Everyday Woo Lite (Volume 5)
Unlocking accessibility to spiritual services. Plus, a way to infuse a little fall magic into your house. No Witch Degree required.
Everyday Woo is a place for the woo curious to learn a little more about tarot and spirituality in a not-too-serious way. Here’s what I’m thinking about this week…
✨ Spirituality for All: Using a Sliding Scale to Unlock Accessibility
The first time I sought out a tarot reading, I had no idea how much it would cost. You know that mountain climber game on the Price is Right? The one where the contestants have to guess the prices of a series of items and, if they are too far off, the poor little yodeling dude plummets to his death off of the edge of the mountain? Yeah. If tarot card readings were a product on that game while I was playing, poor Hans would be a lederhosen-wearing pancake.
I seriously underestimated the prices I saw when I clicked through on the sites of well-known readers. And I’m a little ashamed to admit that I scoffed at them. Are you kidding me? How does this person get off on asking hundreds of dollars just to turn over a few cards?!
Now that I’ve started my own tarot business, I understand just how flawed that reaction is. What appears to be an easy way to make a chunk of change in exchange for a party trick is much, much more complicated. You’re paying for a reader’s time, yes, but you are also paying for access to the parts of her that aren’t easy to quantify: her energy, her abilities and her vulnerability. Connecting with source is exhausting. Reading for folks fatigues me in a way that I was unprepared for the first time I felt it. After completing 50+ readings, I get why the prices are high.
A lot of buzz around starting your own business tells you to value yourself and make sure that your prices reflect that value. When I built my website for Quiet Tarot, I had no clue how to price my readings other than that I’d better make them ~expensive~ to reflect the message that I was a serious reader, not like those gimmicky ones that slide into your Instagram DMs and promise you all the answers in the world for a low rate of $5.55.
I set some prices and didn’t think much more about it. People were willing to pay. I had clients. No problem, right? I’d increase my prices as necessary as I gained more experience and my demand went up. It’s just business.
But therein lies the problem: as spiritual practitioners, we cannot simply see our offerings through the lens of business. We are dealing with people, which means that, due to classism and capitalism, some folks will have more direct access to our offerings than others. And that just didn’t sit right with me. I’m a public school teacher who sees how our society gives some people more than they need while flicking crumbs at others. And it’s not because they didn’t “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” or whatever post-WW2 aphorism you want to use. It’s because the system is fucked. And it’s unfair.
It’s easy to say, “Well, that ain’t my problem” and keep on keepin’ on. It’s certainly easier and probably way more business-savvy. But this line of thinking kept tugging at me: how can I infuse accessibility into my offerings while still honoring my talents and time?
This is a big question with a lot of different answers that will probably shift, change and grow as I evolve as a reader and an entrepreneur. But I do know that the first step is to adopt a more equitable pricing structure.
A sliding scale means that the same product is offered at different price points so that folks can choose the one that is most comfortable for them and their pocketbooks. In theory, everyone would understand their place in the capitalistic hierarchy in relation to others and choose the price that matched what they are able to give comfortably.
But capitalism is a bitch and operates under the idea of scarcity: you can be completely comfortable and still have the low clouds of possible financial ruin hanging over you, because capitalism teaches us that you could “lose it all” if you’re not careful. We’ve been conditioned to see a lower price as a “deal” and to separate this choice to pay a lower price from its impact. It’s just smart to pay less…at least that’s what every commercial ever has told us. This makes us hesitant to choose the level on the scale that actually matches where we’re at: we often underestimate what we can truly give.
This is the biggest reason business owners don’t use a sliding scale: they fear people will take advantage of it. And you know what I think? Some people will. It’s due to society’s refusal to openly discuss systemic things like class. So, what is there to be done? Ditch the sliding scale all together?
