Re-post from my Business Alchemy Coach Blog post dated July 23, 2012
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Paying a Spiritual Worker
It's an old mind-set that doesn't serve the Spiritual Worker nor the client. Everything has a worth and value. There is an exchange of energy when people engage and communicate. The problem is when people start to think of the exchange of money in a negative way.
In our society we are conditioned to have a bad relationship with money. It has always been seen as something that only a select few have and hoard like it's their last breath. Money and wealth is something we all strive for because we need it to exchange for items and services.
Why is a spiritual item or service any different?
Now, what I usually hear from those that don't believe that money should be used as an exchange is with regard to spiritual services such as tarot reading, spellwork, healing and teaching. I've heard over and over that I was given the talent to read tarot cards freely from Goddess/God and should therefore pay that forward by reading for people for free.
I'm not sure where people are learning how to read tarot for free but honestly I haven't found those resources. I've paid for workshops, classes and books to develop my divination skills. Along the same lines I have paid money for spiritual training by Elders and spent a lot of time in classes and with my nose in a book I bought.
So where is this freely given gift?
We are all spiritual beings connected to each other and to the Divine Creator. I believe that the ability to perform spiritual work is innate in all of us just as it's in all of us to learn to speak a language correctly, we just need to find the teachers and resources to help us embody that skill. However, not all of us have the desire to become professional Spiritual Workers. And honestly not all of us have the skill to work professionally as a reader, witch or run a magickal shop.
When we put spirituality and magick into a box separate from other skills and talents we are putting it outside of ourselves. It becomes something that is different from everything else in our lives. It's something that is "over there" and not "here".
Personally, I wouldn't work with a Spiritual Worker that hasn't taken the time and energy to develop their skills as far as they could. There is only so much you can do with what you have been given, at some point you need to seek the teaching of others and value that teaching with an exchange of energy.
I have and will continue to trade what I offer with what others offer. I do trade-for-trade, meaning that if I have something you want or need and you have something I want or need we can trade for it no matter the monetary value of the item/service.
For example: You offer a class and I offer a class. You would like to take my class and I would like to take your class. You charge $30 for your hour long class. I charge $50 for my two hour class. I'm not looking to make up that $20 difference or that extra hour. It's a trade-for-trade energy exchange. It's even-steven in my book.
Trade-for-trade is my favorite way of doing things. Unfortunately the gas station down the road isn't interested in my tarot readings for a tank full of gas.
The mind-set that charging money for something makes it less spiritually connected is hog-wash. An unhealthy relationship with money and wealth will keep you away from the wealth you deserve. Exactly why would financial abundant energy want to hang around a person who thinks ill of it?
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| photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos |
For a few years Sara kept a sketch book of her drawings and enjoyed the art class at school. Finally when she was 12 she asked to take a summer program art course. Her mother agreed and Sara's love for art grew.
Sara went to college and got a degree in art. She now works as an illustrator for a big fashion magazine. Sara took her divinely given gifts and turned them into a profession. Should she not be paid for her talent?
Why is a talented artist being paid any different than a talented spellworker being paid?
Where is the line drawn that separates divinely given gifts that are okay to buy and sell and divinely given gifts that are not okay to buy and sell?
Is the ability to do art not as sacred as the ability to read tarot? Maybe that is where this mind-set lies. I don't know.
I'm a crafter. I make clothes. I have a degree in fashion design. Was I born with some of these abilities? Sure. Could I make a living using these talents if I had never paid money to develop these talents further? Maybe. Did I pay for training to develop these talents? Most definitely.
For me there is no line. Value those things around you as you wish. It's your choice however don't get your panties in a bind when others value those things differently.
As for paying money to train as a priestess/priest or for initiation - well that isn't any different. The people I have learned from are a wealth of practical knowledge that we are just not born with. They have studied hard the history of cultures and traditions and know their stuff. They have used an abundance of energy to learn what they know. I will always value that and gladly exchange money for their knowledge.
Be smart. Research anyone you choose to learn from or buy from. If what they are offering doesn't feel right to you to pay money for it then don't. Move on and find something that jives with you. They may not know their stuff or maybe they just aren't the right Spiritual Worker for you. Either way if you aren't willing to pay them money then don't waste energy complaining about them charging for their service/product.
It's important for us to support our spiritual leaders, teachers, and workers the same way we support the person who changes the oil on our car or the person who grew the apples we buy in the grocery store.
And at some point in our future where money is not the #1 method of exchange we can pick-up this topic again.
