What is a teacher, what is a service?

It seems most folks quote Linda as saying never charge. That is not how I interpreted her words.
To quote her;
From STAR SIGNS
INTRODUCTION xxxiii

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The problem of money and spirituality is not new. There is nothing wrong with earning large sums of money. What matters is how you earn it and what you do with it after you've received it. You need not apologize for earning your daily bread (even large bushels of it) for any sort of labor you do which contributes something to the world, on any level. To receive cash compensation, you must put back into the world something of value, whether it be paintings, specialized services, clothings, automobiles, refrigerators, music, or entertainment. As long as you cheerfully and willingly give away half of what you have to those less fortunate, you needn't be ashamed to be a millionaire-or even a billionaire-because you have let go of half, thereby allowing this "green energy" to circulate. (Also because you earned it by hard work.) Money is not evil. Only the use of it and the means of gaining it can cause it to be.

To quote Linda again:

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As long as you cheerfully and willingly give away half of what you have....

So exactly what is half here? Before or after one has taken care of their own needs, taxes, car payment and other living expenses? Half the earned income of a minimum wage part time worker and a billionaire are not at all the same thing. A percentage would make more sense! A poor man's tithe is still a legitimate tithe...even though far far less than a billionaire's tithe. But a tithe is still a tithe. The poor man gives away 1/2 and remains poor. The billionaire barely notices by comparison. All his reasonable needs are met, unlike the poor man's. All above reasonable needs is pure indulgence!
The often quoted saying of hers is however:
INTRODUCTION xxxiii

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Money must not change hands between esoteric teacher and student.

Esoteric TEACHER....not service provider...
and STUDENT.....not client/customer.
Of which an Astrologer doing a reading, ie; performing a service, is not, nor is the client/customer receiving said services from the Astrologer a student.
Whereupon she goes on to state more odd things I consider to be contradictions; which has caused much confusion of the advice she gave.
INTRODUCTION xxxiii

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It is unfortunate, for example, that there are no "churches" to support astrologers. They must "earn their daily bread" in some other manner, and perform their astrological counseling during their precious free time. It's unfortunate, yes, but not as much so as when astrologers charge for their readings, since the ancient teachings say that the one who heeds not the warning forbidding the exchange of money between teacher and student will soon "lose the gift of perception," and consequently will no longer be sought by the "students."

Note: Some Spiritualist Churches and New Age Centers DO support their Astrologers and Readers in monetary ways.

to continue:
she said:

Quote:

To receive cash compensation, you must put back into the world something of value, whether it be paintings, specialized services, clothings, automobiles, refrigerators, music, or entertainment. As long as you cheerfully and willingly give away half of what you have to those less fortunate, you needn't be ashamed to be a millionaire-or even a billionaire-because you have let go of half, thereby allowing this "green energy" to circulate. (Also because you earned it by hard work.)

Astrologers doing readings are performing a "SERVICE".....as are any Readers or Councilors, or persons involved in a Provider of Service/Client arrangement. Such are NOT in an Esoteric Teacher/Student relationship! Why Linda chose to tie her own hands thusly, and to tell others this, eludes me. I see no Teacher/Student Relationship under those circumstances!
xxxiv INTRODUCTION

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To write about esoteric subjects or personal paths of enlightenment in books is not against this law. Books by everyone from actress Shirley MacLaine to Ruth Montgomery and dozens of astrological and metaphysical writers spread enlightenment in the spiritually approved way. The money received by the authors is for their labors at the typewriter, the talent of stringing words together, earned over years of practice and hard work. To earn your bread by writing is the same as to earn your bread by being a craftsman in any endeavor.

I found that to be a rather disturbing and self serving viewpoint. And oddly are contradictory in nature to her previous statement of the Teacher/Student relationship, where no money must pass hands between them. So...unless a person writes a book...whereby they do indeed become the "TEACHER"and the purchaser "$" of said book does indeed become the "STUDENT"....it is ok then because the publisher and seller take care of the money exchange between teacher and student? Whether one writes a book or teaches in person orally....it is still a TEACHER/STUDENT relationship and masking that behind the selling of books is a contradiction. Both the writer teacher and the in person teacher are teachers! The only difference is one was lucky enough to get published!
I must respectfully disagree with Linda.
1.Astrologers are Not teaching when they provide readings or charts.
They are performing a valuable "SERVICE", as with anyone performing any type of "service".
2.Astrologers who teach, be it in person or through books....are still performing a valuable service, and deserve that "green energy"as compensation for their time and effort to serve the student/customer.
Would you expect to not pay for tutoring in any subject matter?
So colleges and or tech schools and Seminary schools should be free?
Your Karate instructor, your therapist, your mechanic, your meditation coach, etcetera, should not be paid?
Yeah...it would be great if everything was free! But in our society that is not logical nor practical and is highly disrespectful to expect "some" to just give their "services rendered" away for free.
These issues have been on my mind ever since I heard of them.
It's not my intention to offend or insult Linda's words. I simply see in some of them a few grave contradictions, and ask why?
And all I have heard back concerning the issue, was again, the often quoted phrase:

Quote:

Money must not change hands between esoteric teacher and student.

