Three times recently people I know have gotten flack about charging for spiritual teachings.
“How dare you charge for spiritual teachings! They should be free!” is what one outraged person emailed.
Even if you aren’t a spiritual teacher, the same issue probably rears its head in your business–simply because you are offering valuable intangibles like friendliness, warmth, connection. Or even just counseling, coaching, listening to someone and supporting them.
How in the heck can you charge for what is, in essence, spiritual teaching or counseling? Here’s the surprising answer:
You Can’t Charge for Spiritual Teachings
Huh? What? Why not? And how is someone involved in spiritual or transformational work expected to make a living if you can’t charge for it? Am I some kind of hypocrite, speaking as someone who makes a living as a spiritual business teacher?
Well, I spoke too quickly–there is a way to get paid to work in these realms. But first, I want to explain a little bit about money and charging.
Money and Spirit Are Apples and Rain
Have you ever been able to tip an angel five bucks? That’s because money is essentially a physical thing, on the earthly plane of existence. Sure, people talk about money as “energy” but that doesn’t change the basic fact: money is physical, and only has use in the physical world.
Spirit, in pure form, exists as Source. Money is to apples as spirit is to rain. Despite all common wisdom to the contrary, you can compare, and even trade, apples and oranges. Fruit for fruit.
But apples for rain? Rain helps apple trees make apples–it’s an entirely different relationship. Trading one for the other doesn’t quite work, does it?
Spiritual teachings are like rain. How can you charge for rain?
The same way the water company charges you for water. It’s not the rain they are charging you for, it’s bringing the water to a specific place for a specific purpose. The water company is charging you for context and application.
If you are in love with the spiritual or transformational work that you do, you can make a living from it. All you have to do is put it in a specific, worldly context.
Keys to Making a Living from Spirit
- Make sure you meet people in this world, not in the ether.
In my mind, spiritual teachings are made available to help us with our suffering. Put a teaching in the context of a real-world problem, and it suddenly can be traded for real-world money.
Example: In my own lineage of Sufism, there is a teaching about the Divine Quality of Safety and Protection. By itself, it brings a good feeling in the heart. But when I use it in the context of an exercise around money and managing your finances in the Heart of Money Transformational Journey, not only do participants access this deep feeling of peace, but they then get practical steps to take concerning their money. They see results that they are happy to pay for.
- Increase your knowledge of the practical.
In ministering to people’s spiritual or emotional needs, I’ve found that these needs are always tangled up in their life details. This means that you can easily supplement spiritual teachings with practical advice.
This is important, because it also makes the spiritual teaching real. So often we relate to a spiritual experience as a “high,” only to have it fade quickly, with no lasting change in our life. If you combine the teaching with practical knowledge, it helps to integrate the teaching into someone’s life in a way that they won’t easily forget or lose.
Example: In the teaching above about Divine Safety, I’ve seen that it really helps people to receive more of everything, including money. So then I back it up with very clear, step-by-step instructions on how to set up a series of bank accounts. This helps you, in practical everyday terms, truly “pay yourself first.” The people who go through the spiritual and the practical get a good feeling in their heart, and they see the money growing in their bank accounts.
One class participant recently told me: “I wish I had found you a couple of years ago before working with a coach who really had no practical techniques to offer except abstract aphorisms!”
There is no reason in the world you can’t have a healthy, abundant business based in spiritual teachings. If you do the work of integrating practical knowledge with spiritual teachings, your clients will be grateful, and you’ll be able to charge for your heart-work with a clear conscience.
Listen to the podcast- right around five minutes.
[audio:http://heartofbusiness.com/podcasts/spiritualteacher.mp3]
How are you integrating spiritual teachings into your business? And, are you making a living?
47 Responses
Man, you did it again. You just wowed me. I admit that I’m a bit jaded and skeptical because of all the other “experts” offering free advice online who then entrap me in an endless loop of promotion.
God will richly reward you for providing truly priceless information to people who really need it so that they can learn how to share their God-given genius with the world.
I am telling all of my contacts about you because I know they’ll be blessed and will bless you, as well.
