream.. or a teams dream.. your dream… our dream. At which ever level of the dream you interpret… there is a dream at play and there are people with who's dreams might not come true if zaadz doesn't have our full support. With commercial legs or not, it will be for us to eventually feel a failure or success within this dream. To look for the light in the situation or not will be our choice and we live with the verdict of our focus

So what do we do whenever we see the slightest bit of energy we don't like? Quickly withdraw support, disengage, detach. Here we are, emblems of the very problem that creates the very situation we are afraid of being corrupted by.

Dissapointed a site has ads… dissapointed a community has seeked further revenue…

Operationally… how many people are on a payroll at zaadz? 15 - 20? I don't know… how many people suck on the energy of what they actually 'work' to provide? 60,000 - 80,000?

And they found it hard to get the resources from us to feel really abundant. What would it take to have the key staff at zaadz living it up in full style for the humanitarian service they have already given us? 50e cents each per month or something like that could satisfy them potentially… what are we, plebs? Complaining about a potential payment??

Here's what happens… people come onto a site like this and actually expect to meet their soulmate… the most important person in their life… or they expect to magically attract this massive audience of listeners… or they expect to find some wealthy investor…

The worst disease in the world is wanting everything for nothing. Because of this, ventures like zaadz can't just begin and expect to be payed for the actual service they provide because people need to leech off it for however many years before they even consider giving anything tangible back.

“oh but my voice is my value” and this is true… but I have a friend who comes visits me now and then and expects to eat all my cupboards clean and pay me with spiritual advice!

Just some things to consider b4 hitting the road. 

Maybe think about how much cash u've contributed which is a vital element in all of this b4 u walk away saying u did everything you could to keep all this 'in the house'.

Peace..! 

You dear Aley, are a wonderful responder if there ever was one. I think it takes a careful consideration to breach these topics in the way you do. Thank you for being, feeling and honestly expressing. 

Sorry if I come across harsh… I don't want anybody to feel bad… just stay and realise we have the potential to be alchemists. 
“no way” to paying zaadz… but “ok” to paying the phone line, internet, electricity and everything else before zaadz. 
My only point is that perhaps organisations like zaadz wouldn't need to seek further revenue if they were truly supported on all levels by the community?
I hope our friends come back to us. My heart kind of dropped when GW left… he was the only aussie guy close by in the real world of zaadz and when he left it was like.. “woah.. all that energy into the pod… the articles and conversations… gone”.. it really created a gap and I didn't even have all that much connection with him.

~Hugs all~

Just wanted to weigh in with my take on it…
My first reaction to that first message from Brian was like a punch in the stomach…I had barely even read it in its entirety and my gut was taking a hit.  I agree with alot of you and have decided to just see where this goes…I won't just run out, without seeing if things actually somehow get better…  We all have our own internal barometers ;-)

BTW…have you noticed that we don't have our pretty dandelion logo anymore?

Chrysalis, your response is golden, buddy. I had to read it three times, just for the entertainment value alone. I'd love to take that response and emblazon it across the foreheads of the new chieftains here at Zaadz, because it encapsulates so brilliantly what many of us are thinking and feeling here. Very well done!

Shawn

Honestly, I am kinda shocked that everyone is taking this so personally.

People value Zaadz and the community it brings, yet some are not willing to pay for something they value.  What does this say about the relationship with money and energy that is really being exchanged here?  Or perhaps, it is more of a value of self, and not a reflection of a merger at all.

If I owned this… I would charge a membership, because it is valuable.  They are providing us a service.  I would cover my expenses and donate the rest.

Love, compassion, understanding, acceptance….. all of these things are needed, and needed in more abundance, however, what is going to help our brother and sisters in Africa, in Honduras, in other parts of the world that need attention, is Money.

Money doesn't have to be centered in greed and disgust.  It can be a loving exchange and this can be done through intention.  I think this is basically what the purpose of Zaadz is… being Conscious of how you spend your money will create better intentions (because you are aware of them) and you will change the world.

