I know we have been through similar topics before but if you perform a service, whether it is healing or spell craft, should you charge for it?

Personally I think it is a matter of personal choice. You are doing something for someone and so if you are providing the service to make a living then yes, I think you are entitled to charge a fair price for the service you give.

But what do you consider a fair price?

When does practicing your art for cash cross over to exploitation?

Ya see I'm a bit stuck on this as I don't earn a living from my healing work and, to be honest, it isn't how I see what I do. I view my work as a service and a duty I have to my community.

But speculating for a bit, I think it depends on what you're offering as to what is a fair price. Thinking on the site we were discussing before, coz, I think the pagan rites services are seriously overcharged for the fees when you consider that all the other things like venue etc are charged extra. As a teacher of 17 years I probably gross £150 a day. Now there is some serious experience and training that go into making up that kind of salary. If I were to take on a consultancy position I would probaly not charge any more than that. So to see this person charging somewhat more than that kinda smarts a bit. Maybe I'm ion the wrong profession. (But then I don't teach solely for the money either, so maybe not.)

With things like spells and then like, I would see value if what was being paid fopr was teaching how to craft the spells oneself. Just casting the spells (for someone who has experience) I would say is not worthy of the fees being charged.

Having said all that (and the rest I was thinking but didn't type) it comes down to what people will pay for. If there are folks out there willing to part with their readies for these things then people like this will have a market. I think there is some case for reasonable expenses to be included- if you have to travel or if you use resources. But I don't see things that are a part of my spiritaul life as being a marketable commodity. That would cheapen my beliefs for me.

But hey, these are entierly my perspective as someone who does not try to make a living out of my healing and crafting work. Others may have a greater perspective on this.

BB

Mike

The way I look at it is that your not charging for the healing or the spells, you're charging for your time. You are worth something, it doesn't necessarily need to be money it could be an exchange of some sort i.e. some healing energy for a freshly baked loaf of bread, or firewood, or something else that you need and therefore 'swop', a service for another service.

To charge nothing, in my opinion, devalues (for want of a better word) the service you are providing. Another aspect with healing is, if a person is paying for the service they are more likely to take it seriously and help the energy along in healing themselves.

There are plenty of charlatans out there but if you give a good service and you believe what you do is sincere then people will pay for that service.

(how many times do I really need to say 'service' lol )

There's merit in what you say there. Perhaps I don't value the healing work I do highly enough. But that is the story of my life.

BB

Mike

I think charging is fair.

after all, you expend your own energy.

but overcharging just makes a mockery of us all.

Ooh a toughy..I think most practioners who charge probably charge fairly. Otherwise their more likely to be a con artist than a Pagan.

I have no problem paying between £10 and £20 for a Tarot reading and think thats a fairly sensibe rate. People have to eat and wear clothes etc. I probably pay my hairdresser a similar rate!

Q

Well being me, I couldn't / wouldn't charge for friends, whatever it is.

I've had good friends, given me free readings and some reiki healings.

I'm not really trained enough to charge, for anything yet..

honestly, if I did, it'd simply be on a Love Offering basis.. whatever they felt like, if they couldn't afford it fine and if so, fine too.

I'd just leave it up to them.. but I'm also not planning on doing healing or tarot work.. something else, in mind, but thats for later.

I say go with your gut, and don't be greedy.

For every couple, of paid readings/healings, do some for free.. thats just imo...

and how I feel the Universe works..

Blessings
Whispered


ohh friendly disagree, with not paying equals not valuing the work.. its true, alot of people.. esp snobs.. rich people think the more it costs, the more they're getting (not saying you!! lol~thinking of like purses or stuff, Lol
), but I've always always been really grateful, for anything people have done for me and they know it..and I think alot of people, who are spiritual, know theres a balance.. and they give back, how they can.. maybe not to that person, but in other ways..they understand the "cycle" of life..thats my take

Well I can see where putting a bill to someone who can't accept something given freely will work as by them paying for it, it gives it more power in their mind. But by the same degree I agree that for many the fact that something is given freely is just as important.