Donna at WWAHHMpreneur
Mark
It’s always heartwarming to read your words. You have such a way of just getting to the point, while letting your inside shine through. I’m thrilled to hear you put this money and spirit thing in a context that is easy to understand.
Thank you!
Peggie
Mark – What an incredibly important message! In the same way that spiritual teaching can’t be sold, the mechanic at the car shop can be a genius, but we’re really only interested in the fix so we can go on with our lives. We’re not buying his genius, all we want is the solution we seek.
We’re not supporting spirituality when we pay spiritual teachers: we’re just seeking personal solutions.
I’m both happy and sad about that.
Mary H Ruth
@Donna – Thank you so much! I’m glad this wowed you- it wowed me when I was first introduced to the teaching, and it finally rested my heart around something I had been struggling with. And thank you for recommending us to your folks. That feels great!
@Peggie- I’m so glad you liked this one. Happy to thrill you. 🙂 You are so welcome- thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Mark,
Excellent post! I’m speaking tonight to a holistic practitioners group so the message is perfectly timed. I always get the resistance from my clients around charging what they are worth, this is a perfect explanation. Thanks.
Namaste’,
Cathy
Dear Mark,
Another fabulous post! It really seems to me that you have gone to a whole deeper level with your writing and your work. You have always touched my heart, but now, you are melting it.
Mazeltov!
I can’t believe that people still subscribe to the notion that you shouldn’t charge for spiritual teachings. I thought that attitude went out in the 90’s!
I really love how clearly you make the point that spiritual teachings are not separate from our life here in 3 dimensional reality. And that those teachings that come from pure energy and source actually help to make our life much better on the physical plane.
And I actually DID try and tip an angel 5 bucks one time. Of course, the only thing that happened was that the angel laughed it’s non-existent ass off! At least now I know that angels can laugh!!
Big hugs and bigger love,
Chris
chris zydel
Interesting perspective. I was about to write an article on the same topic when I received your post via Google Alert for “spiritual business.” Great timing.
I teach spiritual guides and wellness professionals how to grow their private practices. Charging a fee is a sticky topic for many of my clients, but as I see it, we are physical beings living in a physical world and much of the time we witness spirit as it moves through matter and relationships. Even if the guide only sits with their client and doesn’t provide advice about setting up bank accounts, for instance, they are still sitting together in physical reality – on chairs, in a home, on the phone. Your metaphor and post provide useful analogies. Thanks for sharing.
Mark,
Thanks! Your article is right on target, and I’m going to forward it to friends who work in the areas of counseling and healing. It reminds me of the old story about George Washington. He sent a bill for $100 to the colonial Legislature of Virginia, and they asked for an itemized account. He sent back the following:
1000 surveying stakes at 1/10 penny each $10
Knowing where to put the stakes $90
It’s all in the application of the knowledge!
@Mary- I’m glad you liked the article so much- and I get what you mean about happy and sad. I believe that there are places where spiritual teachers cn be supported- for instance, a community may choose to support a teacher or group of teachers, like a rabbi or priest, so that they can be available. I also think that other societies have support for spiritual teachers built in. But, it’s not about “paying” them for the teachings, in a transactional nature.
@Cathy- Woo-hoo! Love that timing- and good luck with your talk! I hope, and bet, you rock the house.
@Chris- I must be going backwards, because I actually originally wrote this article back in 2006- and I’m glad it resonated so strongly for you here and now!
Did you really try and tip and angel? I’m so curious about that…
Thank you so much-this is so helpful!
Jenny Ryan
@Amy- I’m glad it was helpful. Question- what’s your opinion if the spiritual advice/direction/guidance doesn’t have some practical follow-through on it?
I guess my experience is that the reason people need spiritual guidance is because something physical in their life isn’t working- work, relationships, money, love, family, something. And so my feeling is that if one gives spiritual guidance in that context, by the end of a session it can still lead back to some practical application.
What do you think?
@Anne- I love that story! And, it’s true, eh?
@Jenny- You are so welcome- glad it helped- and thanks for saying so.
