Why those in Spiritual Service must charge and how it is in fact detrimental to Spirit if we do not. (5 min read)

Looking at why the Self Sacrificial attitude at not charging, or charging very little for your time, is detrimental, to not only the lightworker, but also the client. And why this attitude restricts Spiritual growth in all of us.

I think when all of us find our vocation in life, or our dream job, we feel like we’ve hit the jackpot. For some of us that maybe our full time job. For others it maybe a hobby or something part time.

Finding Your Calling

I had spent my whole life wondering what I wanted to do with it. My degree in arts and antiques, got me some volunteer work, but even that I had to fight for. I was made to feel that working in the industry was a privilege and if you didn’t sacrifice any sort of job security, your social status or basically your life, you literally weren’t good enough. I had one girl pretty much tell me as much in a temper tantrum after I had explained I couldn’t risk a 3 month contract as I had rent to pay, and someone else tell me I was too young to volunteer for one of the biggest historical trusts in the UK. I was disillusioned with the fact that I had actual jobs hidden from me, in order so they could keep me on for free where I was volunteering. I had to prove myself before I was even considered for something temporary. And you know what? I didn’t love the work enough for that. I enjoyed it, but looking back. It wasn’t my calling.

After 3 months of part-time volunteer work, coupled with shop work which should have been easy but where again I was taken for granted, working long hours and really disliked the bitchy environment, I moved on.

I spent a long time floating about in the financial industry. Don’t get me wrong. I was good at it. Really good. And I got to work with the public which I enjoyed. But I always knew it wasn’t really my thing.

At times I seriously considered being a nun (vows of celibacy were never my thing . . . ) or being a C of E priest. All I knew was my connection was strong. But the only two career options to dedicating my life to Spirit would not work for me. They still were not right for me.

After a very long term relationship break up, I started to develop myself Spiritually. But alone. Books and TV programmes being my main source in those pre-blog explosion days.

And after a couple of years I met someone who opened my world up to the fact that I could develop.

And as I started to heal others and also read publicly for others, I knew this was my calling. The first time I read at a fair, helping on a friends stall, I had a queue of about 10 people! No joke. And there were other, professional readers in the room who had been doing this stuff for years. Part of me felt like this wasn’t real. The other part was unbelievably excited.

I knew I didn’t need to be a nun or a priest to do what I needed to do. I just needed to be me.

The High Priestess; my life’s calling

Taking my Work Seriously

And I always said to Spirit, or the Universe, or God, or whatever, that as soon as I could dedicate my ‘work’ to them or it, I would. And that opportunity came when I needed part time work after the birth of my son.

I had spent the last few years charging for this and that. Nothing much and nothing often. As this wasn’t my ‘work’.

And I think I need to explain what I mean here by work. I don’t mean a job.

I mean my life’s work. My calling. My Work. In the same way that Christ did not start his ‘work’ until he was thirty. Not that I’m comparing myself to Jesus, but you can see where I am going with this. It is the ‘work’ of a Spiritual calling. My legacy in many ways.

So now this was my work. It meant I could dedicate myself to it. And doing my work well was important to me. Doing it as my sole work, not being distracted by the Bank of England announcements or the housing market, meant that I could spend my time learning, reading, meditating, practising. Doing workshops and courses. Talking with others about problems I maybe having and how to over come them. I took this seriously.

And I could only do that if it was my sole work. If I dedicated myself to it.

That isn’t to say there isn’t lots of amazing mediums who do this work part-time out there. As there is.

Recognising that not earning enough was a restrictive belief for Spirit and Clients, not just me.

But they also have other jobs out of necessity. And because they in part and quite often the public, who don’t do the work, have the attitude that they are doing Spiritual work. And like my snobby old art colleagues felt about their work, they are made to believe that they love it so much they should sacrifice yourself to it.

And the last thing you want to do to an old soul, is to encourage them to self-sacrifice. Previous lives spent as martyrs as healers, Christians, nuns and monks still linger strongly with us. And we give into it so easily. It comes as second nature. And it isn’t pretty. Sacrifice is bloody and ugly.

Would everyone one of those amazing readers know they would be better readers, or mediums, or healers if they did their work full time? Of course they would.

But until we recognise it is not okay to sacrifice ourselves for anything, they are never going to get to that position.

I did my ground work; for years. And when I started my business I charged less than others. As I didn’t feel I was as good as them. Maybe I was right. And maybe I was wrong. But what it did was too teach me that, unlike my art and antiques background, I did love this enough to put in years of background work, establishing myself. Learning. Proving myself.

But as I said. I was working full time doing it. Although I was only seeing clients maybe three days a week; I was working over 30 hours. It was my love; so you never switch off from this stuff. And my hard work ethic drove me into the ground about 2 years ago now. As it is only natural in me to give where I can, as it is in most of us. In all honesty, if I wasn’t a therapist and didn’t see the signs I would have had a nervous breakdown from shear exhaustion.

For every client I see, I spend time researching illnesses before they came into make sure I was targeting the right areas, spending time in mediation before they came in to ensure I was personally in the right space. If I was reading and didn’t meditate or self heal after, my energy was so depleted all I could do was sleep. And still running my community groups which just about cover my expenses. Or giving the church services and coffee afternoons I do, and just cover my petrol. Trying to find the time to write the blogs that I loved doing; another way of me getting the information out to the community for free. And actually writing being one of the most vital parts of my Spiritual pathway. And that was getting stifled. I won’t even start with the endless messages and calls at all hours about all sorts of things (don’t worry; boundaries has been a big theme over the last few years of my life!).