I guess the question is do you do things because you have a spiritual calling or are you doing it to make money??

As a celebrant, if I charged for that work on a similar scale to my day-to-day jobs, then it would cost something like £200. People getting married are already up to their necks in costs, so why add to the burden if I don't need to??

However, if I was a celebrant because I was doing it to make money, rather than doing it because of a vocation, then I'd probably be charging the money

I think it is fairly obvious where something is a rip-off and where it isn't. Paying a few pounds to cover costs and perhaps buy the HPS a bottle of wine is okay within a coven, where there are things like incense, candles, cakes, wine etc to purchase. Paying £20 - £25 for a tarot reading seems to be the going rate too.

I would personally never charge for spellwork, other than perhaps for materials.

As for paying for Wiccan training, that makes me feel quite angry, although as one American put it, Wiccan training is given freely, so by definition if you're paying for it, it ain't Wicca. (Something I often think of when I see certain organisations in Somerset charging hundreds of pounds for "Wiccan" training).

The way I see it, if you're a good witch, your life will be in order, so you'll have enough money to be comfortable and be able to be more generous with your time and abilities. I'd be worried about employing a witch who had nothing.

bb
Rhiannon

I paid quite a lot of money (correction, my boyfriend paid quite a lot of money) for my reiki attunements. The reasoning behind this was that unless someone pays for something like this then they will take it for granted - the story being that the originator of reiki Dr Usui went out amongst the slums in the city he lived in and healed the tramps and destitute people but when he returned they were still bumming around waiting for free handouts (highly abridged version of the story ok). I'm not so sure I agree, and certainly when I was doing my attunements reiki was the big thing in pagan circles, so I imagine there were people charging through the nose for it.

I have never charged for doing tarot card readings, nor do I intend to start doing so. I can't guarantee their accuracy for a start, so to charge would be presumptuous. If however someone gives me a gift for doing one then I'm certainly not going to turn that down.

I've never charged for reiki either, but then again my cats don't tend to carry a lot of money on them and my boyfriend pays me back in other ways.

eta
however, if someone has approached you and asked specifically for a service such as a spell, or healing, then I think it's ok to charge a nominal amount for this. if the spell or healing is a gift, then it should be given freely.

I do not charge for an actual working but ask for costs if I need to get specific stuff, candles, incense ingredients etc, and then ask only the actual cost of the items without any add ons!

I do however see the point that if someone was spending many hours of their time doing a spell or other working then a donation either to charity or even the person themselves would not seem unreasonable.

There is a German provwerb that translates into English as "if something is for free it is worthless" (Was nichts kostet ist nichts wert).

I found this to be very true in the perception of people. If you charge something or demand another form of contribution you might actually raise the value your work has in the eyes of the other person and thus help the person to have an even deeper experience.

This way the payment can be seen as a benificial installation for both sides.

I would agree with the voices who warn not to overcharge in general but then their might be clients where a higher price might be perceived as a sign of a unique service. It is a fact that the quality of a product is oftenly meassured by the height of its price.

I guess the main thing is that you can live with what you are doing. If you believe what you are doiung is justified and the price is right then it is. If you know in your heart of hearts that it is not then you should better not do it as this would draw a lot of energy from you.

Cheerio,

S.

I should have thought of this ages ago! I give frequent tarot readings to friends and collegues, i could have funded my migration to the states.

But then again, charging my friends I would not do as I know they have love for me and that's payment enough. I wouldn't like to charge collegues as they already hold schepticism (sp) for my beliefs, I wouldn't want them thinking I were a money grabbing traveller. (insulters to the romanies, not the actual romany gypsies).

There are quite a few people who offer Tarot reading over eBay. £20 + seems to be a doable amount.

This way you charge strangers you never met before. The reading could be conducted via telephone or webcam.

Cheerio,

S.