Hi Mark, good question. I could talk forever about the importance of compensating spiritual and wellness practitioners, but I’ll try to focus. 🙂
Every spiritual session I’ve led has offered a practical element. For instance, even if my client and I sit together in meditation, and she leaves with no “homework” or exercise, the meditation helps her in her daily life. If I can listen and share observations so my client can see her situation from a different perspective, that’s valuable for her. Considering this, I don’t need to offer practical advice or action steps in order to feel worthy of compensation.
I also don’t feel a need to distinguish between spiritual and practical results, but I see where you’re coming from and why you make the distinction.
It’s important to note, however, that being a spiritual director is different than coaching or helping people grow spiritually based businesses. Regardless of the differences, I feel all services need to be compensated. I certainly can’t live off of air…can you? 🙂
Cheers,
Amy
Amy Brucker
Great post – the first one I have read from you and I am glad the title caught my eye. You have a rare gift among bloggers of bringing the practical right to the reader. Thanks!
Jim
@Amy- No, you certainly can’t live off of air, and I support you in making a living how your heart guides you, for sure. I think the important distinction is that one can’t charge for the teaching in it’s essence, because it lives in another realm. And yet you can, obviously, be compensated for being present and supporting people.
@Jim- I’m glad you dropped by, Jim- and thank you for the kind words. We aim to be practical with these spiritual things. Otherwise, it’s all hot air. 🙂
Thanks Mark,
I read the article, but it was in listening to it that I really got the part about giving something practical to the customer. I tend to prefer being esoteric and in the ether world, totally ignoring that we are put here on earth to be grounded for a reason. I know that many of my customers only live on that plane of the physical and I can only bring to them what their spirit is able to receive in whatever way they can receive it. My hope is that I will be able to meet their needs on multiple levels. The physical is metaphor anyway so it all counts as far as I am concerned. Those to whom it is given to “see” more will “see” it.
Thanks again,
Jasmine Wilma
@Jasmine Wilma- I’m so glad it helped in that way. and, it’s great feedback for me that the podcast helped that particular point come out for you. Maybe I should get back to doing more podcasts.
And yes- there’s not much money in the ether, is there? 🙂
Greetings;
Re: Money…..
In both having and not having money, we come to see that mind finds little rest, as it moves between the two, trying to find a balance.
Only when we are free from the negative or positive movements of the mind, born out of “want of” or “desire for” money. will you be able to comprehend life as it is, not before.
When we see that our wealth or lack of it affects our relationship with everything, we then see any kind of conditioning limits our freedom.
To really point out that our root stress and anxiety with money is nothing more than the minds lack of the ability to just rest in the great space between having and not having money.
Money comes and goes, it is like like the wind, or a white cloud floating in the deep blue sky, foolish to try and grasp.
Swami John
An example of what we do for our talks is a suggested donation, if they pay less or more, or not at all then no-worry.
The root spiritual teaching is to show the freedom of no-mind and just how that really works in the market place. When we are able to speak about the self but also more being the self in the form of no-self, then all will become clear.
Money will come and go, this is the nature of such things…All objects will do this…What does not come and go is the important part to remember.
By giving THAT to your clients, then money will not be a big deal. When we have THAT then thoughts of money like the clouds will just come and go. When we are free to offer THAT space of freedom, then if money comes great, if not great.
It is like you have a very large Diamond in your own pocket and your chancing nickles in the market place. Just relax and be clear on what it is that you really want, the rest will happen on its own.
@Swami John- Well said. The state you describe is a true gift from the Divine when it arrives.
Hi Mark
Just to be clear… The state as you say that I am pointing to, on the question of money is not something that arrives. It is our basic true nature that does not depart or arrives.
In this “consciousness without an object” we find that the true liberation from all objects including money, is nothing more than the cessation of the seeker, the seeking, and the sought. It is the end of all suffering, struggle,separation, and fear. It is beyond all experiences and the experiencer thereof.
If we start from here, from this view of freedom and without any control what so ever of the outcome, we then may find a very interesting world where money just comes and goes…. like a river, ever flowing to the ocean.
Only when we are truly free from both the negative and the positive movements of the mind born out of “want of” or “desire for” money will you be able to fully comprehend life as it really is, not before.
