Rant Amended

A couple of nights ago, I ranted about folks wanting to get paid to teach the occult arts. A couple of my fellow bloggers have since posted and I've had a question or two that I'd like to answer here.

Jason Miller posted a nice article using Bonewits as an example. I wasn't thinking of Isaac at all when I wrote mine but Jason read my mind. Standing around leading pagan circles a few times a year makes you an elder NOT! You're not an elder if you've done that for fifty years.

Elders are the shamans that guide us on our paths. They laugh with us and cry with us. They support us and kick our asses. This is their calling and they do it so well. Some day I may become an adept. I doubt I will ever become one of these.

RO posted today about a real reward, a true reward and it uplifted his heart, saved a life and a lifetime of heart ache for the parents. So now he may understand when I say that my mentor will be repaid by my own success and my passing on that success to another. We walk in the land of souls of which money is only a part.

I am answering a question here because I know that not everyone reads the comments section. I've been asked about how I feel about traditions other than mine that do charge.  My answer to that question is that I am completely ignorant of those other traditions and would not speak against them. In a way there is something refreshing about some one saying I will teach you X for Y. My rant was more directed along the lines of Jason's comments linked above.

On the other hand, I've been involved in one tradition that expects its young to serve those above them on the path through menial tasks and other such things. My observation is that this does little harm to those new to the path but gloriously inflates the egos of those that have already taken the long walk. This does not serve the ruling class well. That negative in turn does impact the younger folks and not for the better.