In my view, the answer is to educate your customers about a few things:
What they’re really paying for (I mean, be honest without slipping into martyrdom)
How the sliding scale functions and how abuse of it actually takes away access to someone who might need it
How to figure out where they fit on the scale without making it overwhelming and confusing
This is the part of the essay where I’m supposed to give you my hot tips on how to do the above. SORRY I don’t know yet because I am still figuring it out. But I will tell you that this graphic, which was shared with me by a friend (shout out to Priya!), is going to be instrumental in getting my own sliding scale sorted.
And even better? After clicking through to find out more about the creator of the graphic, I realized that there are people in the magickal community who are already doing this! Alexis J. Cunningfolk, a herbalist over at Worts and Cunning, has so many wonderful resources about incorporating accessibility and intersectionality into your own practice, whether you’re reading for others or just wanting to understand how to approach it more holistically. Their original post explains the philosophy behind a sliding scale, and their updated reflection addresses pitfalls and potential solutions.
So, whether you’re a business owner or just a woo curious person who wants access to spiritual offerings, marinate on this perspective for a bit. Looking to get a reading and feeling some sticker shock? Dig deep and ask yourself what you can truly give in exchange when you seek out a service. Financial literacy isn’t sexy, but it is a tool to fight against oppression.
There is so much more to say on this topic, so stay tuned as I explore yet another weird Venn diagram: the one between business owner and advocate.
🍁A Magical Fall Potion (Whether You Identify as a Witch or Not)
When I was a kid, my sister and I spent hours outside collecting random shit, putting it in a rusty old bucket, adding water, and stirring our “potion” with a long stick. This concoction usually included seed pods, lichen, acorns, dead leaves…if we found it in the woods that lined our mid-Missouri home, it went in the bucket.
At the time, I didn’t realize how universal this childhood activity was, but this meme confirmed that we were not the only Witches in Training at the tender age of 8:
As an adult, I am forever looking for activities that make me feel like a kid again. Now that I live in the city, it’s not as simple to go outside and collect a bucket full o’ stuff (though not impossible, it might be filled with White Castle wrappers and cigarette butts, which somehow doesn’t hit the same).
The adult version of my childhood potion is, in my view, a simmer pot. Sounds very witchy, right? And it’s literally the exact same concept…except this time, you turn on the stove and add things that actually smell good and don’t turn into some weird swamp water. You bring your mixture to a low simmer, and voilà, your house smells like Williams Sonoma, minus the overpriced cheese graters.
Here’s how to make your own indoor fall wonderland:
Step 1: Grab your pot. I use my Dutch oven for this choose-your-own-adventure activity because it’s sufficiently deep and, well, I use my Dutch oven for everything.
Step 2: Collect your goodies. Honestly, I’m all about the “use what you’ve got” method: orange peels, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, random tea sachets that you don’t plan on using…it all works. Essential oils can be a good addition, as well as any whole spices like star anise.
Step 3: Add enough water to completely cover all of the contents of your pot and give it a stir. Ah, childhood nostalgia serotonin.
Step 4: Turn your burner on to medium-high and bring your blend to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to low and let everything simmer. Don’t leave your pot unattended (duh), and check on it every hour or so. Add water as necessary, give it a stir, and marvel at how your house slowly starts to smell like a Bath and Body works candle.
Simmer pots can be used more than once, but I’ve found that, after sitting cold for awhile, they get kinda gross, so you can compost the contents once you’ve enjoyed your creation. Very Earth Witch vibes.
Let me know what concoctions you craft, and enjoy getting in touch with your inner child and your inner witch at the same time.
Mantra for the week: I rest to rest. I commit to this with the same level of intentionality that I bring to other areas in my life.
Go forage for some supplies for your simmer pot, in your yard or your kitchen pantry. I’ll be taking a break next week so that I can recharge and visit my partner, but I’ll be back in November to chat about how to use imagery to enhance your intuition and what to do when you’re just not feeling spiritually connected. 🌻
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Wow wow Katie - this was excellent. I honestly hadn't thought much about sliding scales and just assumed that if I couldn't afford a service, I'd have to do without. Thank you for considering financial accessibility and sharing the resources you used to develop your policies!