Hello everyone.
Well, despite having a very busy month (the «Going For Refuge» men’s retreat was spectacular!), and given the accumulation of expenses, Suryavana owes Jesu and me about two and a half months of financial support, among other expenses—a total of around €3,000! It’s not ideal, because I feel like I’m personally financing the project!
Why has this happened? Simply put, there wasn’t enough cash flow to cover the support (€600 plus €205 for social security plus €200 for bookkeeping), plus food purchases for retreats and various other expenses.
This isn’t the first time this has happened, and I trust that we’ll recover the «loan» throughout May and June…🙏
What’s ever present are the mortgages, and we can’t miss those payments. (Until 2036!)
♥️Some good news is that we just paid back the 10,000 euros we owed Maite (Moksananda’s wife) after 10 years! A significant achievement. And we recently paid back the 1,000 euros we owed Amalamati to rebuild the Hut (2021)♥️
🙏Jesu and Sudaka’s Financial Situation in Suryavana🙏
I think it’s important to reiterate that without the income we receive from outside the project, it wouldn’t be possible to carry on here. I earn money through yoga classes and the Bodhiyoga training, and Jesu earns income through her projects in Cabanyal and elsewhere.
My intention is to increase my support to something more sustainable for a person today. It should be in line with the minimum interprofessional wage (SMI), (Spanish terminology) which is 1,100 euros net, when the Suryavana economy permits this.
A Reasonable and dignified support is important for five reasons.
1. Given the level of dedication this project requires, it’s nearly impossible to find the time and energy to seek income from another source. Luckily, I’m a yoga teacher and can teach classes from Suryavana without traveling. There’s a certain symbiosis between my work at Suryavana and my work as a yoga teacher.
2. In the long term, it’s important that the project could support people with a reasonable and dignified level of support so that it remains interesting, attractive, and sustainable for future generations. Currently, the support is perhaps 50% of one person. Ideally, it could support 3-4 people.
- Director/Chair
- Cook,
- Maintenance person,
- Manager/accountant.
- Then there’s gardening, pool maintenance, and countless other small jobs. For now, Sudaka encompasses almost all of these «roles.»
3. The three yoga retreats/trainings I offer (under the name Bodhiyoga International) are generating €1500 per course, approximately €4500 per year. I find it curious, and perhaps ironic, that it represents more than six months of my financial support as Director! It’s what we might call a «circular economy.» Perhaps I should review this relationship.
4. I take about 3-4 weeks away from Suryavana each year. It’s complicated to leave Suryavana, it can’t be left to just anyone, especially when there are retreats underway, both at the Solitary Cabin and the Main retreat centre. Someone has to be «on call.» And the most responsible person would be myself.
5. As Director, I haven’t taken any retreats or trips with financial support in 5 years! Nor have I asked for money to cover health expenses, dentist visits, therapy, eye exams, etc. I believe that in the long term, the project should support these needs.
♥️Shared from love and understanding♥️
I say all this because I think it’s important for people to know Jesu’s and my situation and the reality of starting a project with very few resources.
For now, we are excited and inspired by the adventure and challenges of launching a project in its early years.
We hope that after the mortgage crisis ends (2036), the economy of Suryavana will provide future directors and teams with greater abundance and resources.
Sudaka (Director of Suryavana)