There Are Only Our Ancestors

There are only our ancestors
There are no others on the tree of life 
Only uncles and aunties and cousins and old folks
The ones we wish were at the table with us
And the ones who pushed us away from home

There are only our ancestors
No other ancestors but our own ancestors
Invaded the lands of our ancestors
Silenced the stories of our ancestors
And then our ancestors wrote those stories down in big books
(poorly and without all the good parts)
In words our ancestors couldn’t read

There are only our ancestors
And it has only ever been our ancestors
Who killed our ancestors
And our ancestors who smashed the temple stones
Of our ancestors
Who salted our fields
Who stole our children
Who escaped and returned home
Through the help of our ancestors

There are only our ancestors
Who taught us how to forgive
Only our ancestors who taught us how to hate
Who taught us when to look away
And when to stare our ancestors in the face
And see our ancestors looking back

There are only our ancestors
Who tore down the mangroves
And it was only our ancestors who replanted them
Only our ancestors who fought for us
To live and breathe in a world familiar and unknown

There are only our ancestors 
And there are only our descendants
No one else will fill up the hills but us
And we’ll only find our ancestors there
Because there is no other
There never has been, never will

There are only our ancestors

How strange for us to forget

How beautiful for us to remember

Your Work Is Not Your Worth : Herbs + Essences to Move from Overwork into Interdependence

I’ve been on a journey of slowing down the past year in ways that have brought me relief and joy, but also a lot of trepidation, rigid fear, and destabilization. This move towards slowness has been a long time coming and holy heck have I resisted it for what I thought were all the “right” reasons. None of these reasons served me or the wholeness, resiliency, and pleasure we need in ourselves and our communities right now and yet I clung to them for way too long. Because why embrace change when you can cling?

So what were these reasons that I was convinced deserved my clingy effort? Prithee, enjoy:

• I can’t slow down because the world is on fire and who am I to take time “away” from the fight? (Because who needs to sleep or eat! That’s sustainable!)

• I think I have it hard! HA! Look at all the other folks who have it way harder than you and get back to work. (i.e. the endless, disconnecting, and demoralizing comparison game!)

• If I don’t work this hard I won’t be able to pay my bills (now this reason can be very true sometimes, but it was not true for me all the time and I used it as an excuse to not ask for help from others).

• I mean I work too much but I love my work so that doesn’t count, right? (i.e. the entrepreneur’s death knell)

• I have got to get it “right” on the first go or not only am I “wrong” but a bad person (i.e. the purity politics that are running us ragged in social justice circles).

• If I slow down who will I become? (Aha! This fear is actually a beacon by which to explore deeper needs and desires with)

I’ll be honest - none of these “right” reasons every felt right to me. But I was raised on the internet and this is the sort of messaging we’re bombarded with in communities agitating for change. Slowly but persistently over the years, these whispers of anxiety moved from the corners of my consciousness to taking center stage as my very own personal internet choir of doom and tear-downs. I knew it was happening and tried to alleviate this growing tightness in my spirit in a multitude of ways except the one way I was most afraid of - slowing way down.

Slowing down would be admitted a few truths to myself that I am still learning to be comfortable with:

• I am very introverted but often appear to be extroverted in my life (though this is changing as I grow into these inward parts of myself). Through denying my introversion I frequently set myself  up to feel like a social experiment gone awry using inappropriate markers to judge my “success” of being a person in the world. Coming from overcultures and personal cultures which prize extroversion over introversion means there’s just a lot of stuff to untangle. That and recognizing that we are all a variation of introverted and extroverted tendencies - I’ve just been relying too hard and long on my extroversion skill set and need a break.

• I’ve been doing too much the past few years, following the tight path of fear instead of the open flow of desire.

• The internet choir of doom and devastation in my head? It may have been built on lived experiences, a hyper-connected culture, and real-world problems, but I’m the one giving them the stage, providing refreshments, and making sure the mics are on.

Yet, the allure of slowness has aligned more strongly with my desires than my the power of my fear teaming up with anxiety. What I have known all along is that my worth (and your worth) is not tied up with my work, my productivity or the ever changing measurements of overculture success. I’m going to take a moment to quote adrienne marie brown at length now for two reasons a) consider this an extended invitation for reading her work Emergent Strategy and b) because her words are a pleasure and get right to why we need to step together and slow down.

“One of the most common and exciting elements of the visioning exercises I have done with social justice movements and organizations is the desire for a society where there is more interdependence - mutual reliance and shared leadership, vision. This is particularly our longing in the face of economic competition.

Most of us are socialized towards independence - pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, working on our own to develop, to survive, to win at life. Competition is the way we hone our skill and comfort with the opposite of mutual reliance - we learn to feel proud about how much we achieve as individuals, and sometimes, to actively work to bring others down in order to get ahead.

In a capitalist society like the United States, every aspect of our survival - from food and water to healthcare, childcare, and elder care - is based on our success at being an individual in the world: Do we compete well enough to make good money so that we can live a good life?

