Creative Reciprocity (CRiA)
Definitions...
Let’s begin with some definitions…
Per Merriam-Webster…
Creative:
1: marked by the ability or power to create : given to creating; the creative impulse; a creative genius
2: having the quality of something created rather than imitated : imaginative; the creative arts; creative writing
Reciprocity:
1: the quality or state of being reciprocal : mutual dependence, action, or influence
2: a mutual exchange of privileges, specifically : a recognition by one of two countries or institutions of the validity of licenses or privileges granted by the other
Giving in appreciation...
CRiA in an acronym that stands for Creative Reciprocity in Action.
Creative Reciprocity is the practice of giving something
in appreciation for having received something
with no strings attached.
It’s a gifting concept.
The form, scope and scale of the gift is entirely up to the giver.
- The receiver is under no obligation to reciprocate,
- but may feel inspired and CHOOSE to do so to “balance the energy,” and…
- for the sheer pleasure of reciprocating and giving.
- but may feel inspired and CHOOSE to do so to “balance the energy,” and…
Unconditional giving…
CRiA is a pure system FREE of guilt or obligation.
It is unconditional giving.
It is a “join in and participate AS you wish,
HOW you wish, and to the DEGREE you wish” concept.
It is a creative way to SHARE gifts of abundance, time, and service, that could become…
…a key means of contributing, cooperating, and collaborating in a Paradigm 3k world.
Money welcomed, but not required…
Money is not required to participate, but because money is still a major means of exchange in our present world, some exchange using money is understandable and welcomed.
If you want your gift to be money, that’s great, but there are OTHER ways to give and share.
Just be CREATIVE and DISCOVER what you have available to you, and WITHIN you, that another might need and appreciate.
CRiA is not barter…
Whereas Barter is exchange of goods or service conditional
on receiving something pre-negotiated in return,
CRiA is unconditional giving.
- With CRiA, there is no pre-negotiation.
- It is not conditional on receiving in return.
- It is voluntary, inspired exchange of gifts
because of one’s DESIRE to give, UPLIFT and help.
The delight of RECEIVING is a BYPRODUCT of the process,
- but the MAIN payoff is the pleasure and satisfaction of GIVING,
- particularly if what’s given is some aspect of yourself,
- such as your time, expertise, support or caring.
- particularly if what’s given is some aspect of yourself,
CRiA is not volunteering…
Volunteering is one-way flow from giver to recipient,
CRiA promotes two-way exchange of gifts.
CRiA is not charity…
CRiA is not charity from the “haves” to the “have-nots,” from the wealthy to the needy, from the rich to the poor.
Charity can “puff-up” the ego of the giver, and
diminish the self esteem of the receiver.
Creative Reciprocity honours the dignity of all involved.
We ALL have something to give…
No one is better than or superior to another.
We are all humans, living our lives, encountering obstacles and challenges, as well as opportunities for growth and expansion.
But we don’t have to do everything alone. We don’t need to re-invent the wheel or start from scratch every time.
There IS support and knowhow available,
and those willing to share it,
if we can only find each other.
We can support each other as family because we all ARE family, the family of humanity.
We are all one and we are all connected.
Uplifting each other…
CRiA is a way to REMIND ourselves of our connectedness and to EMBODY action that REINFORCES this understanding and uplifts us all.
It is a practice that makes our COMMUNITY stronger, more capable, and more effective addressing our needs while achieving greatest benefit from our shared RESOURCES and opportunities. It is upliftment…
- OF the community,
- BY the community,
- FOR the members of the community,
- BY the community,
…with all KNOWING that should it be required, support will be provided to them or any other member of the community.
It is family sharing with family
for the benefit and upliftment of all.
Fractional CRiA…
Fractional CRiA or F-CRiA is the concept of giving back to the one who gave to you…
…but ALSO gifting a portion…
FORWARD…
…to another as an…
UNSOLICITED kindness…
…and to DEMONSTRATE and SPREAD
the CRiA concept.
F-CRiA is distributing SOME fruits of the “harvest,” to “seed” FUTURE kindness.
An alternative to money…
What is being built with CRiA is a means of exchange that is an ALTERNATIVE to money.
A means that reminds us that we ALL have TREASURES to share and NEEDS to receive.
CRiA is gifting and receiving
with caring, and dignity, and love.
Could CRiA really work?
People are happy to do for others…
People are happy to do for others, so long as they don’t think they will be deprived themselves, or be taken advantage of for their kindness and exploited.
New kid in town…
Imagine it’s the 1950s or 1960s and a new family has just moved in across the street.
As a good neighbour your instinct is to
welcome them to the neighbourhood.
- You might offer them a fresh-baked apple pie and deliver it, and introduce yourself.
