Being appropriate with teaching

spiritual wisdom should be shared -

yes? no? maybe?

There's been a bit of a backlash in my country, Aotearoa (New Zealand), regarding people charging large amounts of money for spiritual teachings that they themselves, had received for free. 

Fair enough. Making big money in this way is quite unethical.

I've forked out so much money over the years, regarding yoga, and spirituality. But I've also been able to learn a lot without paying. What I did do, was to donate my time working in an ashram (24/7 working), and much later in a Maori healing clinic, both for no money, both for many years, in order to earn this privilege. But most times, I was still expected to pay for extra learning.

I did this for years. It's called "doing one's time". A healer friend and I, are both quite passionate about this, as both of us worked hard for years to learn and practice our craft. Learn, practice, and earn the right to be a good healer. Earn the knowledge which comes from this. This is the real learning.

the money thing

I do understand that we need to cover room hire, etc, etc. For seminars and workshops. At the Maori healing clinic where I donated my time for many years, we originally had a donation system, for work done. It was disturbing each week to see the same wealthy client have two people working on him for an hour, and then we received a sneaky five dollar donation as he walked out of the door. That was so arrogant. Eventually, we had to create a base charge for everyone. 

I do understand that my knowledge is valuable. But I've never, ever, been able to go the route of charging big dollars for it. There is, however, a curious "thing", that many people don't value something unless they pay a lot for it. Just as there are many who demand to be given everything for free.

I rather wryly recall, years ago, giving a very deep clairvoyant reading/energy and past life healing, to a friend. On a bed, because I didn't have a massage table nor spare space at the time. Free, because that's what she expected. Afterwards, she told me how she had paid $250 for a similar session in New York. I really felt guttered and undervalued in that moment. And used. I felt so used. End of free healings for "friend". 

the pitfalls of money in spirituality

I aways felt with spirituality, that when one makes money, fame, fortune, as their god - it's a a very slippery downhill slope. I've seen it happen over and over. Very charismatic people being adored, and charging heaps. This sort of situation never lasts though. 

And I've seen, also over and over, people learning just a little bit, then setting themselves up as an authority. That's so unethical. That's another reason why I'm so cautious with teaching. Yoga, and healing. I used to get upset at people going to just a one or two day chakra seminar, and suddenly they're a so called expert, running around teaching it. 

at some point we need to share our knowledge

I do believe in sharing knowledge, but have become cautious over the years. Through experience. I do not want to give my earned knowledge to anyone who will use it to gain fame, fortune, followers. Nevertheless, it is the natural order of things, to teach our wisdom. That way, the ancient ways and truths, they keep continuing.

some of the advanced yoga techniques are just so full-on

Regarding caution, for example, I try to avoid teaching advanced yoga chakra techniques to someone who has never done anything like that before. Because it would be too much for their nervous system. And it's like opening up a Pandoras box of suppressed emotions. Bad move.

I did realise at one chakra seminar, that a lady there was not going to handle it emotionally nor mentally. Dilemma. What to do? Downsize it for everyone else on account of her? That didn't seem fair to the others. So, the chakra that I knew would wobble her the most, yep, taught her a downsized version of that one. 

I feel most strongly that if we teach difficult-to-handle practices, then we should be available to deal with the aftermath. Unfortunately, I know that not everyone does this. 

and it's the same with healing, too

And that includes healing. I've seen people get a healing that just opened them up too much, suffer emotionally, and then get charged mega bucks to get "fixed". Wow. That is so bad.  

To make sure that I'm not unwittingly giving a healer tools that are too advanced for them to use with discretion, I err on the side of caution with what, and to whom, I teach. If someone is new to being a healer, why would I teach full-on stuff to them? That would be dangerous.

I know that this is "Just Me", being me

I actually get quite distressed when I see people handing out knowledge which is above a student's knowing, just because 

** it's someone that the teacher knows, a friend, a crush, a relative, but still new to yoga or healing

** it makes the person teaching it, look full of authority and full of knowledge. This is 100% one of my biggest pet peeves. Very dishonest and self promoting

This has been an Incredibly. Whingey. Post. 

Biggest. Of. Apologies. 

I actually didn't intend it to be. I am itching to teach energy healing, and chakra healing, again. I used to do weekend and day seminars on this. And to restart sharing deep spirituality, mainly with the yoga. If covid continues for quite a while, I'll look at teaching zoom courses.