Well I think that all skills should be paid for. I go to a butcher because he has trained to cut meat......I pay him for his skills. Simple as that. I am a jewellery maker, and musician......people pay me for my skills.

Seers, healers and spellworkers have always been paid for their craft. If a worker of magic has a responsability towards their community, the community also has a responsability towards the healer! It is a two way deal.

That said, I do not believe in charging unfair prices or in ripping people off. Nor do I think a practicioner should be inflexible in how they charge.

At the end of the day, it is up to the individual, but if people don't want to pay for the magical services they receive, they should get of their backsides and learn the art themselves.

mike

I'm another one of those people who think that services should be paid for. Whether the service in question is dentistry, bricklaying, cooking, gardening, spell casting or divining the future.

I do think that a fair price should be charged, though, and not some ridiculously inflated amount. The price should reflect the service provided - not just in terms of time taken to provide said service, but also in terms of the skill involved.

For instance, you pay about three pounds for a meal from a fast food restaurant, or about thirty pounds for a meal from a decent restaurant. A vast difference in price, but it is (usually) vindicated by the difference in quality. You get what you pay for.

I'm a gardener, and have been employed by several friends and colleagues to do their gardens. They wouldn't dream of asking me to do it for free, as they appreciate that both time and skill are involved. If I choose to give them a discount, then it's my choice - but I will always take a fair wage for a fair days work.

Same goes for spellcasting or divination. I'll happily provide charms/spells/readings for friends and not dream of charging them, unless it was something they specifically asked for. I'm quite comfortable charging strangers for the same services, because at the end of the day it's something they can't/won't do themselves, so if they want someone else to do it they should be prepared to pay for it.

Put it this way, if they wanted a chicken to cook for dinner they won't (usually) go and slaughter and pluck one themselves, they'll go to the supermarket and pay for one which has already been killed and prepared. So why should it be any different if they want a charm bag or a spell?

If you don't charge for the skills you use, or the services you provide, then it lessens the value - and people may start to take it for granted. Charge a fair price, provide a good service, and then everyone's happy.

That having been said, it's a shame that there isn't a payscale for witchin' work, like there is for every other profession out there!

I have friend who does tarot readings and charges I think around £15 and was tied in with her business of a little witchy shop, so was a part of her making a living, and in that context is perfectly acceptable to make such a charge. For myself Im a healer and consider it a gift to be shared, and in the past have made a few healing amulets for some friends and although it was offered have accepted no payment for them. Having said that Im about to move on from remote healing to a more hands on healing, and have been considering if to charge or not, but as I see this as a gift to be shared, then I wont be charging. However Im not sure yet whether to accept donations towards travelling as I am retired on health grounds and have a limited income, but will give it more thought.

I thiunk the person asking for the spell should give up something as part of their commitment. I'm not necessarily saying that I believe it has to be money but I can see the logic behind it.

I've never charged for doing spells for others. Granted I would say I'm still pretty novice and have plenty yet to learn, but then, life is a learning curve anyway. I find enough payment in seeing it work and do what it was meant for for them. Gives me a sense of enormous achievment to have done something for my friends or family that has made a marked difference.
I have trouble doing anything for payment as I feel it devalues what you do. I loved working with horses (Before my health went south without me) and the pay was pitiful. Cost me more to cover my childs nursery fees and car costs. But I did it because I loved doing it.
I am fortunate enough to live reasonably comfortably as a divorced mother of two and not seeing a penny from the ex.
In short I think being that I don't specifically need the extra income I find payment enough goes into my ego at coming through for these people. And I do have a good sized ego to feed.
Hugs,
P.

I think its only fair to charge for expenses, such as travelling, candles, oils etc.

I'd agree with that to some extent. even in day to day life.

I work in a mixed Dental Practice, Private and Exempt NHS patients.

the vast majority of people that don't bother to turn up for their appointment are the NHS ones.

the Private patients are more likely to give you suitable notice if they are unable to make the appointment.

I suppose they see it more in terms of us sat there not getting any money when we should have been seeing them.