… Do you already know that your existence - who and how you are - is in and of itself a contribution to the people and place around you? Not after or because you do some particular thing, but simply the miracle of your life. And that the people around you, and the place(s), have contributions as well? Do you understand that your quality of life and your survival are tied to how authentic and generous the connections are between you and the people and place you live with and in?” (Emergent Strategy, pages 87 + 91)

Take a moment to breathe that in.

These words brought me back to the moment a few years back of knowing in my bones that I, in all my complexity, have a right to exist. There is nothing to prove to myself or others, but plenty of opportunity to participate. This memory and brown’s words also affirmed a feeling I’ve been having to describe my work not as intersectional (though it is) but more accurately as interdependent - but that’s another post… Right now, that’s feeling good in my bones and getting slow means I’m paying more attention to my rootedness.

Slowness as a sacred act of resiliency, homecoming, and pleasure, has reminded me that my worth is not tied up in my work, my productivity, my success or my failures. It’s bound up in relationships. Yes, work can be one way of creating relationships, but it shouldn’t replace relationships, or be a measurement by which to determine if you are worth relating to. Some of the earliest lessons and knowings my Pagan Witch path was tied up to the idea of being in harmonious relationship with myself, the elements within and around me as well as the community of people, creatures, and kin that I was part of. I remember learning “a Witch is only as good as their word” and, being people of spoken charms and incantations, listeners of plants and animals, and storytellers of lost myths, how important this felt for me. How filled with a sense of worth I was knowing that the world might be telling me one thing about how my worth was determined, but I knew that it was these sacred relationships that were the true reflection of my worth.

But it was really hard to take the first few steps of slowing down. So I turned to my relationships with my plant kin for guidance. And if you’re feeling resonance with what I’m writing, I hope that the following recommendations for both flower essences as well as herbal remedies help those of you who are trying to slow down in order to do less but be more. More in love. More in life. More in your wholeness and relationships. 

Herbal Allies

Milky Oat (Avena sativa): All of the herbs I recommend are nervines because our nervous systems are overworked when we use work as our marker for our worth. Milky Oat is a beloved of mine and a true friend to those of us who have crispy and frayed nervous systems. This is a daily long-term (multiple months) sort of remedy to really take root. Along with nourishing and restoring the nervous system to balance, Milky Oat softens us up. Overwork creates a state of rigidity brought on by tension and fear. As we learn about how to be internally nourished from Milky Oat they help us to seek out similarly nourishing relationships with the people, creatures, and places around us. Read the full Milky Oat plant profile.

Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata): Neck and shoulder tension, stress headaches, and a being tightly wound or type A, are all indicators that Blue Vervain may be a helpful ally to you. The herb is lovingly relaxing and tension-reducing as well as alleviating inflammation. As a temple herb - a plant that is well-suited to sacred rites - Blue Vervain helps us to figure out what is sacred in our life and how much space we want to gift to our sacredness. Read the full Blue Vervain plant profile.

Rose (Rosa spp.) Flower + Essence: I’ve written about Rose quite a bit, but in particular for overworkers and folks struggling to place their worth in a framework that is healing instead of disruptive, Rose helps us to reconnect us to our heart presence. As a symbol of mystery and complexity, Rose helps us to embrace our own complexity and ability to adapt. And adaptation is not just another excuse for running yourself ragged (i.e. I can adapt to only 4 hours of sleep a night and maintaining a toxic relationship to social media, it’s cool) but real adaptation means we know when to step up, step back, and step into the arms of support. 

Elm Flower Essence: I resisted taking Elm flower essence because I didn’t want to recognize myself as someone who tied up so much of their worth to their work. But immensely patient Elm said, “That’s fine. I’ll wait.” Here’s the description of Elm from Dr. Edward Bach “Those who are doing good work, are following the calling of their life and who hope to do something of importance, and this often for the benefit of humanity. At times there may be periods of depression when they feel that the task they have undertaken is too difficult, and not within the power of a human being” (The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies). Elm is an excellent ally not only for the “work as worth” dynamic but for when burden outweighs hope in one’s life, remembering that burdensomeness in one’s life can manifest as persistent anxiety. This is a great pre- and post-therapy session essence, too.

