Journalist – “Why is it important, or why is it necessary, to sell bliss – why can’t you give it away”?

Osho Rajneesh – “No, because anything that is just given away is never taken by anybody. The higher the cost, the better people will keep it, save it in their treasuries. Give it free and it has no value –because people don’t understand value unless it has a price. They understand price, they don’t understand value”.


Disclaimer - This article is not meant for those occultists who choose to offer their services entirely for free. Let me begin by expressing my deepest respect for the astrologers and practitioners who provide free consultations. I know a few of them personally, and nothing written here applies to them. They operate on a much higher spiritual plane than I do, driven purely by divine love and a desire to serve humanity. Most of us have simply not reached that level yet.

Introduction - I always knew that sooner or later I would have to address the question of commercialization of astrology and occult services, though I wasn't sure exactly when. I owe a special thanks to the individual who left a review on my astrology app labeling me as being "Money Seekers Only." While this article isn't written solely because of that comment, legally speaking, it served as the "cause of action." Recently, I have either been receiving consultation requests from people expecting free advice, or facing observations that I am "too professional" in my approach. Now is the right time to address this sensitive subject and strike a fair balance between both parties involved: the counselor and the counselee.

To break down this analysis, we will explore the following points:

The Opinion of Other Astrologers

My Personal Opinion

The Most Important Things in Life

Free Information vs. Specific Questions

Free Services & Valid Reasons for Them

Conclusion

The Opinion of Other Astrologers - Since the reviewer used the phrase “Money Seekers Only,” I infer this critique was aimed not just at me, but at all practicing astrologers and occultists. This is a common hurdle, as every astrologer faces this question at some point in their career. While I cannot speak for everyone, I can share the perspectives I have heard from my peers.

Many astrologers point out that they have families to support and daily expenses to meet, making a fee necessary. Others argue that they invest heavily in their profession—purchasing books, creating videos, maintaining high-quality websites, and accommodating urgent consultation requests. Therefore, charging a fee is well within their rights.

However, the response that resonated with me most came from astrologer Alyssa Sharpe. In one of her videos, she noted: “Guys, if I start providing free services, you have to understand that I won't survive in this world without money, and I won't be able to do this for long. If you want to access my services long-term, you need to pay my due fee.” It was a refreshing dose of common sense, which is rare to find these days.

My Opinion - My perspective on this matter runs deep, so I ask for your patience as I break it down:

Is it wrong to seek money? What is inherently wrong with earning money? Why is it viewed so negatively? If someone is doing nothing illegal, there is no reason they shouldn't seek financial compensation. Viewing money as inherently negative is an ancient, deeply rooted trait in India. For centuries, we have condemned wealth, dismissing it as an illusion (maya) that won't stay with us. The end result? A country with one of the largest human resource pools in the world remains economically poor. This is the consequence of praising poverty and comforting the poor so they remain as they are. We will not become a rich nation until we transform our core concept of money and view it positively.

The Moral Argument: People often object, saying, "One should not profit from religious, spiritual, or divine matters, and astrology falls into that category." If that is the case, what have priests, clerics, and pundits been doing in temples, mosques, and churches for centuries? Are they not earning a living through these exact avenues? Everyone knows that religious leaders are appointed to their positions and receive proper salaries from either government bodies or religious trusts.

What is Most Essential for Life? - If you ask people what is most vital to living a meaningful life, you will get a wide array of answers: family, career, relationships, or children. In reality, oxygen is the most critical element for survival. Yet, almost no one lists it. Why? Because it is freely available. We don’t have to pay for it, so we assign it no conscious value. If we received a weekly bill for our oxygen intake, it would immediately top everyone's list. The most vital elements of our existence are given to us freely by Nature, yet we mistreat and destroy it because it costs us nothing. Paying for a consultation ensures that you actually value the advice given.

The Reality of Initial Free Services: - In my early days as an astrologer, I offered free consultations to friends and relatives. Surprisingly, I found myself chasing them down to ask if they had even read their reports. The typical response was, "Oh, I haven’t had time to check my email yet, I'll let you know." I am still waiting for feedback from at least five friends and relatives since 2014. Just last month, one of them told me they didn't even realize I had sent a report. They treat the service this way simply because no money left their pockets. Had they paid for it, they would have been eagerly refreshing their inbox.