Blessings Swami John
Yes, it’s true it doesn’t arrive, any more than the sun revolves around the Earth. And yet, from the ego’s perspective, our waxing and waning Remembrance of the Divine Truth is often what makes it appear that it arrives and leaves.
In fact, from an ego-perspective, this is what happens. From the Divine perspective, it’s always available. Yet, it is often helpful for those of us not yet living in an enlightened state to speak about it from the ego-perspective, to create some ease and flow in accessing that Remembrance, and to let go of attachment to that state.
The work of locating and identifying with the Reality of existence is, of course, what the spiritual path is all about. At times it is graceful and easy, and other times it is the hard work of processing the ego through letting go of its attachments. Various ways to do this.
And, hopefully arriving at the surrender to what Is, and, indeed, watching money and everything else move in the Divine orchestration.
Thank you for bringing this reminder to us all.
Greetings Mark…
Please Consider…
Ego is a myth, mind is a myth, self is myth, and the total awakening to this myth, can only happen Now, not 5 minutes from Now.
When we speak about Ego like it is a real object we are living in a thought realm matrix. This is the dream space… This matrix is not real, so why play with it anymore. We need to see this very clearly now, and then it all will just fall away.
To keep postponing the true freedom that you are into the future is not a wise move… like it is something that can be gotten by doing whatever or believing whatever is just more folly and will keep the suffering going on, and on, and on….. How long do you want to suffer, that is the real question.
When we separate into ego and non ego into the divine and non divine into love and hate we are in the Internal Thought Realm Matrix. To see clear we must drop all excuses, as it can only happen right now, not in time. Time is mind and what I am pointing to is not in the world of Time or Mind… You got it amigo, you are the one, now just be it and no need to keep speaking about it.
It will just dawn on you very soon, that this You who you believes is doing this and that is really part of the matrix…ho we are is neither This nor that…When we see that every movement of the mind, on any level, for any reason, in any dimension… is just more folly, and this movement of 5the mind is doing nothing but avoiding being really here Now, then and only then it can happen..Just stop it all !!!! And the you can not stop !!! This is truth.
When we are here now, the mind does not exist, Ego does not exist, you do not exist. It is like we go into a natural gear of no mind. This is your natural space, who you really are, and does not come and go.
Please Consider….When there is a real demand from the outside the freed mind or if you wish the enlightened mind, which is now in line with all the other senses, and is “NOT” acting anymore as a interloper to all the incoming thoughts as it does in the matrix, will just come forward with “NO” effort and will link up with one or more of the other senses to handle the real demand.
Like when the body needs food, or how to get to the airport…it comes forward real fast. Once the demand is finished it… the mind… then goes back into its natural place of emptiness.. This is what happens when we are free of all name and form, it is who you are, it is what your here for, this is it. All is as it should be with no interference of the mind. When in doubt just remember NOT TWO in this space ego is just a myth.
What we are afraid of… is loosing this YOU. This YOU must go, and with this awakening the mind and ego will just vanish..What is left is Who you are… and mind is of no use here….I don’t know if I am being clear enough here……Good luck and Blessings, Swami John
@Swami John- Boy, you’re digging in deep, aren’t you? From a Divine perspective, all is just veils to the Reality- it’s a myth, as you say. And yet, at the same time, there is a creation, and there are, as Ibn al’Arabi describes, “secondary causes.”
The perfection of consciousness includes both the awareness of unity and the awareness of multiplicity. Being caught in one or the other is incomplete. So, the ego exists, and it doesn’t exist. It’s a paradox.
For my students, and for me, understanding the ego and the secondary causes is an important developmental phase in the growth of the spirit. Through Grace, one can make a huge leap forward in consciousness and realization. And, it’s the rare human being who can hold that state without doing the spiritual work of cleaning out the ego.
peace to you, my friend. Let’s let it rest here.
Hi Mark
Understanding is just more mind.
You say you and your students need to understand the ego and work out the blocks, so to say….so you leap forward, with grace.
Consider…The only real block is believing in a ME who has blocks. The ME the YOU is always, going to need more and more Time, more growth, more Ego understanding, more grace, and the list goes on and on and on. This is the suffering! Nothing will happen in Time!