Oak Flower Essence: The essence for folks who don’t know when to sit down and rest. We all know how strong you are - you don’t need to prove it to anyone. It’s time to believe it yourself and rest up before that resiliency runs out on you. This essence is great for folks who feel a sense of duty to set the world right at the cost to their own health and wellbeing. Stubbornly resisting slowing down even thought there is small but persistent inner knowing that it’s just what you need? Make friends with Oak. Oak is one of the most beautiful teachers of interdependence and a longstanding embodiment of wisdom with a root system even more extensive that then vastness of its aboveground presence - which should tell us something about longevity. Again from adrienne marie brown’s book this time quoting Naima Penniman:

“When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, almost everything lost its footing. Houses were detached from their foundations, trees and shrubbery were uprooted, sign posts and vehicles floated down the rivers that become of the streets. But amidst the whipping winds and surging water, the oak tree held its ground. How? Instead of digging its roots deep and solitary into the earth, the oak tree grows its roots wide and interlocks with other oak trees in the surrounding area. And you can’t bring down a hundred oak trees bound beneath the soil! How do we survive the unnatural disasters of climate change, environmental injustice, over-policing, mass-imprisonment, militarization, economic inequality, corporate globalization, and displacement? We must connect in the underground, my people! In this way, we shall survive.” (Emergent Strategy, 85)

While I still feel like it’s early days learning about my slowness, it also feels like a return to something very old within me that I’ve always known. And old places within ourselves can be hard to get to. So lean on the elders in your community, be they plant, people or creature, and remember to slow down when wisdom is shared. Yes, the world needs changing if we’re going to find ourselves in more just and kind relationships with one another and our ocean planet. But though we need to act quickly, ultimately the solutions remain ones of slowness. Slowing down unrelenting growth, dominating expansion, and consumerism, into something more considered, unafraid of real change, and tied to the sacredness of life and death, not just its exploitation. Remember not to exploit your own resources in an attempt to save other resources.

Practice slowness as a spiritual calling.
Know slowness as self-love.
Create slowness in your community as an act of resiliency.

In slowness and gratefulness,
Alexis

Vintage Witchcraft : Or the time when Dion told me I was doing tarot wrong…

Perhaps it’s the fact that the clothes I was wearing when I came of age and found myself immersed in the world of magick would sell as “vintage” now. Or maybe it’s because I’m feeling awfully nostalgic about the books that helped raise me into the Witch I am today with the renaissance of metaphysical publishing we’re currently living in. Truthfully, though? I like talking about books (especially magickal ones!) and this is my secret way of doing that.

I’m calling it my Vintage Witchcraft series because it’s not Traditional Witchcraft (which I practice) but something between ye olden days and the influx of esoteric literature that has flooded the market in the past few years. I'm going to write about the stuff that influenced my early craft as well as some older resources that I’ve just started to explore. I’ll share resources that I think remain useful, reminds us of our Witch roots, and maybe even laugh at ourselves and what hasn’t aged well (Does anyone else remember being super excited about magick on the internetz!? Chat room rituals?! The World Wide Web is the embodiment of the Goddess!1!1!! Late night chaos hacks!? Making sigils in MS Paint??)

I’m beginning with a book by Dion Fortune - an author that was a primary guide of mine during my young witchling days. Dion is an important figure of 20th century occultism and her influence is ongoing  - especially within Wicca and many modern Pagan traditions. Her own organization, the Society of the Inner Light, continues on today. If you’ve ever heard the phrases “All the gods are one god, and all the goddesses are one goddess” or “Magic is the art of causing changes to take place in consciousness in accordance with will” those are from Dion. Also, full disclosure that Dion is a creature of her time so some of her opinions are outdated, some hold well, contradictions are to be found, but the theory and practice has aged very well.

I think she’s one of the best resources for learning about traditional psychic self-defense. For Dion, magick was not just for personal development or, as it was for many of her (often male) contemporaries some sort of spiritual ego-fluffing but for community well-being and protection. I read her classic Psychic Self-Defense and The Magical Battle of Britain when I was in high school and these books were fundamental in shaping my view that we have a responsibility as magickal people to invest in the care and well-being of our communities. I think Dion appeared to my young mind as a esoteric Professor X which is one of the other reasons I liked her so much - she was an early advocate for creating accessibility to the mysteries in her own, rather conservative but proto-Pagan, way.  She knew that magick was a tool of revolution, radical organizing, and protecting people from fascist regimes. A great place to start learning about Dion’s work and access a great deal of her material is through the Companions of Dion Fortune website - you can even practice her original Glastonbury-based meditation developed for times of transition and conflict which has been re-adopted for modern use.

Dion's Technique for Reading Tarot

It was reading a reprint of her 1935 book Practical Occultism in Daily Life that I got the idea for this series because she wrote something in it about the tarot that caught my attention. She holds some very common views at the time (including, the idea that selling of divinatory services was not a good thing - a belief that you’ll see hanging around some Pagan circles today still) but what I found interesting was her recommendation for reading the cards. Because it directly counters something I’ve written about as a mistake that tarot readers make.  