The Question of Guarantees: Some argue, "Astrological predictions aren't 100% guaranteed to come true, so why should we pay?" By that logic, there is no absolute guarantee that a medical prescription will cure your illness, yet you still pay the doctor. There is no guarantee the food you eat will digest properly, yet you still buy and consume it. You cannot guarantee what the next moment of your life will bring, yet you still plan decades ahead for the future of unborn children.

Seriousness and Motivation: This is exactly what a financial transaction introduces to the dynamic. Money ensures that both the counselor and the counselee approach the work with serious intent. If you want someone to dedicate their genuine energy and focus to your problems, never ask them to do it for free. For mere mortals like myself, financial compensation is what drives professional focus. Furthermore, when I began charging a fee, my dedication to research deepened. I learned far more as a professional astrologer than I ever did as a hobbyist.

Ultimately, I advocate for anyone providing a lawful service to charge for their expertise. I refuse to participate in a mindset that vilifies wealth. I want to live in a society where everyone is prosperous enough to buy the products or services they desire without financial anxiety. Money needs to circulate freely for humanity to thrive.

Consider this: If I hold onto 1,000 Rs and refuse to spend it out of scarcity, that money retains a singular value of 1,000 Rs. But if I use it to buy a service, that money enters circulation. It passes through hundreds of hands, effectively generating over 1 Lakh Rs worth of value for multiple people in the economy. This is why we must recognize the vital importance of money and appreciate it.

Free Information vs. Specific Questions - This does not mean astrologers demand money for every single interaction. Almost every practitioner offers free information through articles, blogs, or videos. Like many others, I regularly answer casual queries throughout the day without expecting compensation. This is universal knowledge, easily accessible anywhere in the world, so charging for it makes no sense.

However, when you ask for a personalized, specific consultation, you are utilizing an individual's personal skills, intuition, time, and years of experience. In that scenario, compensation is earned, just as it is for a doctor, engineer, or any other professional.

Free Services & Valid Reasons - I am not entirely opposed to giving free consultations, and I do so when the circumstances truly warrant it. I am proud to share two stories where I offered free services due to my clients' hardships, but they flatly refused out of self-respect:

1. A student needed career guidance but was deeply anxious about the 1,500 Rs fee because she had no personal income. I told her I would send the report anyway and she could pay whenever she was able. She declined, stating she would wait until she could afford it. Three months later, she returned, booked the consultation, and paid using the savings she had accumulated.

2. A woman who had tragically lost both her parents early in life approached me. Recognizing her hardships, I offered my services for free. She politely declined, saying that while life had been incredibly tough, she was still capable of paying my fee.

The world is not black and white; it is a nuanced shade of grey, filled with all kinds of counselors and clients.

However, there must be a valid reason for free assistance. If someone lives in the USA, plans a holiday to Dubai to visit their partner, but claims they cannot afford a basic fee for relationship synastry, that is unacceptable. If someone’s social media is filled with selfies showcasing the latest iPhones and cars, yet they demand free advice, it is uncalled for.

To contrast, a genuine example involved the daughter of a military officer from Pakistan. She required guidance but could not send money because cross-border financial transactions are strictly monitored and could jeopardize her family's safety. This is a completely valid reason, and I provided her consultations happily and freely.

Conclusion - Our existence operates on the law of reciprocity. We rely on plants to give us oxygen, and plants rely on us to provide carbon dioxide. Neither can survive in isolation; our existence is entirely interdependent.

Similarly, the counselor and the client need one another. Since we must coexist, we must also cooperate. My point is not that every occultist is flawless, but rather that if someone spends their time, energy, and life force to help guide others, there is absolutely nothing wrong with them being a "money seeker."

To conclude, I will share another insight from Osho:

"Money is very important for a person to become spiritual. I will never condemn richness and praise poverty. I want humanity to live in such luxury that people eventually get bored of wealth. Only then can they realize the futility of money, making true spiritual progress possible. I am the Rich Man's Guru." - Osho

Postscript (P.S.): After originally writing this article, I decided to make my health consultations entirely free. Predictably, history repeated itself: 80% of the people who booked slots never called at their scheduled time. Some called hours late, and others ghosted entirely. When I took the initiative to call them after waiting, the common response was, "Oh, I just got caught up with some work. Anyway, tell me what you see in my chart."

Later, I tried offering consultations on a voluntary donation basis ("pay what you want") from mid-2024 to mid-2026. This resulted in non-serious individuals treating my time as a casual pastime by paying paltry amounts.

Ultimately, money is a necessary tool to enforce seriousness, respect, and accountability in human actions.

The comments section is open for discussion.

Gratitude!!!