And your own healing journey is accelerated; if you wish to heal and give messages from a pure place, you can’t allow the colour of your own negative mindset to flavour what you give. And constantly working on your own stuff isn’t a walk in the park as anyone who has started on a conscious journey of self reflection knows. So, you literally dedicate your life to it.

Your life is the work and the work is your life.

As actually you would want as a client. As you would expect, wouldn’t you?

time spent in self reflection and self healing is vital for any energy worker

What the Reality is Currently Like for Most Energy Workers

Would you really want me sat around with a loads of customers moaning at me in a shop all day, or an arsehole of a boss harassing me, when all I want to do is to come home and cry, for me to then do a reading for you? And would you really want all the bad cruddy vibes spoiling the work I do for you?

Or for the person sat reading for you to have worked maybe ten hours that day in total, when you would, very rightly, have expected to work the standard seven or eight? Would that feel right to you?

Or for them to go to the food bank to eat that week? Or not be able to afford the petrol to go to a Spiritual Divine Service that week? And for them to be running down to get their electricity topped up as soon as you leave so they can have the heating on that night. To have the worry of paying their rent hanging over their head as they try to plaster on a smile for you? As believe me, I know people who dedicate their life to working for Spirit and those are realities for them.

Does that make much sense? All so that a spiritual person can reinforce the misnomer that they shouldn’t charge for their type of work? Or they should charge very little. So they can reinforce the moral that the Spiritual gift is given and as so, so should your work?

In all honesty, it seems immoral not to charge.

The part Clients and Lightworkers can play in undoing this restrictive belief

As in paying you allow that person to dedicate their life to their work, and so when they read for you or heal you, they are able to dedicate a little of their life to you. To help you in the best way possible. You are paying not just for that hour or so, but for all the time they have learned, improved and self-healed; all of which have led to the wisdom and grace they have given you in this moment.

I took the decision to put my prices up when I was ill. A decision I have taken again recently. This means I can see less clients. I am actually working no less.

But it means that I have energy to develop my work as I should do.

And it means I have the energy to spend with my children. Rather then spending my time ignoring them as I type. Or paying someone to mind them. Or sticking them on tablet to keep them quiet while I make a phonecall. And I actually get to nurture my marriage rather than just showing up for it every once in a while.

As you would want for yourself, or any of your friends. To have a life and work balance that is healthy.

And after all, we are foolish to think that a Spiritual life is barren of anything bar Spirit. In recognising we are Spirit, we must also recognise that are human. If we were going to do what we came here to do, and being a human wasn’t pivotal to the job at hand, we would be Spirit. Why else would we bother incarnating? The human experience, when taken in it’s purest, most awe inspiring best, is a deeply Spiritual experience.

I don’t need to tell you of all the over heads that a self-employed person carries. Venue; even if you are dedicating a space in your own home, you are still maintaining a space that could be used for something else. Courses, insurances, workshops. Networking groups, professional advice, accountants, book-keepers, web developers, advertisers; the list is honestly endless. Plus the stress of being self-employed is something many of us would rather not have. Especially as many of us are not business minded. And are kind and giving. Which means that many of us do freebies more often than not!

drowning or waving?

And I do’t need to make the comparisons with your hairdresser, or your counsellor, or your boss at work. Their work lies all in their skill; a skill which doesn’t produce a physical product. Because their service helps the individual. And you wouldn’t think about not paying them. Or for them not to be paid. That would just be insane right? And how many of us happily hand over £45 for a decent hair cut that takes 45 minutes?

And as a therapist, healer and guider, it would be wrong to tell others to get their work v life balance right, and for me not to do the same thing. It would be wrong for me not to overcome limiting beliefs I hold which are damaging to myself. And believing Spiritual work should earn little or no money was one of them.

Going back to the traditional way of thinking

And this is not modern thinking. This has always been the way. We have always had those within the community who would dedicate their lives to their Spiritual work and the community would support them. Back in the day when there was no real landownership or monetary system, they would be supported with shelter and food. The Druids for example, or the healers and holy ones within your village. And that mentality carries on in certain areas; where you may live as a Tibetan monk for example. But would you expect a Priest, a Rabi, a Vicar, or even a Nun not to take some wage? Not to have food and a roof over their head alongside their wage? Of course you wouldn’t.

And as so many of us move away from the restrictions of traditional religions in order to follow their own path, is it fair that those that help and guide you now, without the formality of a traditional church set, don’t expect the same?

We are not looking to be rich. We are looking to live a happy and comfortable life. Just as you would expect a priest or vicar to.

Achieving my work & life balance; achieving my legacy

Now my life’s work is just that; my life’s work. I know I am going to be able to leave a legacy of love and care, through the Divine, that I always intended to. And that legacy lives on in those I help, those I teach. But vitally mostly through my children.

I now live and thrive; not just survive.

And this is what I want for all energy workers, mediums and healers who come at this work from a position of love and pure intentions.

And the way we start doing that is by doing what I enjoy most; healing us all of a restrictive mindset.

Freedom of being able to dedicate your life to your work; the freedom that an income provides

If you are looking to overcome restrictive mindsets, I have a limited number of places available for one to one sessions and for workshops as well. Please have a look at my facebook page for more info or to contact me.

Till next time my friends

Love as always

Rachael x