Dion talks about the best person to read the cards to be you (something I heartily agree with) or a initiate who specializes in Tarot. She talks about the importance of only using a new deck (something I don’t think is necessary - good cleansing of a used deck is more than suffice in most cases), and to carry your deck with you to help it to magnetize to your energy (I took this advice very seriously as a middle school witch - ask me about my bag of witch books and tarot decks that I hauled around in addition to my backpack). But then she gets to how one should proceed with a reading and it becomes very interesting:

Having got in touch with one’s chosen pack, the next thing is to lay out a divination according to whatever system is chosen, work it out according to the book, and note down the results obtained and the position in which the cards fell. Repeat the process a second time, and a third time, upon each occasion keeping accurate notes of the fall of the cards, and of course, thoroughly shuffling the cards between each lay-out. (1)

Well, then. I’ve genuinely never thought that doing this would be of any benefit and instead is just playing to our need to get the “right” answer that we want to see in the cards. A sort of desperate “if I just keep shuffling the deck it’ll all get better” scenario. But, Dion thinks otherwise. She continues:

If certain cards keep on coming up, and especially if they come up in approximately the same positions, or even if the cards of the same type predominate through the three divinations, it may safely be concluded that the system is working satisfactorily, and a divination may be made on the bases of the recurring cards. But if the three divinations bear no resemblance to each other; if even the balance of the four suits does not remain constant for at least two out of the three, and if none of the Greater Trumps turn up more than once, then it must be concluded that the Tarot is not working for the diviner, and the divination should be abandoned. (2)

Next World Tarot + Pamela Smith Centennial Tarot (Pocket Edition)

She’s not only recommended doing multiple castings of the same spread for one question within the same sitting, but a new way of reading. The act of multiple castings to find out if the path of divination is open up to the querent is something that would have been relatively familiar to other tarot readers of her age. It’s not something that’s too commonly done these days - at least not in the US tarot scene. But it makes me think of Aleister Crowley’s Opening of the Key (OOTK) tarot spread (well, really, ritual and operation) with it’s card counting and techniques used to see whether or not the divination has opened up pathways between yourself and the divine or at least your inner wisdom. Crowley was a contemporary of Fortune and though the two weren’t in direct community with one another there were interesting parallels in their lives (Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune: The Logos of the Aeon and the Shakti of the Age is a great read if you’re wanting to learn more about this and just about two of some of the most influential writers on modern magick and esoteric practice).

After you’ve determined that the path has been open, those cards that have turned up again and again are pulled out and read. Those specific cards are your answer to your inquiry. Having been practicing the OOTK lately, I can attest to the efficacy of pulling only a handful of cards from a spread to complete a reading. But while the OOTK is a beautiful beast of a technique that’s well worth it but a bit time consuming, Dion’s approach is more accessible. 

So, do you think you’ll give Dion’s technique a try? I definitely will. It’s a good lesson in looking beyond what we think are established boundaries (i.e. not doing multiple spreads for one question) into more expansive possibilities. If you do try this technique be sure to let me know in the comments. Or if you just want to talk Dion and your favorite works of her’s, I’d love to do that, too.

Resources Discussed + Further Recommendations

• Practical Occultism in Daily Life by Dion Fortune

• Psychic Self-Defense by Dion Fortune

• The Magical Battle of Britain by Dion Fortune

• Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune: The Logos of the Aeon and the Shakti of the Age by Alan Richardson

• Companions of Dion Fortune Website

• Priestess by Alan Richardson - I've not read this book yet but it's Richardson's biography of Fortune.

• The Magical Battle of Britain by Sable Aradia explores the amazing magickal act and organizing Dion Fortune did to help keep Nazis from stepping upon British soil. Inspiring stuff for those of us using magick in our social justice efforts.

Also, I need your help! There was a fictionalized account of the Magical Battle of Britain that I can't remember the title or author. I would love to find it again so if you happen to know it, please let me know in the comments or get in touch directly. Thanks!

EDIT: The book is Lammas Night by Katherine Kurtz!

1. Fortune, Dion. Practical Occultism in Daily Life. Weiser, 1971. Page 40.
2. Fortune, Dion. Practical Occultism in Daily Life. Weiser, 1971. Page 40.

How to Make the Sliding Scale Better for You + Your Clients

It’s been a few years since I wrote about the sliding scale and it’s time to write that long awaited follow-up post that’s been percolating in the back of my mind. I’ve also written about ways that I focus on creating access and not scarcity in my marketing.

What my sliding scale looks like now as opposed to when I started my business is very different. I’ve grown, I’ve examined (and continue to examine) my own hang-ups around money and fears about financial stability alongside being a good activist, and what follows is hopefully some useful insight. There still isn’t a lot of resources about the sliding scale or using alternative payment methods for services and goods out there. If you have some favorites, please let me know in the comments. If you’ve found what I’ve written to be useful please feel free to use the language from this post with credit on your own page and resources. I’ve made some really amazing connections with folks through these posts and I would love to continue on the conversation through continued resource sharing.

So let’s get into it!

Photo by Annie Spratt

The disadvantages of the sliding scale.

The biggest disadvantage of the sliding scale is that folks will take advantage of it.

Most of the time it’s not entirely on purpose - in the US we have very little education in our school system and culture around money, class, service value, and fair wages. Class is a big one and folks are not only unaware of what class they belong to currently (as opposed to when they were kids or the class that their parents belong to but not them) but of any class privilege they carry. When the scale has been used incorrectly it’s often by folks who have more than enough money to pay full price yet they have purchased at the lower end of my sliding scale. As opposed to my students and clients who have far less money who typically pay the full class price or a higher percentage of their income than their financially better off peer. It’s a frustrating dynamic and it’s a whole other post about why that happens, but if you’ve been offering the sliding scale for any length of time you’ve probably experienced this.