Remember… Time is just more mind.
The time never comes when the ME the YOU doesn’t perceive itself as having blocks. This is just more folly..
See…The biggest block is the mistaken perception that there is a Me who has blocks.
The rest is a walk in the park.
Namaste Amigo… Swami John
Thank you, Swami John. I wish you the best on your path.
Hi Mark
What path ??
Cool Beans Amigo, enjoyed our talks, thanks.
I live now in the jungle in Costa Rica, just sitting quiet and the grass grows by itself.
Want to take a trip with no paths…, Read my new book. Just Google..swami john book
Go straight…. don’t know.
Namaste…. Swami John
I know a spiritual teacher who does not charge a cent. He worked hard and practiced a program from a book called your money or your life, became financially independent so he could teach for free and use his time volunteering and helping people. So it is possible, it just requires time and patients, something most people do not want to work on. I know that everyone that meets this teacher has the up most respect for him and is baffled that he never charges for his service. I know many other teachers that do charge and they always have people calling the fakes or think they are into it for only the money. So for me the long slow approach seems to be the best. Plus living life as most people do before you teach makes you all the better at teaching people and helping them live a better lifes.
@Scott- Patience is a wonderful and necessary virtue on any path, I believe. And, that’s an inspiring story to share, so thank you! I honor people who walk that road, and pull it off.
There are different ways forward, and I’m glad folks are doing it all.
I wish I had knowledge of this years ago. Thank you so much
Gentle Winds
Marilyn
This is an excellent post, Mark. This is a hot point of debate within my own spiritual community. It is really hard to quantify that kind of knowledge/energy.
I happily pay my spiritual teacher, who gives of her time, energy, and personal space in order to hold our classes. She has knowledge that she’s gotten from people who are not accessible to the rest of us, for various reasons: geography, not alive, etc.
I have no problem with people making a living as spiritual teachers, as long as they are doing so with strong ethics and are offering a real takeaway.
WTG!
Jen M., Maryland
.-= Jen M.´s last blog ..Another reason to be angry:Knowledge is Power. =-.
@Marilyn- helpful, eh? Me, too.
@Jen- I do believe that there are spots open for community leaders/spiritual leaders to make a living- holding a community is a real gift to those involved.
So many people, however, launch themselves out there as wanting to do “spiritual work” and they aren’t holding a community, they aren’t grounding their work in the physical, and then they wonder where the clients are…
Sounds like you have a wonderful teacher- and I bet she considers herself blessed to have you there as well.
Mark, this is such an interesting post.
I think your advice about channelling the spiritual into a specific, worldly context is very valuable. But then I come back to the fact that actually, my field of expertise is the spiritual, not the physical. I don’t know how many options there are for me to ‘package’ what I offer in a practical way. I’m not a business expert, and I’m not really expert in another clearly defined field. I was a high school teacher once, but not anymore.
Maybe some of us have to teach the spiritual simply as it is. I aim, in my teaching, to guide people towards using their spiritual path to live life more fully and to be completely grounded in the physical, but my emphasis can only be on spiritual knowledge and techniques. I hope that is enough.
Bright Blessings
Hey Samantha
I hear ya- and I guess you’ll find out if it’s enough. It’s not too late, however, to find a context and connect it. I mean… why do people want/need the spiritual stuff you’re teaching?
Very interesting blog post. I tend to agree. Spiritual teaching comes from everyday living. Wealth is a byproduct of good living, not an intention.
.-= Steven Handel´s last blog ..Six Aspects Of A Well-Balanced Person (Part 1) =-.
@Steven- I like the distinction between “good living” and “intention.” Nice.
Very thought provoking article.
The way I see it is — it really boils down to value. If a “spiritual teacher” is just rehashing some books, there is little value because I can read the books myself. But if someone can offer insights how to apply the teaching to my life from the kind of perspective that is hard for me to find (because, well, it’s about me, myself), and therefore enables me to change my life in a meaningful way, I’m all ears. No, I will run to that person to hear him or her.
And I understand that, at this time, we are in a money based economy. If that person can offer such valuable insights, they must be in great need. Because their time is limited, I understand the only way I can realistically secure their time for me is to pay them. Pay them well.
