Zen Priest Needs Help.

I am a Zen priest, Yoga teacher, and a nationally certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). When the COVID lockdown occurred, my employment almost completely disappeared, and I have relied on savings to meet expenses. I have a history of severe reactions to vaccines and viruses due to an autoimmune dysfunction. To protect my health, I have been self-isolating for most of the last four years.

Now, my savings are exhausted and my minuscule income does not cover my expenses. Without help I will lose my studio apartment, which also serves as my safe online teaching space. One friend lent me the money to pay last month’s rent and two friends have generously donated necessary tech equipment to support me in my teaching larger groups online.

I have recently expanded my student base slightly by teaching a two-month series of online Zen and Yoga classes. However, this is just a start. I will need to attract more students and add more classes to cover my expenses. And, having become a certified health and wellness coach during the COVID lockdown, I need a way to attract clients to my coaching services.

Creating a website will help me make my coaching and teaching known more widely, but I am without the funds to hire a website designer and pay the various fees required to get it up and running.

So, I asking for help.

First, I need help with living expenses until I can generate adequate income to cover them—the timeline is six months. Then, as soon as possible, a website is needed. I have spoken with a website designer who will get one up and running in a few weeks and who will train me to take care of the website, making the changes that will be needed from time to time myself.

I am looking at a total budget of $16,980 to accomplish my goal of becoming self-sufficient while keeping my commitment to passing on the profound traditions that my teachers have generously given me. I would deeply appreciate any help you can offer.

May all beings be well!

Rev. Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan

Deirdre Carrigan

ADAPT Certified Functional Medicine Coach,

NBC-HWC (National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach)