I was chatting with a friend the other day, when he mentioned he had strong views about meditation that he doesn’t usually share with meditation teachers. Intrigued I asked:
“Oh yeah, what’s that”?
“It should be free”.
In an articulate and well-constructed defence of how I earn a living, I muttered “Hmmm”…
This is not the first time someone has expressed the idea that I shouldn’t be charging people to learn to meditate. I’ve had people say that “spiritual knowledge is meant to be free”. I’ve also been told in no uncertain terms that it’s wrong to charge someone for a mantra.
So, as it’s not an altogether uncommon sentiment, I thought it might be worth elaborating on “Hmmm…..”
Firstly, meditation is free if you choose not to pay for it. No one’s saying you can’t close your eyes and meditate. You can teach yourself if you like. Jump on the internet and read about it, or download a free app.
Now, if that doesn’t work out or you decide you’d like to go deeper into your practice, you can engage me to teach you a powerful mantra based technique called Vedic Meditation. In this case, there is a fee involved. To be clear, you are not being charged for the mantra and you’re not even really paying for the technique. As one of my teachers put it,
“You can’t possibly pay for the practice itself. The practice is beyond value. What you’re paying for is my availability as a teacher, and for my expertise”.
The course involves around 7 ½ hours of in person instruction to establish a self-sufficient daily meditation practice. Following the course you receive a lifetime of support in the form of free group meditation sessions, email support programs, online tutorials, free refresher courses etc.
In order to manage all of this, I’m working fulltime in the space.
If you need a teacher, which many people find they do, how can that teacher possibly be expected to work fulltime for free? I’m not part of a religious or spiritual organisation, I’m an independent teacher with a family to support and bills to pay like everyone else.
It’s my belief that as a collective, our consciousness needs to evolve, and it needs to happen fast. I’ve dedicated my life to my own evolution, and to making myself available to support others on their journey. I’m not in it for the money. If money were my driving force I’d still be Directing.
I teach because I love it, and because I believe that the world would be an entirely better place if everyone meditated. I teach because despite the fact that you can learn to meditate on your own, like many others, I never managed to establish a daily practice until I was actually instructed and supported by a teacher. I teach because Vedic Meditation was the first technique I’d experienced that was easy and effective. I teach because the practice changed my life and I want to be available to help others transform their lives too.
Of course, the only way I can sustain this work is if I’m financially compensated for my time and expertise. Plain and simple – it’s just the nature of the world we live in.
With love
Marcus x