- When they return the empty plate, they might invite you and your family over for dinner.
- When you arrive for dinner, you might bring a bottle of wine to share.
- After dinner your host might bring out cake to share for dessert.
- Your host might then offer to share a drink out on the porch.
- You might then bring out some cigars for you both to share and enjoy together.
…Remember, this is the 50s.
What is happening here?
People who didn’t know each other, are offering kindnesses with no pre-negotiated expectation of repayment.
People are just being decent and kind and neighbourly.
- Does any money change hands?
- Is there a contract, or Bill of Sale or repayment schedule?
No. None of that.
If you look closely, this looks a lot like
Creative Reciprocity.
People offering, and recipients reciprocating, as they feel inspired to, with no monetary exchange.
Maybe Creative Reciprocity is not such a new idea.
Maybe it’s something we already KNOW to do in some settings
but have FORGOTTEN to do in others.
Fast forward to 2025...
Can you imagine that 1950s neighbourly scene today?
Not so likely?
Why not?
What has changed?
In that earlier era families often survived nicely on a single income.
One parent stayed home and maintained the stable family home while the other earned money.
They could usually afford a car, a TV, a summer holiday, to pay a modest mortgage, buy groceries, and basically live comfortably, providing for their modest wants.
- They felt they could AFFORD to be kind and decent to each other, and share what they had.
- They FELT they had enough abundance to share generously without being deprived
- They FELT everyone would “play” by the same social “rules”, so no one was disadvantaged or exploited.
- They trusted that what “went around” would also “come around” to them.
They trusted in fairness.
What happened? What changed?
Today most family households feel they NEED two incomes, and there is a never-ending list of WANTS to consume their incomes.
People socialize with electronics instead of people. They sequester in their homes on their computers or binge-watching Netflix and Disney.
They are less likely to know their neighbours
or interact with them as friends.
Why?
What happened to our trust, and empathy, and caring for each other?
- Is it because we became desperate to meet our “needs” so became less trusting of others, perhaps due to hysteria about needing to compete over everything?
- Is it from sensationalized stories pedalled in the media of rare times when social interactions went wrong?
Have we become divided, distrustful, and suspicious of each other?
- Do we expect the worst rather than the best from each other?
- Do we fear there is a serial killer or child molester around every corner?
- Do we teach our children that strangers are potentially dangerous and to be avoided?
- Have we begun treating fellow humans like potential threats instead of potential friends?
- In being OVERLY cautious, have we SACRIFICED decency, humanity, and connection with others?
Has our humanity been lost
among all the technology and consumerism?
Is this the world we want to live in?
Is it time to change course?
Return to trusting and connection…
Are we ready to return to a more trusting and social time, where people interacted face to face rather than just through a computer keyboard.
Can we just pretend it’s the 1950s and return to this way of interacting? Is this just naïve?
Won’t we get taken advantage of
by the colder, fast-paced, savage world
that seems to have mutated from 1950s innocence?
Avoid being steamrolled…
How do we begin to create such a world
without getting steamrolled by others taking advantage of us?
Choose your priorities…
What is more valuable and important to you,
1) money and possessions,
or
2) values and ideals?
So what…
- So what… if someone occasionally takes more than they give back?
Do you feel you have enough in your “abundance account” to cover the shortfall?
Can you graciously “pick up the cheque” they’ve left behind?
- So what… if they don’t understand the CRiA concept yet?
Can you demonstrate it to them, so they see it in action?
- So what… If it takes others a while to catch on and get with the program?
Isn’t helping seed a better world worth it?
- So what… if progress REQUIRES you “voting with your feet” to SHOW the type of world YOU want to help create, live in, share, and leave for others following behind you?
What if…
What if… we decide kindness, trust and sharing are worth practising and demonstrating?
What if… we loosen our grip on our abundance, and ALLOW more to FLOW to others, so we all thrive?
What if… this helps the world become a better place?
What if… sharing our abundance with those who need it to get back on their feet, benefits us all?
What if… instead of people seeing what you have, they saw more of who you ARE through your examples of caring and sharing that they might choose to emulate?
What if… we acknowledge it costs nothing to be kind, and so little to share?
What if… we end up receiving far MORE in return, in our lives, communities, and world, than we ever gave out…
Why?
Because…
What you put out is what you get back…
…and it often returns multiplied in scale and in kind.
What if… CRiA is a big part of instilling this abundance mindset,
and is easier to implement than we think?
CRiA3k.ca…
The website cria3k.ca has been established to allow those who wish to participate
to FIND each other, to offer what they wish to give,
and to explain what they would appreciate receiving.
It is up to participants
to arrange their exchange of gifts themselves
in a way that feels good and balanced
and serves all involved.