To continue with Linda's own words on the matter of "her personal rules and truths", which many have taken to heart as Linda's way is the only way!
That is NOT what Linda said!
xxxviii INTRODUCTION

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Neither should you blindly accept, on your quest for truth, the validity of the star sign codes of the Universe I offer in this book-until you have practiced and carefully tested each one, so that you can decide for yourself rather than take my word for it.

To continue, in Linda's own words:
xl INTRODUCTION

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However, I do not ask-nor do I even expect-any of you to regard my concepts as your truth, unless they should happen to agree with your own personal enlightenment and private convictions.

Concerning truth:
INTRODUCTION xli

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But real Truth can be found in one place only-in every man's and woman's communion with an eternal Source of hidden Knowledge within-which each individual must seek and find for himself or herself.

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I do not believe that Linda had intended for any of us to set her up high upon a pedestal and worship her blindly nor even agree with her or follow her way, her path.
One should however when it comes to helping those who cannot afford to pay, or pay much, or who are truly suffering, to endeavor to still serve them...Freely at no cost to them.....but freely giving, altruistically, of our time and energy.
Additionally; if the sole purpose of any such rendering of service is totally motivated by the lure of the almighty dollars$ then one is doing it for the wrong reasons.

"Do Not Seek Wealth From The Suffering Or The Dire Needs Of Others"

Namaste`


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Linda pretty much said to find what feels right for you. The rest is merely her opinion and what she felt worked for her.

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They all seem to suggest the same thing, that fees weren't to be charged for instruction in a craft or tradition. One of the reasons for apprenticeships, perhaps? Who knows?

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An apprentice works for free for the teacher. The teacher can make money off the things the apprentice produces. Being an apprentice was never a free ride. Some exchange was there, be it working without pay, barter, trade, or actually paying. Sometimes as simple as letting the master live with one whilst teaching. Money is the exchange most common now, not barter.

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(Teaching a craft seems separate from charging for the actual practicing of that craft.

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A teacher is a teacher in any time and place. A teacher needs to live too. That is like saying teachers in medical schools for example should not be paid, and their students can go on to become wealthy doctors. Whether it be basket weaving, or training to be a doctor, auto mechanic, interior decorator, whatever...teachers need to be paid.

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But, to charge for the TEACHING of a craft, seems in violation of that natural law, IMHO.

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So what is a craft and when does not paying the teacher considered a good thing? Would you expect someone who spins and weaves, to teach their craft to you for free just so you or anyone can then go out and sell your/their wares and cut into the teacher's livelihood? What was/is a teacher's worth? Hey thanks teach!???? Yeah right! That puts food on the teacher's table. In an ideal world all learning should be free. But as long as there is no other way for teachers of anything to live and eat and pay bills, teachers do need paid. Linda got paid for writing. A teacher gets paid for teaching. I see no difference at all. And while she did not charge she claims, for astrological readings, she did get paid in a round about way for astrological information by way of it being in essence laundered by her publishers.
Even after crossing over, her books are still bringing in the almighty $$$$$!

Re-read what she said again. She contradicted herself and feebly attempted to justify her contradictions.

So again I ask...exactly what craft(s) should a student be taught for free and what teachers should never be paid?
The students win here, and can then go forth and make a living with what was taught to them.
The teacher is left empty handed, and gave away time and energy for nothing. Not an equitable exchange at all, and treating a teacher as just a thing to be used. The craftsman gets paid, so why not the teacher?

So what free taught crafts are being considered here?

People have warped what Linda said to try to get freebies. One should give out free personalized in depth astrology reports, Lexigrams, and so forth for free in many folks' minds. These things take hours to days or even more. The one receiving does none of the work or time involved. Yet one's providing such are expected to by many to take hours to days or more of their precious time just for a "hey thanks!" Yeah right. And by that token the books on such should be free if teaching these things right? That is ridiculous!

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I do not believe that Linda had intended for any of us to set her up high upon a pedestal and worship her blindly nor even agree with her or follow her way, her path.

to be continued.....

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~Judgement Must Be Balanced With Compassion~
~Do Not Seek Wealth From The Suffering, Or The Dire Needs Of Others~
~Assumption Is The Bane Of Understanding~
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