RE: Should mediums/readers charge a fee?
Once more, beyond mediumship on which I am not an expert, and just on fees -
I was in an organisation in which we only charged nothing, or a token £1 (people appreciate things if they pay for it being the idea), or expenses. Meanwhile a clever friend and I noticed that if you asked £250 for a wekkend, more people go! We never got permission from above, but were quite serious in the idea of using our own venue (basically free as we owned it, no overheads) but trying out charging maybe £50 a day just to see if asking for money increased attendance. Then the money could go to charity. But never got around to trying it.
And yes, in the West I feel it's ordinate for some to make some living (without greed - a key word people have mentioned) from spiritual work, at times. For others, they may keep their day job. But having the income sets you free to teach more.
Which is why it's not a simple subject in general, this What to charge (if anything) for spiritual advice. Every case is a little different. Perhaps one has to trust one's own discernment: "Is this person mainly in it for the money these days?"
Things move on. I wonder if any from London recall the Old Street macrobiotic restaurant with many floors above it and all kinds of classes going on? That was virtually a commune in the 70s and early 80s, and training could be almost free. But the leaders gradually broke up when, one by one, they became famed names I shan't mention in Oriental books and diagnosis: they went for the books, the big fees (£200 an hour for feng shui), and the place is now defunct.
RE: Should mediums/readers charge a fee?
Hello David,
Your thoughts on the old 'commune' restaurant. It is so true. People see big bucks and go for them. They then lose sight of their own spirituality. I have found this to be true when people live in a communal place - egos flying about all over the place. This is why i choose to practise alone.
Love,
Patsy.
[:-]
RE: Should mediums/readers charge a fee?
When I give readings I always look round to see what other readers are charging and then either do the same as them or just below. The most I would charge for a reading is £25. I know of a reader who charges £50 a time, and he is always booked solid .. people will pay whatever they want to.
L&L
MC
RE: Should mediums/readers charge a fee?
I agree with patsy, that the gift of giving a reading etc is the same as having the necessary gifts that allow one to become an accountant or vet etc, or a plumber...I certainly don't have gifts to allow me to do those things.
I give readings and charge for them as I do for other spiritual matters, just as I do for giving riding lesons...I see no difference between the two things, I am good at those things, Iguess have natural ability, but have also had to work to get any good. In both areas I offer a good service, also am caring and fair in what i do, I am the sort of person who will always put in the extra effort.
By the same token there are many times where I will do things for nothing and not charge, we all should sometimes give freely. But I need to earn money as I have no choice other than to support myself and daughter, living is not free, I would prefer to charge for my time..which is valuable as are my services, rather than sponge off someone else.
However we choose to live or earn, we still need money from somewhere and pay our way..money is one of those things that circukates around society, has to be, i am part of society and need my share.
I heard about a chap in london who charges five hundred pounds to cleanse a house or flat, and that is without any nasty entities etc..just for an energy cleanse..this takes him a morning. That seems rather a lot of money to me, but that doesn't mean he is not doing a good job...I hapen to know he is busy and popular so his clients clearly want to give him this money and for some wealthy people, this is pocket money! Amounts are relative and i wouldn't judge anyone too rapidly for charging lots of money...good luck to them. ultimately it is up to the clients to judge how much they pay and to whom.
I don't believe wealth or a lack of it has any bearing on a person's spirituality or their moral standards, the proof will be in what they say or do and the results...rip off merchants will not get away with it for ever...what comes around goes around.
hal
RE: Should mediums/readers charge a fee?
Hi Guys,
I have just returned from a family gathering organised and tutored by Rev Melanie Polley, Martin Polley and the lovely medium Val Richardson ("Ma" as shes known in our circles).
This was held (in Scarborough) at a beautiful hotel built in the 1800, with landscaped gardens that led down to (and overlooked) the sea. Own room (with sea view) & en-suite shower too. It was full board with excellent food, nothing skimpy about it, the days started @ 7.30am with tai chi, & were split up by short 20min breaks every 1 to 1&half hours, otherwise for breakfast, a 3 course lunch and a 4 course evening meal, with the last session of the day starting at 8.30pm and ending at 10pm.
A truly packed itinerary all week, this covered clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, trance, transfiguration, table tilting, platform work, mediumship, psychometry, true and fake trance, channeled & inspired speaking & writing, healing and at least 1 solid hour of group meditation everyday.
I cant speak for the others in their groups (as we were split into three working groups), but I have to admit I had an excellent tutor and it was also obvious that I was perhaps the least experienced in my class, as it also contained some very well known & talented workers in this collective field, I learnt much from all of them.
However, the whole reason for this missive is that I felt you guys should know what it cost - it worked out at £46 per day try and rent a room for that in a mediocre lodging and youll struggle.
My point being, I find it hard to see where the significant nett margin is, so can only assume that it was organised out of love as opposed to greed driven profit.
If you are talented and your partner's earnings cover the bills, then you can afford to be altruistic, however, if you chose to devote yourself to this work and are the breadwinner (so to speak), then what you earn, has to pay the bills - what is and is not 'greed' - is only relative to the amount that you have left over from what you charged in relation to what you needed - as I see it. 🙂
Rgds,
Roger