Is there or isn’t there a conflict between being spiritual and making money?
Is there an inherent rub between having a Yoga business and generating prosperity, between being wealthy and being a Yogi?
I’m propose that not only is there zero conflict, pursuing business success aligns fully with the purpose of a spiritual life!
To make my case, I’m going to discuss two important principles, Artha and Satya.
The Spiritual Importance of Generating Wealth
The Puruṣārtha are the four main stages or phases that a spiritual layperson should pursue in life. They are the pursuit of living according to principles, pleasure, material gain and then liberation.
For the purposes of this article, let’s focus our attention on material gain, or Artha.
As with most Sanskrit terms, Artha can be defined in a variety of ways, and each way is open to interpretation depending on one’s worldview and lineage. For me, Artha refers to the part of life associated with wealth and prosperity. Buying property, owning things, assets. Gaining employment, staring a business, saving. Having the capacity to care for oneself and others.
Too often Yoga teachers approach their profession with a belief that generating abundance through their businesses is somehow ‘unyogic’. Many teachers feel that it is somehow less spiritual (whatever that means) to desire financial security and stability.
The Puruṣārtha remind us that this is simply not the case.
In scripture including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata we are reminded of the importance of Artha, of creating and managing wealth and seeking worldly success. You could say that shirking the creation of abundance is, in fact, failing to adhere to one of the four purposes of human life.
The Truth about Your Classes’ Worth
The second principle to discuss today is Satya.
Satya refers to truthfulness. Again, it can be defined in many ways with many nuances. For us today, let’s define it to mean not only the importance of not telling lies, but also being truthful and virtuous with ourselves not only in what we say, but how we think and the actions we take. It implies honesty and transparency. Specifically let’s turn our attention to how this principle applies to the rates we charge in class.
When I first moved to the country and started teaching here my classes were $5 each. Anyone could come and the rate was always the same: a fiver.
It took some years for me to recognise that this rate was actually dishonest.
As a 30-some year practitioner who’s been teaching for almost 10 years and had the very good fortune to study with some of the world’s best teachers, my classes were worth more than five dollars.
Charging so low was wrong action rather than right action. It was a misalignment with the actual value of what I have to offer. I was being dishonest with myself when I was undercharging so radically for my services.
Weaving these Concepts Together
Now let’s bring these two ideas together.
Yoga itself teaches us that to be well-rounded, spiritual householders we have a responsibility to generate wealth and financial security. And we also have a responsibility to think, speak and act in honest and truthful ways.
I work with many Yoga teachers who have a strong aversion to these ideas, especially when we weave them together. And yet here it is: Yoga tells us that it’s good to support ourselves well through a dharmic path such as teaching Yoga. As we pursue that path we should be speaking the truth about our worth, rates and prices.
My chronic undercharging had nothing to do with my identity as a Yogini. My undercharging was actually all about my upbringing and the stories I’d adopted from my parents about wealth, prosperity and what it meant to be ‘good people’.
It wasn’t until I got honest with myself and recognised what was actually true that I could start valuing my classes for what they were worth, and charging accordingly.
How Do You Know What Your Class Is Worth?
I remember being at a Yoga festival in Bulgaria. I was taking a class with the incredible Annie Carpenter. We were exploring some standing poses and Annie was moving around the room offering verbal adjustments.
When she approached my mat she looked at my front leg and gave me a tiny, super-specific micro adjustment as a verbal cue. It was so masterful that when I did as she instructed the entire pose opened up.
I didn’t say anything but she must have seen the look on my face because she said, ‘Yep, I’ve just changed your life”. And she was right!
We can never know how valuable a single class can be to a student. And, I’d argue, it’s not our job to know. It IS our job to prepare, study and teach well. And it is also our job to charge what we know, truthfully, to be what we feel we’re worth.
Stop Benchmarking Against Your Competitors!
When I open these conversations with my clients many of them feel that before they can list the new price that feels right on their websites and share it in their newsletters, they need to check out what other teachers in their towns are charging.
This is wrong.
Having worked with thousands of Yoga teachers on their businesses, I know for sure that too many teachers have yet to appreciate the importance of prosperity and being truthful (i.e. Artha and Satya) in their vocation.
This means that benchmarking against our local ‘competitors’ has us comparing ourselves to those who are still undercharging.
Just as a rising tide raises all boats… a lowering tide… well, you know what I mean!
Rather than seeking external validation for your new, shiny rates, spend time going within. Seek the prices, the energetic resonance that feels right, for the equitable, truthful, honest value of your offerings.
What if people stop coming?
I remember spending a summer in Edinburgh and reading the notice board at a local wholefoods store, hunting for some Yoga classes to attend.
There was a lot on offer, but one class in particular jumped out at me. The description sounded like the type of practice I enjoy. The teacher’s photo looked warm and welcoming. The location, dates and times were perfect.
But she was charging £5 a class.
So I didn’t go.
Why? Because I assumed that such a cheap class must not be very good quality.
Many teachers become preoccupied worrying that students will stop coming when the prices go up. But it works in reverse, too. People will make value judgments based on the price of your class. Too expensive AND too cheap.
I remember when I put the prices up in my Yoga classes to a point where I was — by far — the most expensive teacher in town (remember my point above about those sinking boats!) Some of my students stopped coming, for sure. I think two of them stopped coming. But no one else stopped coming. And new people started coming because the price I was charging aligned with the value I was giving.
When you take the time to consider your new prices, being truthful with yourself and fully embracing your right to generate prosperity, it may mean that your ideal student or audience shifts temporarily. You may need to do some additional marketing to fill some gaps but there are people out there who want what you have and value investing in themselves.
As householder-practitioners we have a responsibility to pursue prosperity and financial security. And also as householder-practitioners we must do this in honest and truthful ways, with others and with ourselves.