Why must we pay for things on the spiritual path?

 

Why must we 'pay' for things on the spiritual path?

I will tell you an almost immutable law of human behaviour that is relatively simple to understand and that has far reaching consequences.

That law is:

People only value what they must pay for..

This can look like a number of different things, practically speaking..

- Having to pay money or financial consideration for a course or seminar or teaching

- Having to expend effort in receiving information, teachings, assistance, support etc.

- Having to use time and spend large amounts of time working with a teaching before any sort of understanding takes place.

A number of teachers used this law. It was fundamental in all of the Gurdjieff and Fourth Way teachings and groups last century. Freud makes mention of this during his writings, as a strongly conditioned response in people that is largely inherited. Lester Levenson mentions it in his talks and his experiences in teaching Sedona Method and Release work. 

Even the Bible seems to condition people (or make use of this law), in places like The Golden Rule of behaviour (New Testament), or in the ways of justice throughout may places in the Old Testament. 

How can we make use of this conditioned behavioural response that goes fairly deep in the human psyche?

Some ways:

- Consider the effort required and what you're prepared to give in receiving and working with a teaching. How much earnestness and devotion can you commit?

- Money considerations, donations, supporting the teaching that you're receiving and working with.. or other ways to 'give back'

- How much time are you willing to spend sticking to a teaching or approach? Could you commit even a few months of honestly using and trying out the teaching and being faithful to it before moving on?

"But teachings and spirituality should be free!!!"

The teachings ARE already free.. there's nothing out there that is new, or hasn't been said already. Every method, approach, way, insight etc. is already out there, free and available in books, videos, on the Internet, in person with people who 'get it' etc. But again, we don't value those avenues, and we quickly consume them and move on, discarding it later like used packaging.

So be aware of this behavioural law in the coming days, and note how much effort you actually put into the path, which will determine how much you get out of the path that you've chosen or that resonates with you at this moment in time.