I want to take a moment here to say that it’s ok to feel frustrated when someone takes advantage of your sliding scale. Feel your frustration, make adjustments as needed (suggestions are below) but also realize you have to also accept this as part of the risk of a sliding scale offering. If it feels more emotionally draining to offer a sliding scale - don’t do it. That’s really ok. The purpose of creating accessibility in our offerings is not to create unneeded stress or complication in our lives but, instead, to help everyone involved in the transaction feel more empowered. 

Not getting paid fairly.

Other disadvantages of the sliding scale include not getting paid enough for your time because you’ve set your scale too low - but this can be adjusted to make sure that this doesn’t happen (again, details below). Usually this takes a bit of trial and error that can feel stressful if you’re pulling in way less money than you should in the meantime. 

It stresses people out.

Finally, the sliding scale can really stress out some people when they go to use it. While this isn’t entirely your responsibility to manage you can make the sliding scale feel less scary and intimidating to people who don’t want to “mess it up” when figuring what price they should pay. I’ve definitely stressed out about using the sliding scale as a consumer before which is why I feel invested in helping my community not feel that way - so I share what makes it easier for me and my clients below.

Photo by Annie Spratt

What I have found to be really useful versus what I don’t do anymore.

I offer a managed sliding scale.

I no longer offer a completely open sliding scale (i.e. a sliding scale of $0 - $100 that folks can choose any amount from). What this means is that for any one of my classes or one-on-one offerings there is a limited amount of tickets at each price along the sliding scale. I typically offer about three different ticket prices for a class, though for some classes I offer a broader range and others I offer only two price differences. So when you go to purchase a class ticket from me you’ll see something like the following:

Tickets : The Plant Sabbat is offered at a sliding scale. The actual cost of the class is $35 and tickets listed below that price are limited. Please read my sliding scale guide below before purchasing a ticket.

3 tickets are available at $20
5 tickets are available at $30
Unlimited tickets are available at $35

I calculate the ticket prices offered and the amount of tickets in each bracket available based on my hourly wage that I’ve set for myself as a teacher, space rental or online hosting fees, supplies and materials, and any additional costs that may arise (such as the research that goes in before and after I meet with someone for a herbal consult). Setting up a managed sliding scale like this does a number of things:

1. It helps make sure that I get paid fairly.

2. It’s transparent which helps folks make decisions more mindfully. Folks are less likely to just choose the bottom option if they see that there are limits.

Overall, I’ve found this to be a much more sustainable way of offering different price levels for class or service than what I had been doing before. I have a bit more control and I usually end up being paid fairly. The whole process feels way less stressful than it used to.

EDIT: I now offer a pay-it-forward price that is a few dollars above the actual cost of the class. I let folks know that if they purchase a class ticket at this price that they are supporting financial accessibility for those folks lower down on the scale. I’ve gotten a great response to it and folks really like being able to join my class while easily contributing to my ability to make that class open and accessible to more and more folks.

The other essential component to a managed sliding scale system is to explain it to your clients as simply as possible. I tend to be wordy in my writing so this has been an ongoing work in progress. As you can see in my description above I tell folks to take a look at my sliding scale guide which can be found as part of the course or offering description and reads as follows: 

A Quick Guide to the Sliding Scale

While I encourage you to read my full thoughts on the sliding scale, here is a very brief rundown:

The top price class ticket is the actual cost of the class. If you choose a ticket price below the top tier you are receiving a discount.

The middle price is for those who are able to meet their basic needs but have little-to-no expendable income. Paying for this class may qualify as a sacrifice but it would not create hardship.

The bottom price is for those who struggle to meet basic needs and paying for this class would still be a significant hardship.

The Pay-It-Forward price is a few bucks above the actual cost of the class and that extra money goes towards supporting scholarships as well as future free and low-cost classes. Essentially it's an opportunity to not only take your class but also support your fellow community members while you're at it. Sweet!

Since creating this shorthand guide, a limited amount of tickets in each bracket, along with setting up a culture of openness around money in my classes (more on that below), I’ve found folks using the sliding scale accurately and in a way that feels empowering. Establishing and sharing the actual price of the class has been key as well as distinguishing between something that is a financial sacrifice versus a hardship (which I go into more depth here). 

image by author

I’ve set up a culture in my classes where money is not scary but fun to talk about.