I would certainly rather spend money on a membership with a company who is globally and socially aware, than spend nothing which affects no one in that one type of exchange.

So who knows…. maybe they are really just money hungry monsters who want to suck you dry.  (However I doubt it)  And if they suck you dry, it is because you let them.

Just my pov.

Interesting.  I experienced similar reactions to a design blog I frequent.  Excellent opportunity for people to learn and share.  Once it was discovered that the owners and originators actually weren't starving to death, the audience took it personally.  Mind you, this is a very ethical young couple.  I've personally met them.  What they accomplished with this blog is huge.  As it grew and changed and passwords were required, people revolted because frankly, they could no longer leave nasty comments under the name “Anonymous”.  I still frequent this incredible blog and it is now nationally known and in better shape than ever.  Of course, this was after the owners received many negative comments.

While it is not the same as the situation at Zaadz, the point is similar.  I will not pretend to understand the behind-the-scenes working of what transpired between Brian and Gaiam.  Frankly, I don't care.  It's business.  I was and still am excited about participating in Zaadz.  It is a wonderful place to meet people and to choose the level of participation one wants, as well as the type of person one wants to respond to.  If Brian made a killing on the sale/merger, then good for him.  It was afterall, his idea, not ours.  Until such time as I discover that something unethical has occurred, I don't have a problem with this.

Making money and being spiritual seem to be at question here.  There is nothing wrong with money.  Money made ethically is wonderful.  Like it or not, we all need to make money to survive in this world that we have created.  Zaadz gives us all an opportunity to have a healthy, sharing community.  If I end up paying a small fee for the right to voice my opinion, then so be it.  If I find that Zaadz is no longer suited to my needs, I will leave it.  But I will leave only and if it is no longer suiting my needs.

Much like a TV set, it is up to us as individuals to turn off the programs we don't like.  If we don't like a product being sold, we have the freedom of choice to decide to no longer buy it. 

Life is filled with numerous avenues down which we can walk.  There is no permanence. 

If Zaadz changes, it will be just like all things that change.  We move forward and as was said above, if we lose the friendships we have formed here, then that is our decision.

To expend so much energy supporting a negative idea seems to me to be counterproductive.  Just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions. 

The world can be a beautiful place and still include money.  Money is simply energy.  What we do with that energy is what matters.  Perhaps Brian sold everyone out (and I also doubt it) and perhaps he is a savvy business man.  We can be savvy business people also and still be spiritual, change the world, feed the poor, and still manage to take care of our own needs.  It isn't money or mergers that are the problem.  Big business has been around forever. 

One can become an entrepreneur and change the world.  Brian did it.  So can everyone else.  It takes some effort, but everything worthwhile usually does but that doesn't mean the effort needs to be painful or difficult. 

Personally, I don't need a guru of any kind creating a place for me to live in.  I can do it myself with the help of others if they want to participate.  If not, then by myself.  Life is open.  It is fluid.  I would think we could also be fluid.

Good topic though

Jackie,

I know you have a point. I think a lot of people separate mind from body. It is ok to make money off people's time and physical work, which is what businesses do. But it is not ok to make money off people's emotional growth, happiness, care, love…. Why is this so? Do we cherish our thoughts and ideas so much more than our bodies that we don't want them commercialised, while we actually do sell our strength, brain and time everyday to our employers so they can make profit off us? The only difference would be that to pay our bills, we have no other choice than to be slaves or prostitutes. Here we think we do, we can leave, because our survival doesn't depend on what Zaadz gives us if we give it a fee. Making money and being spiritual is indeed contradictory to a lot of people for different reasons. This is something to think about, thank you.

Best wishes

What a rich thread, & to read such honest thoughts from some folks I have never had the pleasure of meeting here at Zaadz is really a treat. I almost wrote that I am sorry it is under these circumstances, but I stopped to realize that this is not true. It is just such circumstances that bring communities together. (How I wish I could gather you all together and lead us in a Laughter Yoga session, how  fantastic that would be!)

As Aley wrote about Crysalis, “he ignores the things that do not matter to him, and responds to the things that do, and his feelings come from a much different place than Americans, as he lived in a communist country.” I think most of us can relate to ignoring the things that do not matter, and responding to the things that do, and for me it has nothing to do with being American…yet I think i see where you are coming from with that observation, albeit a generalization, Aley.

The point of my chiming in here is to let you know that this discussion has been such an eye opener for me and, like Aley, to also express my gratitude for that. As some friends here know, I have been rather preoccupied with a terminally ill family member in my life and deeply concerned about the worsening genocide in Darfur. (I have been so out of the inner workings of the Zaadz loop that I hardly even know what  Zpro page is other than a slightly annoying detour when i want to send someone an email)…

All i want in this place called Zaadz is for this to continue to be sacred space for all of us, a place I can turn to for solace, connection, giving, sharing the joys and sorrows of our journeys through this life and the immense goodness and beauty we find here. (Please hear this plea, corporate mergers and mergees, Gaiam–whoever, whatever you are–and the Z-Team, )

Yes, the sweet logo of the dandelion is gone for the moment, so is the larger space we had for our names, and now we have less white space, zen space, that was so refreshing before, now replaced with flashing ads…but what we do have is each other and what we came here for. I am choosing to let go of attachment to the old, and embrace the new (which does not really affect me and what I am here for, not yet anyway). I bless those itchy, creative hands who love to play with changing images, and let all the extraneous Zaadz biz simply go.

I have one request for the new and those responsible for it, please let us continue on as we are, free of charge. By our very presence, we have helped immensely for Brian to build a business. Like Jackie said, good for him. And that we get to stay for the ride, may this be so.

Mary:  I am sorry to hear about your ill family member.  We know that is a very difficult situation.

I don't see the comment you mentioned that Aley made about Chrysalis.  Hmmm…

Anyway, for the general folks here, I simply don't see anything wrong with commerce.  And I don't see anything wrong with Gaiam in general.  They have, so far, to my knowledge, grown a good business.  It is simpy too soon to know what the plans are for Zaadz.


Aley:  I agree that $5,000 is a bit much to charge.  As a Reiki Master, I could easily charge any fee for helping someone.  As it is, I don't charge for children or animals.  However, to look at that situation honestly, why should I give away all my knowledge and skill because it is based in something considered spiritual?  I have just donated furniture and household items in the ballpartk of perhaps $8,000 to a mission.  They will re-sell this and the proceeds will go to fund  their AA program and their child welfare program.  I say this only as an example.

I'm also a mural painter.  I donated my time several years ago to a homeless shelter in California.  I spend 3 months of my free weekends painting a 1200 sf cafe they have. I worked very hard.  I could have charged someone else an easy $8,000 for this.  I chose to donate my time.  However, with Reiki, should I give it all away?  Does that mean I am unethical?  Some Reiki's charge too much, some choose to charge nothing.  In my case, this is part of how I survive.  If a client had no money and needed help, I would not only give them Reiki for free, but I would help in other ways.  But if someone can afford to pay, then why not?  I need to live also.

As you know, I have a jewelry business.  My prices are not low.  However, I give away a huge amount of jewelry. I balance this as I can. 

I guess my point is this:  Why are we discussing the intent of the new owners when we don't yet know what they are?  If and when they present an ethical problem, then I would state my feelings.  As for ethical business, again, if we don't like a product or a channel, we have the freedom of choice to deselect it.

I don't find money to be a really touchy issue.  There isn't anything written anywhere that states that making money is a bad thing.  As for intention, my intentions are good, which is probably why I'm always ok.  I know your intentions are also good.

