This is brave stuff D. A small people-centered shop in the centre of a big capitalist city. Altruism is worth its weight in gold (and then some) imo.

The old Rawat setup had a genuine "community " element, to it albeit somewhat stramge and off-beat, and available for peer group manipulations etc. But it was a "people" thing in its way for a time.

Since exing from my 25 years religious mania under Rawats flag. I've put in a certain amount of work in theology and philosophy in the mainstream. It is alarming to see how the ideal of community subtly replaces the reality of it. One is then enabled to wilfully annihilate ones neighbours in the name of furthering the concept of universal fellowship! The ideal, not the person drives the show forward.

I blame the reidual mind set left behind by the European Enlightenment, Kantian transcendental Idealism in particular! Sorry this sounds so utterly absurd expressed like that but really there is a bit of truth in it. It is (imo) the default mind set of our day and makes us vulnerable to exploitation by those skilled in "branding" and religious manipulaters and promisers of all stripes.

All the best to you D

Love

Bryn