Talking about money is awkward especially if you’re collecting money at the door as opposed to online sales. I try to be as clear about expectations as possible by stating when, where, and how class money will be collected (for example, sometimes for donation based classes I collect at the end of class) so that folks aren’t stressing about what to do around payment. I let folks know the range of prices and the actual cost of the course (all of which has been posted on my website ahead of time). I establish a “lucky” mug or teapot as the receptacle of abundance for collecting money; I look folks in the eyes and thank them genuinely for whatever they’re able to give (which can be hard sometimes when you know someone is underpaying you, let’s be honest. But it’s also a practice in compassion and gratefulness that you choose to take on when offering the sliding scale or hosting donation-based events). With my magickal crowds we even say a little spell between us for abundance - because that’s how my Witch kin are like and I love it. 

Making money fun to talk about is always a work in progress and I’m learning as I go along - let me know how you make money an easy thing to talk about in the comments below. I would love more ideas and inspiration!

I don’t discount my services.

I’m going to make an assumption here, but it’s based on years of observation of the herbal and magickal communities I run in (which is made up of largely queer, folks of color, gender-rebellious, and womxn-centered and femme folks). I bet that for most of you reading this, you’re already offering your services or goods for a discounted rate. Because you’ve underpriced it, because we don’t talk about money and fair wages, and because many of us would have a hard time defining what a fair wage is to begin with. Because our global market ranges from the super exclusive, hand-crafted artisan objects to “cheap” slave labor produced items (and there are plenty of times when those two areas cross-over). Then throw in social pressure, scarcity complexes, the continuing impact of childhood trauma, and some pretty unhealthy ideas about success and whether or not you’re allowed it as an activist and of course we’re confused about money and pricing.

I used to discount my services all the time. And I still felt bad all the time about charging folks and not earning enough (ugh, that’s a vicious thought cycle). Offering my services at a discount didn’t mean I made more or got more folks purchasing my remedies or classes. Nor was this behavior something that I expected my peers to do - that’s where my mindset began to shift. If I didn’t expect my peers or those I was serving to get underpaid in their work, why did I persist in this expectation for myself?

Part of my shift away from offering discounts all of the time (which, the not-so-secret secret is that I do offer a discount - but only those who sign-up for my newsletter and the very occasional seasonal sale), was realizing that I didn’t want to be running a discount emporium of magickal goods, but a space for starry-hearted community to grow. That meant I needed to get paid fairly so I could reinvest in readers like you and the community I interact with daily.

What I realized is that I would much rather be able be able to write quality, in-depth blog posts that reach a lot of folks for free than give away my classes to one person at a time. If I’m getting paid fairly for my teaching work, then I feel more able to give in my writing and in other low-cost or free services. Being able to pay my bills and save money means that I can actually offer more for free because I’m not stressed and counting pennies at the end of each month worried about paying rent and putting food on the table.

If you’re in a similar place, I recommend starting by assessing what you already give away for free - your blog posts, newsletters, volunteering in your community, the emotional labor in relationships (personal, professional, familial, and community-based), webinars, videos, and more. Celebrate what you already give and place value on it. When folks ask for freebies point them to the free content on your website which you know is good, quality stuff. I’ve never had someone email me or tell me in person how great it is that I had so many discounts back when I was constantly offering them. What actually has happened is I get regular feedback from folks saying how appreciative they are of the length and scope of free resources I offer on my site - which feels really good because I want folks to feel like their getting quality information that is of use in their life. That’s what I look for in other businesses and it feels good that I’m also providing such a service.

Photo by Annie Spratt

Other systems of exchange beyond the sliding scale.

Author's Note: I've added a number of new suggestions based on some great feedback I received over on instagram on what other folks use to create equitable systems of exchange. Thanks to everyone who have shared their ideas and insights making this conversation all the better! 

I like the sliding scale a lot but it can be tricky to manage. The closest alternative to the sliding scale (i.e. something which alleviates the burden of upfront cost of a course) that I use regularly are payment plans. I used to customize payment plans for each person that asked me for one and that turned out to consume way too much of my time and pulling me away from my teaching and writing. I used to also offer a discount on top of my payment plans (which I was already paying additional transaction fees) because I worried that if someone needed a payment plan that they also needed a steep course discount. This isn’t true - if someone needs a payment plan they just need an extended period of time to pay. Sometimes a discount would be helpful, but it shouldn’t be assumed. Again, be mindful of devaluing your services.

I now offer a standard payment plan for everyone. I worried way too much about doing this but in the end I have more people successfully using the this new payment plan than ever before. And since it is standardized and automated there is no extra work for me. Of course, in all of these systems there are exceptions and special cases where I offer custom payment plans, but those are once or twice a year at most instead of all the time. 

Donation-based with or without no one turned away for lack of funds (NOTAFLOF) is another option. Donation-based is similar to the sliding scale but usually far less formal. I occasionally hold donation-based events where money is collected at the door or end of class as opposed to online. One has to accept that you might get paid very little - if at all - at donation-based NOTAFLOF events. Alternatively, you might get paid great. Why I still offer donation-based NOTAFLOF classes is because they are some of the most accessible classes I teach (one can attend for free) and they can be great for community building. One dynamic that I’ve observed with donation-based events is that they can really stress some participants out. There can be a lot of apologizing and explaining as to why someone is giving a certain amount - all of which tends to invoke a lot of shame around money, worth, etc. That’s why it’s so important to be as clear and no-nonsense as possible (with some levity added in) when talking about money and the collection of it at the class. 

