Why don’t you just do donation based?

Most donation based events have an implicit expectation for donation. This expectation alters the energy of the space and therefore alters the potential for true unconditional giving & authenticity. I’m not saying this is wrong - I just want to create something different.

You could say like ‘donations are welcome but not expected’ to convey a similar energy. It’s just that - the implicit expectation is created very quickly. And the term donation will trigger expectation patterns in people.

You could say that if people are uncomfortable not giving a donation, it’s part of their own process. This could also be an energy - but still a different one than the one I want to create.

The term unconditionally given means more than just the transactional part - it also means the event is not meant as a marketing tool, political tool, ideological tool etc.

Aren’t your events just the healing spaces that you need yourself?

Yes, there is a large overlap. I need healing, like so many of us. And to me it makes sense to benefit from my own spaces as well - also just to make it practically realistic I kind of need to.

That being said, being the facilitator means that sometimes I host events that would theoretically be amazing healing spaces for myself - but since I’m in the organizer role I don’t actually get to do any healing.

Are your events 100% ‘unconditionally given’?

No. They are merely a small step in the direction of unconditional organizing. You could also call it a large step. Reason for using this term is that it conveniently conveys the emotional energy behind my style. The theoretically correct term would be something like: Unconditionally given (UOalpha philosophy - nielsevents implementation). But besides the point that this will not fit on a poster - no one will understand it (The events need to be practically viable and I have to ‘fight’ hyperefficient contemporary marketing).

I believe in the potential of 90-95% unconditional organizing. I believe that it is worth to experiment with a leap towards unconditional organizing (let’s say from the current 5% to 15%). I am open to discuss this hypothesis in an embodied way.

I probably create many implicit conditions still. On top of that I can’t serve everyone.

Do I allow a drunk person entry to my events? The answer is probably no.

Do you have it all figured out?

No. I believe in just starting and seeing what happens. This way, doors open, I meet new people, I can grow & learn together with others etc. It’s this energy of ‘You could meditate in a cave for a couple years, come back ‘enlightened’ but still have no idea how to deal with all the interpersonal trauma’.

That being said, I have spent huge amounts of time on contemplating, being humble, resolving interpersonal stuff, meditating etc. I take the possibility of bringing trauma into the world by doing dumb stuff very seriously.

Will offering events for free hurt other facilitators who are offering it as a paid service?

As of now, it’s too small scale to really worry about that. But yes- it might in the future. I have noticed facilitators getting triggered when I mention my vision. And I understand this trigger.

I am trying to integrate with facilitators who host paid events - respect them and weave. So far it’s going well!

Also important point: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with hosting paid events in this reality - There are many good reasons for it. I do have some personal triggers around this topic that I’m working on (for example by talking about this topic with a paid facilitator and staying very present and humble)