I love the dialogue that’s emerging from your article. I’m a leadership mentor and coach for new coaches, healers and visionaries, many of whom were deeply impacted by their own spiritual awakening that they feel strongly called to ‘reach a hand back’ and support those who are just beginning that process. I can definitively say every client I’ve worked with, including myself, feels the guilt-shame cycle between charging and offering the work for free. As a matter of fact, I think that’s the piece that prevents most from serving as meaningfully as they could.

In my case, I taught and mentored others for five years for free while working a full time corporate job to pay the bills until the stress of having one foot in two worlds became too much. I also see this with my clients, they often coach, teach or heal for free as long as they can but working two ‘jobs’ takes a real toll on those who are sensitive, empathic, intuitive, creative and spiritual. I would love to live in a world that provided for my rent and food, health care and transportation so I could offer what I do to anyone regardless of ability to pay, however we don’t live in that world yet. Most of society is still focused materially and unless you’re a Buddhist monk living in a well-supported community, you usually have to charge for your services. If you’re teaching you will incur expenses to rent a workshop space, print handouts, pay for the gas to get to the venue, marketing costs to invite people to the event, etc…

I agree, from years of experience, with the person who stated those who pay are more committed. The intrinsic motivation stems from seeking a resource or mentor in the first place, then the reciprocal exchange is a balance of energy. Money is simply an energetic form of contribution, just like teaching or writing or coaching. We’ve gotten really twisted up with the energy of money in multiple ways.

The old school mentality that ‘poverty is holy’ has caused so much unnecessary distress for those called to this field. We don’t tell Apple that they should give away iPhones for free or any other service or product for that matter. Becoming masterful enough to teach or mentor others in any field takes time to study (usually years), to learn the craft and most spiritual teachers I’ve met have invested as much in their own growth as someone who pursues a university degree.

Even in the nonprofit world, which I worked in for over a decade and is mission-focused, relies upon money from donors, government and corporate funding to do their work. Most of the money donated originated in the capitalist market, so does feeding people, youth programs and reforestation projects also come under this same scrutiny?

Now, what I agree with is, there are a small number of people and companies in all sectors who are greedy, unscrupulous and take advantage. Actually, Christian evangelists, who might quote the poverty is holy scripture are some of the most notorious. Last week, I watched a documentary on a Christian evangelist from Texas who owns four private jets and grossed millions every year. And yes, there are also very wealthy people in the spirituality field. How someone handles the gift of abundance will vary by the individual and that’s true no matter how they received the money.

I believe it’s time to stop commodifying everything, but that’s a whole other topic…