Creating multiple offerings and items at different price points is another great option. I do this in my shop and it feels like an easy way of making my work accessible. So, I offer ecourses ranging from $3 to $297. Folks who aren't able to afford my ecourses at the moment can join my patreon where they get access to my ebooks and other community gifts which are filled with the same love and spirit I put into all my work.

Collect community donations to supplement discounted or free offerings. Flat out donations are wonderful - especially when you can find a regular benefactor(s) - and there's also the option for applying for community grants for small businesses that might allows you to discount services. I can't speak to finding and applying for grants but I know that other herbalists have successfully done this in the past. What I have done before is have a ticket on my sliding scale that is $2 to $10 more than the actual cost of the class. I let folks know that the extra money goes towards supplementing the discounted costs of lower priced tickets as well as scholarships. This works best when you have a healthy conversation and understanding of class privilege and using money as a tool of justice happening in your community and amongst your clients. Especially when you pitch it as an easy way to do a "good deed" by more or less throwing some money in the "tip jar" when purchasing your own ticket.

You can also have a base-package that is accessible through the sliding scale with fixed-price add-ons. I really like this idea actually - everyone gets a great foundation of care at a price that they can afford and if they want a little or a lot more they can decide to make that investment. 

The following suggestion is about making the extra money you need to create more free and low-cost services. Some folks use Patreon and donation buttons on their site. I actually support a number of folks through Patreon with small monthly donations (which comes out to only a few bucks a month - something that is easy for me to do and since it's automated I don't even have to remember to do it.) Patreon (or a donation button) can be akin to buying your favorite artist, writer, witch, creative, etc. a cup of tea each month or a bigger investment which usually means you get special access to subscriber-only content. Do you use Patreon or a donation-button on your site? Have you found it to be helpful? I've considered opening a Patreon account with video-based content for subscribers - what do you think? Would you spend a few bucks monthly to get access to videos by me? Let me know in the comments. Edit: I use Patreon now - learn more about why I chose to create one.

Photo by Annie Spratt

Additional Thoughts

You don’t have to offer a sliding scale, donation-based services, or payment plans to be a “good” activist.

There is something radical in naming a price that reflects the actual value of what you do and sticking with it. That is an act of social justice, too, and should be honored. There is enormous pressure within activist communities to act in a certain way and lose sight of what is actually radical, loving, sustainable, and kind. Charge what you’re worth and revel in it.

Investigate your own money story.

This is a big one. Most of us in healing and magickal businesses will stress out about how to price our offerings if we’re not doing so currently. There’s a root cause to money stress and it can be really useful (and liberating!) to discover and release. There are countless folks out there talking about money and money blocks. If you’re looking for a place to start check-out Hadassah Damien’s Ride Free Fearless Money. She describes her work as “money hacks and economic real talk for weirdos who are too smart to fully trust capitalism” - so that describes a a lot of you. More resources I found via Erica of Haus Witch after originally posting this article are Jessie Susannah of Money Witch, Cheryl Rafuse of Howl Content, and Jennifer Armbrust of Sister. I've not worked with any of these folks but they are recommended by many who center what they do in inclusivity and intersectionality.

Learning about class, capitalism, and the intersections of privilege and oppression we all carry within these systems is really important. But when I began to get real curious about my own money story is when steady and sustainable change in the way I do business emerged. Because it’s not really about money, is it? It’s about us and how we value ourselves and each other. Figuring that out and what blocks you from valuing yourself and what you do in the world means that you become better equip at changing the world for the better - because you realize that you’re worth changing for. And if you’re worth changing for than others are worth changing for too. Money and exchange of services can be a useful tool for change and exploring your personal money story is one way to discover how to use that tool effectively.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

If you find a resource on the sliding scale or money alternatives that you really like approach the original writer if you can quote their work on your site. Folks do this with me all the time and I think it’s great - you have permission to use any of what I’ve written here or elsewhere on the sliding scale on your site with credit. Find resources, share them, use them appropriately, and celebrate the hard work of others so that you don’t have to spend extra time researching or writing about something that feels big, overwhelming or not your area of expertise. Use what’s out there so you can get back to doing what you’re called to do in the world - hopefully a little more informed and confident in how you’re doing it.

I know that how I’m doing things is working for me and my community because I feel less stressed and more confident about what I’m offering, I’m able to explain it easily, and, most importantly, my students and clients talk about how easy it was for them to navigate while also got them thinking about money, cost, and their own financial situation in new ways. My hope in writing these series about running a business within the healing and magickal markets is that you’ll find the right systems for you, too, instead of struggling with ones that don’t work. Because who has time for that? There’s too much tea to be drunk…

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, including any other sliding scale pitfalls, alternatives, and triumphs, as well as your favorite resources on managing money and overcoming money blocks (preferably ones that are progressive and inclusive of LGBT+, femme and womxn folks, and folks of color). I look forward to commiserating on our money mistakes, celebrating your creativity, and generally making this conversation around money in our communities waaaaay easier.