I have also had many long distance moves, family deaths, loss of income, my own cancer, etc.  But the fact is, I am the only one responsible for Me and because of that I have learned to move forward and keep myself within the guidelines of what I feel is ethical.  If Zaadz turns out to be a bust, so be it.  I would prefer, however, to give it to the people and let them continue to make it a loving place.

Best to all,

There has been some spirited dialogue on this issue and i think its important since Zaadz goal has always been conscious capitalism. So in a way we need to understand what capitalism actually is, to be conscious of that practice. This is somewhat different to ethical business which is focused primarily on making business an ethical enterprise.

Warren Buffet is a conscious captalist. He knows exactly what he does and he does it well and is fully present in that process. That's why he has been successful.

The pathology of capitalism is much misunderstood. The system is predicated on the capture of rent from resources and a money system fuelled by a creation process based on interest bearing debt.

I wrote a blog post some time ago called Capitalism 3.0. It looks at capturing the rent from our commons for all and not just the few who own those resources. The batte over land and the rent it offers is the story of war and conflict throughout our history.

Without going too deeply into this i think we need to examine exactly what conscious capitalism is because it may not be what people think at first glance.

As i said before it would have been interesting to see an offer for Zaadz members to fund the community themselves. It can't be that expensive to host the servers and run the technology spread amongst all the members.

The current internet revenue model is based on subscribers and at $20-50 a person it can be a lucrative valuation. There are only 2 revenue models: advertising or subscription. At some point it has to be paid for but i feel most Zaadsters are pretty happy with what we have now, a simple but interconnected community without too much razzle dazzle.

On the point of advertising, it is possible to only have adverts that match with the individual. This is what we have provided at VortexDNA (one of my business interests!). That can be processed automatically without a team having to approve them. I have mentionedthis a few times to the Zaadz crew :-)

All is not lost as long as we can continue to enjoy and grow in each others company.

“Hopefully…. when they start charging for memberships (because I know it is coming) it will be reasonable.

~Wendy”

Doesn't charging for memberships go against the feel that was given with the “applying” and being “let in” to Zaadz when you sign up? I didn't wait a week to get approved just to eventually get charged to use the site. There's plenty of other sites to blog on out there. It's nice that this is a place for open modern spirits but ya, you could always start a group on Facebook or LiveJournal. (Nope, I don't get the pay accounts for LJ either.)

Oh, goodness.

This, to me, is Zaadz. I can't think of many other social networking sites in which dialogues like this come up. Do you know how amazing this community is?

(I know. I just needed to say that.)

And I just wanted to add a few words. Zaadz is a business. We've been a business from the start. We're not a non-profit or a community service; we're a company. Cosmicblog made the excellent point that we don't complain about paying our electricity bills or internet service providers for the opportunity to connect with others, but we balk at the fact that this service (that is, the platform and the work that's done to create this safe and spiritual place) requires support, too. I pay my phone bill every month, but I don't blame T-mobile for somehow contaminating the relationship I have with friends and family out-of-state. I'm glad they're a large enough company that I can easily and consistently reach those on the other side of the country… and I trust them to protect my phone number.

I'm also sorry that we've lost a few members. GW in particular saddened me; he was an amazing voice on the site. I just want to point out, though, that part of what makes this community so special is, as Aley wrote, that it's made up of so many people who are able to hold that space of equanimity and patience and to hold the paradoxes and apparent contradictions of multiple viewpoints and partial truths. It's made up of people who are capable of holding that center and coming from a place of depth rather than reaction or knee-jerk fear. If we lose a few people as a result of this merger, so be it. I'll be sad; I'll be sad that they're not able to trust us, or the integrity and strength and VALUE of what's been created here; I'll be sad that their beliefs around capitalism and money as something bad have interfered with their ability to be a part of this beautiful creation. But again, Zaadz is what it is because of this willingness to be unafraid.

