I just received an email from a dear friend of mine. Here’s an excerpt of what she wrote:

It feels to me, dearest brother that it is not wise to try to travel with no money. It’s better to stabilize where you will be in France for the new currencies to take hold enough to support you personally. From my loving perspective for you, I feel that it’s too much for you to attempt to be part of the transition and at the same time be post-transition. I love you and hold you totally in my heart.

Such words of love and care!

I want to share an excerpt of what I responded, as her advice reaches a bigger stream of advices and concerns I receive from some dear friends who care for me.
I understand what you say about traveling — and live — with no money. There might be a need for clarification on my end. I am not by any means trying to be sustainable in a system that doesn’t exist yet. Leaving conventional money towards free currencies is a step by step process and it’s organic. I am pulling myself away from conventional money, not too close, not too far, to catalyze a free currencies dynamics in the communities I relate to. So far I am still using conventional money at the personal level, only in cash form. No more bank, no big expenses, a simple life with some cash. It keeps me hooked in the conventional world at the personal level, while it gives me enough freedom to built what’s next.
As for the corporate / professional life, TheTransitioner is still operating as a conventional organization paying its bills. It pays for computers, flights, trips, etc, and keeps me operational for serving. Whatever service is proposed in the market world, be it for individuals or for companies, 50% is charged conventional money and 50% goes free currencies in a gift economy. It’s a good model that seems to take off well so far. More time is necessary for complete validation, and it will evolve organically along the generalization of free currencies.
The fact that I have no personal money, and that TheTransitioner is short of cash today, is due to the service I have been doing these past few months. This part transcends and includes the mental-rational that says “don’t do it, it’s too dangerous, you are going to get exhausted, you will be ruined, etc”. I want to place myself in full service, and surrender. It has nothing to do with free currencies at this moment. It’s a spiritual journey. I know you understand it. Of course, it freaks out people who love me. I understand and I am grateful for their concern. But only by starting completely naked I can operate from the purity of heart. The service that is growing from this starting point of radical nakedness has its own energy, its special DNA of a leap of faith. It triggers our generosity, it helps us do impossible things, at least things that conventional business can’t support because of its inherent limitations. I need this “super power” to do what I am supposed to do. There is no written guarantee, it’s a cosmic contract with the old white bearded guy, a journey in the 8th day of creation. I am ok to deal with the consequences. I am in peace within myself.
You write this beautiful phrase: “From my loving perspective for you, I feel that it’s too much for you to attempt to be part of the transition and at the same time be post-transition.” My mental says yes, this is right. My heart operates differently. I don’t feel I am “part of” the transition or the post-transition. As my beloved Barbara Marx-Hubbard said the other day about those serving conscious evolution, we are the function. Then I am, we are, already the post-transition too. It places us in the process and in the outcomes of the process at the same time. That’s why it so frightening for the mind.
As for asking for support, like a place to sleep, or conventional money, or time from someone, I am practicing and learning how to do it with as much grace as possible. I have never done it in my life before and I still feel quite some discomfort when I ask. I witness the ripples or the discomfort it may sometimes create. Sometimes, it can be perceived as coming from a guy who is unorganized, unconscious, who doesn’t know how to be self-sufficient, who needs to suck others’ resources, etc. The way asking is perceived has to do with the energy that is carried in the question, and in which mindset the person receiving my request is.
There is a huge difference between asking for help, and asking for service. Help is what we need when we are “helpless”, after some accident happened, or when solidarity is necessary. Well, if we look deeper, everything should be seen as service, including “help”. But that’s another conversation. Service has another energy in it. It comes into a chain. I can serve because I am served and because the person serving me is served, and so on. Service is the energy I am trying to put in my language, even when I ask for something that has a personal aspect, like a place to sleep. Making this energy clear — service rather than help — is not easy, I am learning by doing. Brrr, hard time sorting out these energies. It’s easier when we have gained the social status of a saint, but saint freshmen like me doing their internship at Yahweh Inc. have some learning edges, and some old stuff to deal with too 🙂

My heart is light, and the path seems filled with light, although there are caves and shadows to cross. Future will tell how I am doing here.
Please continue to share your thoughts and vision!
Jean-François