I don’t really believe in money. It’s just a way to make value exchange convenient. Right now, we are still using this money based exchange system.
So, practical or more abstract, if there is value, it makes money. If it’s just some rehash or wishful thinking, no. Plain and simple.
Akemi
.-= Akemi – Yes to Me´s last blog ..My eBook On Spiritual Entrepreneurship =-.
Keep in mind, I haven’t read all the posts (so many!)…
Years ago I read a book by Mary Summer Rain. I loved the book, but was stunned that she too felt spiritual workers should not charge for their services. I don’t feel this was coming from her intuitive self, but more like the injured-child part of her. I mean, it’s such an unreasonable stance.
A psychic-teacher that spurred a major turning point in my life put it this way–“I’m not charging for my services, I’m charging for my time.” That’s it in a nutshell.
If those who disagree would just think of it this way… Let’s say there was a phenomenal healer who could, with just the touch of her hand, heal all dis-ease in a body. She’d have pretty much the whole world lined up at her door 🙂 There are only 24 hours in a day. She’s still human, still has to pay the rent… How much time should she take away from her healing to go work a 9to5 (instead of doing her healing work), so she can pay the rent/eat? She suffers and so do those who might be healed while she’s doing a 9to5. That’s totally unreasonable. Her time and effort is as precious as anyone elses, she absolutely deserves compensation for it.
The real issue is that people separate this kind of work from other work. And it’s not separate. Our true gifts, all of them are from a higher source. Whether it’s painting, writing, counseling, healing, intuiting 🙂 … or baking an awesome cake. It’s a gift of a higher order if it brings both goodness to our hearts and to others. So does that mean we should charge for nothing? Of course not, we deserve compensation for our time–so as to take care of ourselves and consequently take care of others 🙂
I’d also like to add that we should trust our own hearts as to how much to charge. Like the psychic-teacher I mentioned said, charge what you intuit, what you feel you are worth, what you feel your time is worth. My experience has been that if I come upon a teacher/healer/etc. that I don’t feel I can afford, that’s an indication that this isn’t the right teacher at the right time for me. That doesn’t mean it isn’t the right teacher for others. The challenge is in the waiting for that right time, and knowing there is good reason to wait 🙂
Dove
Hi Dove- It’s a great point and I don’t think we’re in disagreement. The point I was making is that it can be darn challenging for people to charge money to folks if they don’t have the results show up in the physical world.
Your example of the healer is a perfect case in point. The healing itself my be spiritual in origin, but the effects are to heal dis-ease in the body. That’s what I’m sayin’. 🙂
And you might like my post on The Wackiness of Resonant Pricing.
Dear Mark
I just read your post, and must say I agree with you. It
Hi Kizie- absolutely. Glad you liked it. 🙂
Brilliant. The idea of rain is exactly what I needed to continue on my journey that it is OK to charge for what I do, even though my main commitment is to social justice. So glad you tweeted this today!
Gracias, Mark, you are an inspired and inspiring teacher. (Just went to a Latina conference today, so I’m feeling Mexican, what can I say.) ::grin::
|I don’t normally interrupt impressive conversations like this with my own personal issues, but I in dire need of help from whoever in a position to lend me a hand. I’m conducting some research employing http://lawncaremaintenance.net/ and I wanted to ask if somebody here has employed them previously. I am seeking both the negative and positive aspects of their business. Please get back to me at your earliest convenience for this is very important. I appreciate it.
What a fantastic article, and it brings everything back to the sound, simple business principle of exchanging real, tangible value for money. Thanks for having shared this.
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find nearly all of
your post’s to be exactly what I’m looking for. Would you offer
guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind creating a
post or elaborating on many of the subjects you write related to here.
Again, awesome website!
Here is my webpage demagogue (http://www.aide-vacances.com)
What did you mean about setting up a series of bank accounts. That seemed like a disconnected comment?
Thank you so much for this. As always, you provide such great information and such in depth reasoning that is so easy to follow and understand. I always come back to this blog because I feel as if you are genuinely trying to help rather than scamming people like many do. Wonderful post.