And as to the point about memberships…well, Zaadz, as we've promised, will ALWAYS be free. Still, we've been talking for a long while though about having an ad-free, subscription version for those of you who don't like to see the sponsors. It would be $1 a month or so–nothing huge!–but it would allow those of you who are concerned about this merger making Zaadz more of a marketing arm (I certainly don't expect this to happen, but I understand the worry) the ability to opt-out. Hopefully that'll be a good solution for everyone.

Okay. More later. Again, I'm so impressed by your willingness to share and be open and speak from your heart, and so honored to have played some role in providing the platform on and the space in which all these amazing relationships have grown. Again, as long as you're here, Zaadz will still be Zaadz. I trust this, just as I trust myself to continue to protect and nurture this community in all its uniqueness and, dare I say, sacredness. This is special, and I don't ever intend to see that change.

It's been fun, Aley.

http://littleskybear.zaadz.com/blog/2007/8/some_thoughts_on_zaadz_and_the_gaiamanistas

I remember my first day in Zaadzonia.

Today may be the last.

Zaadz/Gaiam is a growing global community of interesting, spirited people.

And for most folks, who don't deal with the business body here, it's a web site, y'all.  Fancy, slick, sweet, cool, but still a web site, underneath the gloss.

The difference is the people who take the time to hang out here.  And the people who set the whole thing up, and the sponsors, and so on.

I'm glad that our business folks have made some good money offa Zaadz and GAIAM and Whole Foods and Nestle and Westinghouse and General Dynamics and green capitalism and integral lovemaking and conscious capitalism.

Siona's right, y'all.  It's a business, always has been.  And I thought Z-land would be the different one, the one that didn't grow up to be just another commodity.

Conscious capitalism is a contradiction in terms.

That's how we see it in the country,

John

John? Aley?

A few things. Aley! I don't see this at all as “putting out fires”; I find this wonderfully enjoyable

This, for me, is an opportunity to connect. It's an opportunity to engage and to have my own beliefs challenged and to practice what I came here to practice: to meet these voices of fear and frustration with love and compassion and understanding, and, at the same time, to be authentic in sharing my own voice and my own differing views on what some seem to feel is the 'evil' or 'bad' world of business. And I'm deeply grateful to you for bringing this up, and to everyone else for committing to speaking their heart. Again, the level of dialogue and the grace with which you've all met and heard each other is humbling to see. So thank you.

And John? Welll, shucks. Today might be my last day too. Gaiam could start trying to take us in a direction that doesn't cohere to my values. (Trust me; I didn't join Zaadz for the salary, and if things start changing in ways I don't appreciate I'm no more inclined to stick around than anyone else.)  I could get hit by a bus on my morning walk. But while I'm here, I'm going to commit to what I wrote to above. If you believe conscious capitalism is a contradiction in terms, then sure… it likely will be. I don't believe consciousness is a contradiction to anything. It might be much, much harder to bring awareness to some issues (money, I feel, is an area so, so deeply fraught with denial and shadow and it's so much easier to tar the system with the brush of blame than it is to look unblinkingly at our own micro-roles and participation within that), but I feel a tremendous responsibility to be a beacon of change within the system we live in. I didn't come here to be changed by the world—be it business or other wise. I came here to be the change.

And yes, this is just a web site. It's just a web site, but it's also us; like your neighborhood is a bunch of homes and streets on (presumably) an electrical grid, but it's also those people that live there. I don't see a contraction here, either.

Again, a deep bow to you both, and to all the other voices on the thread. I'm learning.

Siona, You are so calming.

You help me remember to
stop,
take a breathe &

*OMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmm~~~~

Its a funny thing… you go out looking for the opposite of what you don't want and it comes full circle and reveals itself… the same dynamic… different circumstances.

Sometimes its also hard to realise just how green your garden is until you remove the dry leaves and clear out some weeds. New growth. 

I'm excited about an influx of members in the zaadz community…. and starting to think about it, I feel a bit like this.

