Donations
I’ve spoken often about the difficulties of working as a Professional Pagan in the modern world. Our ancestors were supported by their communities, with their work as Priest appreciated AS work – so any funds were given to assist their everyday living. That hasn’t changed: we still need food, clothes and fuel.
At least half of the work I do is voluntary. How do you put an hourly pay-rate on Druid consultations? I try to be honest and do my best – that is my constant promise.
So in the interests of fair energy exchange, should you wish to make a donation to support the work that I do, please feel free. Every penny is gratefully received, and will be tracked for transparency – I’m no Televangelist with a luxurious lifestyle!
It’s difficult to write this, as I feel I’m standing here, cap in hand. But I ask honestly and openly, with heartfelt thanks.
The Catbox 
Lucy Drake said
What a brave and thoughtful idea. It is hard to charge for what we do. Do we charge for our time? Our energy? Our results?
What is it worth? To the person to the community?
It is difficult. This is a handy suggestion.
druidcat said
Thank you so much, Lucy. It is an interesting but necessary consideration, especially as this IS my ‘day job!’
I’m seeing so many more people working hard at their personal or vocational ‘jobs’ these days – perspectives need to change from the simplicity of salaried work, I think.
Karen Webb said
It’s true, in the old days there would be a tithe (church) or simply community support in the form of food/wood/weaves, and what we now offer was simply part of that exchange, the value known and therefore supported.
What are we charging for, Lucy? For our time. It’s a day job, and if I weren’t with you I’d be earning my living elsewhere, and since I am with you I can’t stack shelves or whatever else I might do to earn money. Energy, results? No, those are invalid measures of exchange.Energy can’t be measured, and anyway if i give my time with integrity, my energy will be there too. Results are always about relationship; and if I’m effective in my part of that dance people will return and tell others, if not they won’t. Results is commerce and blame.
I’ve never asked for donation directly as you do here Cat, though I know others who have and it’s a valid way, and courageous, and I love your ‘cap in hand’ honesty. For me I’ve tried and still use these approaches, depending on circumstance, and most essentially always based on intuitive rightness:
~ Offer what you can of money or goods, nothing if you can’t.
~ Financial hourly sliding scale, according to what feels right for you. Interestingly, most ‘well off’ people do choose the top end and occasionally higher.
~ A very low workshop rate, and the spoken invitation at the end: If you feel this has been worth more to you, and can afford it, there’s a donation box over there.
~ A commercially ‘normal’ workshop rate, with the clear statement that concessions of all sorts are available – just call; and if you want to pay full rate but can’t, then we’ll arrange a monthly schedule that you can.
~ An interesting one that evolved by my client’s request out of the above monthly arrangement for a workshop: the ‘bank’: she has a standing order to me each month and ‘pulls down’ when she needs something. I give occasional ‘statements’ of the balance in her bank if she’s in a lot of credit, and ask whether she’d like me to return some or all of it. She never does, because it’s a relief to her to know that when she needs something from me she doesn’t have to think about payment. She simply sees me as her mentor and makes her monthly offering. This is the closest to the tithe system, and I’ve only one who does this, and it works very well indeed for us both.
Share these ideas! It’s a discussion worth engaging with, for as you say more of us are working vocationally, and there is still so much stuff about money out there, including those who believe we ‘should’ be doing it free simply because it is vocational and doesn’t therefore count as work. And that one afflicts a lot of practitioners.
Snowleopard x/|\
Sharon parry said
Hi there . With regards to your fb post I gave donated £10 for a reading. As it is January this is all I have spare st present . Thank you for your efforts of your great work.
Louise said
Hi could I have a reading thanks. It’s right that you should charge for your services
druidcat said
Of course – many thanks! xx