My sister did the same thing last year with a "soul alignment" workshop and suddenly every conversation turned into her reading my "energy blocks". The whole thing is just the old multi-level marketing playbook wearing a linen jumpsuit. They target people who feel stuck or lonely, give them a tribe and a purpose, then lock them into recurring payments with made-up spiritual jargon. It's really no different from that gym that charges you monthly for a "membership" you never use, except the gym doesn't make you feel guilty about your chakras. The "voluntary energy contributions" clause is just a guilt trap, they know people won't question it because questioning feels like being closed off. Watch for the next family holiday, she'll be selling you crystals by dessert.