Last week, I spoke to a semi-big group of Art of Living youngsters interested in meditation and service.  It was a dynamite session, coupled with a private audience with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself.  Everything lived up to my expectations.

And then two days ago, I spoke at a Friendly Favors event.  It was in the Walnut Creek dining room of Sergio Lub, Favors founder, with 9 of us huddled over potluck dinner.   Entrance fee was $40.  As I walked in, people were fidgety, drinking wine, two dogs and a cat running running around the house.  Before I even start, they passed around an envelope to donate to a charity of my choice.  None of it was what I had expected. :)

That's the thing about gift-economy, though. :)  You take what's given, and give what's taken.

So I start sharing the CF story, and personal inspirations.  It's a bit difficult to get the "vibe" at first.  Some of people are in the circle are prolific authors, founders of companies and nonprofits, and influential in their own circles.  It unclear exactly what will relate or not, and that's a humbling place to be in.  I keep at it, and bit by bit, I sense a subtle convergence.  We engage in some dynamic Q&A.  Of course, there's the rent question, and of course, I share  Smile Cards with everyone, but there were many other inspiring riffs too -- a CEO of a data-warehousing company talks about her weekly visits to prisons and the need for sacred spaces, a Spanish translator speaks to the need for deeper education, a young filmmaker in a beret is avidly taking notes.  It was all great.

But then, Sergio talks about a sustainability project in India that he recently inspired by.  I didn't know anything about it, but I wanted to support Sergio.  Rather spontaneously, I said, "Here.  Let's make this an offering on behalf of the group."  I hand over the envelope that has everyone's cash offering for the "charity of my choice."  And I place a smile card on top of it. :)  Maybe there is $100 in there, but the amount didn't matter.  It is a clear, authentic, unorchestrated be-the-change statement.   That subtle shift in the ambiance isn't so subtle anymore.  Love is in the air.

To top it off, I open up my bag off goodies -- with copies of works & conversations, Paramita CDs, Global Oneness Project DVDs, Small Steps bags, and a whole lot more.  Before sharing each item, I tell a brief story of why it's being gifted to them without any strings attached.  It's generosity on steroids, by now.

One of the tall-and-big guys comes up later and in mid-sentence, just breaks into a visible sweat; a few seconds later, he excuses himself to cover up his tears.  Sam wants to turn his project into gift-economy.  Sergio, a jewelry designer, by trade, takes a band on his left wrist and put it on my right -- "It's a gift from me."  Tom hands me four copies of his book, Money, signs it to CharityFocus and asks me to pay-it-forward.  Patty talks about how this deeply transformed her and she wants her prison space to move in his direction.  Jenny asks, "Do you do speaking engagements?  Because my Dad works with Tony Robbins and they would love to have you."  Evalina tells me of her new found love of gratitude and her practice of writing thank-you cards.  Bill finds out that I'm taking the Bart home, and he nonchalantly says, "What the heck!  I'll drop you off all the way."  And he's coming to Wednesday meditation this week.

If the gift-economy movement needed a slogan, this would be a good one -- Expect the Unexpected. :)