Here we are, chillin tapping away on keys in a sort of eden and we've been loving it. Out there is a world… a much bigger world that exists than in here. We talk about 'being the change' and I see that the vital message of that is about living an example. Why on earth 'be the change'? To have an effect on the world… to either think you're super creator changing the whole reality from your insides, or being a becon of light that fractals out through other people… thats why we be the change I think. Not just to be it for the hell of it.

Here we are in eden… being the change… and its created a storm in the world. Now, this world we've been talking about being the change for is going “hey wow! these people are onto it…. can we come in?”

Instead of being greeted and continuing to feel that warmth though, what is happening is some people are acting like people with money should be descriminated against like backwards people have in the past.

“Oh… you've got cash!!! you ugly person!!!” 

How is that spiritual to be so superficially retarded? I'm asking myself…

Those who run feel they missed out on something. They held back from giving themselves fully into the zaadz was before, and its that very holding back which is present in many of us that I believe makes companies seek support beyond what the current community is offering. Call it corruption of the company… but truth is, its corruption of yourself in actually looking for that corruption in the first place.

Cosmicbdog!

Your last line ……
BINGO.

What to say?

I think it’s to early for us zaadsters to act or react!

But it’s also to early for members of the Zaadz team (now employees of Gaiam) to tell us that it’s going to be wonderfull and that the spirit won’t change.

We don’t know, and they don’t know.

I wanted to react about the idea that the Zaadz team is doing things for free and that we’re “sucking” on it! (from Cosmicbdog). I think we all work for free here!!! not only the Zaadz team. Think of how much inspiring texts have been posted for free, how much knowledge for free, how much support for free!

And that is the great gift of the internet….millions of people have given meaningfull informations for free on the net.

Patrick

Touche, Patrick. :)

You're right. None of us know. And, I dare say, we each of us have the power to shape that unknown.

It's exciting, hm? I'm so curious to see what happenes next….

(Thanks, too, cosmicblog, for your always wise words, and Ladybear? I could hug you.)

How much was zaadz sold for?

WOW, b_thomas.

i left for about 45 minutes w/o an update and come back to find “THE QUESTION”.
so i google it to see what i could find.


Posted on Aug 15th, 2007 by b_thomas on Enlightened.thinker's blog entry “Gut Feeling and Honoring My Intuition”. How much was zaadz sold for? …
www.zaadz.com/explore -


it amazes me how fast, what we say and write on the internet goes into cyber space
to always be available for whoever wants to use it. forever and ever and ever.

makes me feel even more aware of how and what i say.

if things are really my any of my business, or if what i write will create a wave swell of emotions, opinions, negativity, positivity, awakened state, ego state, or enlightened state!

b_thomas: Can I just speak from my heart? I'd love to answer your question, but I feel a little awkward addressing a complete stranger; your profile is blank and you've got no friends and no network on the site, and your blog is empty. I have a hard time seeing you as a true member of the community, and thus feel less than obligated to respond. But Ladybear is obviously interested too, and I want to respect that.

I know this can be found by poking around the web, but Gaiam spent $10m on the whole deal (Lime; and the myriad components of Conscious Enlightenment, LCC; and Zaadz). I'm not sure it's my place to divulge the breakdown—I'm sensitive to the wishes of those within those other companies—but hopefully that'll at least give the scope.

And Ladybear? I know. It's a reminder to me always to speak with integrity and to continue to come from as deep (or as high) a place I can. It's wonderful and thrilling and a little scary… but I can't help but appreciate, again, these reminders to be myself.

How to put it? I do have no small amount of trust in the concept of intention, and I can't help but feel that if I continue to communicate from a place that's compassionate and positive and genuine, the result of that will be, in some sense, good.

Or that's my hope.

Uh Oh!

But Ladybear is obviously interested too, and I want to respect that.

in truth, SIona,  i couldn't care less!
 i wanted to google it just to see what would come up
about the sale just to respond to b_thomas with something!
but it was probably time that someone said something about the deal.
it does seem to be a thorn in the side of some peeps.