The Twelve Houses of Rest: Find Your Sweet Spot For Restorative Healing

It’s a Full Moon in Taurus tonight and I’m thinking of rest. I’m thinking of how rest is an act of resistance. How taking time for self-care is radical and necessary. I’m thinking of how I resist taking time off, playing into the dominant paradigm that busy-ness means you’re useful, you’re worthy, you’re doing something with your time. 

Holy Goddess, I'm done with resisting the necessity of rest. 

Recently in my bi-monthly newsletter to members of The Lunar Apothecary I wrote about the Twelve Houses of the zodiac and how they relate to rest. I’m bringing it to you now because I think it’s a simple way to create some custom care for your whole self.

If you haven’t yet, go ahead and pull up your birth chart (you can get a free one at astro.com). For those familiar with astrology, I use the whole house system when calculating my charts as this is the system that our medical astrology ancestors would have used and I find it to be the most useful in my practice. 

Photo by Annie Spratt

What are the Twelve Houses of the Zodiac?

The Houses represent different areas of experience within our lives from our ideas about our individuality, to our work life, relationships of all sorts, spiritual endeavors, and more.  Every planet and sign on your birth chart fall within a House. If the planets and signs are signposts on the map of your being, the Houses are the map itself.

When you have more than one planet in a House that can be an area of influence and importance in your life. For our purposes we’ll be focusing on the Moon’s position in your birth chart and what it says about your unique need for rest.

The Moon in the Houses

If you’ve signed-up for my Magick Mail newsletter, you’ll already have gotten access to my handout on the meaning of the Moon in each of the Twelve Houses. In general, the Moon highlights the emotional current of whatever House it's in (whether your natal Moon or a progressed Moon). But the Moon is the planet of rest and sleep (paired with Neptune) and it can be a sacred roadside indicating the way we need to rest. 

Look at your birth chart and find the symbol of the Moon on it. Notice what house it is in. In the chart below the Moon is in the Eleventh House. The Eleventh House is all about social groups, community, where we feel at home outside of our home, chosen family. In the Eleventh House The Moon focuses on or reveals how our individual emotional reality is connected to the shared emotional experience of the community at large. The Moon highlights what type of community we need to feel emotionally fulfilled, seen, and held. 

But what about rest? Usually, the gift of rest in each of the Houses is a break from whatever area of life that they represent. You can be a passionate entrepreneur but you still need a break from work to keep that passion well-cared for. You can be in the best, most romantic relationship, but you still need some alone time to recalibrate.

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The Houses of Rest

Once you have located the position of the Moon on your birth chart, you can refer to the following list for a simple reminder on one important way that you need to rest:

First House: Rest Yourself (i.e. stop worrying about others and focus on you slowing down)

Second House: Rest from Acquiring (i.e. buying things or acquiring "likes")

Third House: Rest from Social Media (and/or Studying, School, Learning)

Fourth House: Rest from or with Family

Fifth House: Rest from Making + Creating + Childcare (if applicable)

Sixth House: Rest from Day-to-Day Regime

Seventh House: Rest from Relationships (i.e. take some alone time)

Eighth House: Rest from Emotional Labor

Ninth House: Rest from Travel (including commutes + philosophical wanderings)

Tenth House: Rest from Work

Eleventh House: Rest from Service + Social Events

Twelfth House: Rest from Seriousness (i.e. go and play!)

You can also apply this list to the current Moon and learn what it is right now you should take a rest from. Tonight’s Full Moon is in Taurus at 11 degrees and 58 seconds. On our sample chart that would put the Moon in the Third House. The Third House represents learning, education, exchange of information, and social networks. The Third House Moon focuses on or reveals the ways we learn best in order to express ourselves emotionally. Additionally, the Moon in the Third House focuses on or reveals how we want to be cared for by our social networks or community. For our sample chart, there is a wonderful synchronicity between their natal Moon and the current Moon. A break is called for from social media and perhaps even social events. 

Photo by Giulia Bertelli

Herbs for Rest

What herbs support our journey of rest? Relaxing nervines are generally a good place to start and many of them are lunar in nature. Milky Oat (Avena sativa) is a favorite of mine. Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) helps move energy out of the head and into the body if you tend to overthink and analyze instead of relaxing. Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is relaxing and an excellent herbal ally for sleep. California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Rose (Rosa spp.), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), and Lavender (Lavandula spp.) are other restful options.

You can use these restful herbs in evening teas, herbal baths, and emotional bitters.

Using the Moon as our guide we can chart a path to a calm place of rest and rejuvenation. What House does your Moon fall in? Let me know in the comments. Want more Moon magick in your life? Come this way.

Blessed resting!