Spiritual truth or just a marketing strategy?

Here's where I blow the lid on "spiritual truths" around making money and how they may be a myth or simply some ideas wrapped up in marketing strategies. I can't be the only one to be seeing this but since I keep seeing it all over the internet still I think many of us are still missing out on some discernment so here it is.

Let me start by asking a question first. "If something is truly worth learning, something is truly worth impacting the world, then why is it not common knowledge or made accessible to most people?". You can apply this question to anything. Why is so much financial education locked behind paywalls? Why is healing locked behind paywalls? When we are concerned about our planet and truly want to see the world be a more peaceful place...but then why are so many seemingly selling these so called "hidden" truths that no one else knows? Why are we not talking about it? This isn't just about asking for fair compensation for our time, business, or personal growth. This goes beyond it. Let's see if you can tell what I'm talking about.

Here's an example I came across recently. A online spiritual guru talking hype about their program and how they will teach you how to make over 100k for only $99. In the video, they guilt trip the consumer, making them feel as though they are missing out on something. Telling them they're missing a golden opportunity to make money for only $99. They convince the viewer that all they need to do is take this risk, purchase their program, and what are they waiting for? Only $99 to make your first 100k! There's a passive but very real cognitive gap here...and it's called marketing strategy.

In a similar video of this same person selling their program, they talk about why they think the viewers pause at a checkout, encouraging them to take the leap, and not to question further. Does this make you feel yucky? It does for me. Why? Because if anyone ever tries to convince you that you just need to take a leap of faith without asking questions or doing more research, they most likely don't care about you or your growth....just what goes into their banks accounts.

Here's where it can get tricky. Not everyone is trying to scam you. Not every spiritual guru or business person is trying to be yucky and mean. They've just also fallen for the same problems of navigating a system where we have to find ways to survive. So we lock in. We find strategies and for many those strategies work. What a lot of spiritual guru programs seem to me is more about creating an illusion that you are missing out on something deeper, and of course they have the magic cure or answer...you just have to pay them to find out.

Here's the truth bomb I'll leave here. A lot of what spiritual guru's are calling "tapping into the frequency of wealth"....is just using regular old psychology, marketing strategies, and telling people what to value. Because in truth, many of us have been programmed to be taught how to value literally everything. We haven't been taught how to develop our own discernment or how to recognize the TRUE value of something...not just what we are told about it. And price tagging is another way to tell people how to value something. If it's worth more...then it must be worth it. Or is it?

Many things in this world that are truly priceless and deserving of recognition and high value often go unnoticed, unrecognized, and underutilized. People walk past truly beautiful and deeply transformative things because they don't know how to pause, trust what their gut is telling them, and to ask questions or show curiosity. They chase flashy tactics, charisma, and feelings. There are many tools and resources that transformed my life, not because they had a high price tag or someone sold them to me...many of those things were completely free and accessible. They're available to you right now.

So the next time you see some person selling something in one of your facebook or instagram reels telling you to just buy their product and you feel a hesitation? Trust that pause. Always ask questions, do a little research, and listen to your heart. Often, even though we don't see or understand what's really going on behind the scenes, we still pick up on and our body and heart know more than we intellectually do. Trust that little spidey sense because sooner or later you will find out why.

So why wouldn't paying for a program for $99 be worth it if it meant you could make 100k? Well, let's break it down. If you came across a video selling you this, first ask, how well do you know this person? Even if they seem genuine and they aren't necessarily trying to scam, do you personally know if that program is going to work for you? It might have worked for the seller...or is it only because they've created an illusion that they made money and now they're tricking you to believe it too? What's the strategies they teach to get to 100k? Are these things you could figure out yourself with a little structure and discipline on your own? Probably. There's truly no magic secret to attracting wealth. Sure, we can talk about things like knowing your worth, reclaiming dignity, being confident and savvy about how you sell your services. But truly? The biggest thing that attract good to you is just simply practicing gratitude, connecting with your deeper purpose, and being authentic.

Practicing gratitude helps us see what's working well for us. It helps us stay in a mindset that keeps us going. Practice a gratitude mindset and really you'll get a lot further than I'm sure a lot of these gurus will get you. Is it wrong to tap into psychology and marketing strategy to make money? Well, how does it make you feel? Does it make you feel that you are truly living your life and breaking free from the system, from hustle culture, and from the grind? Or is it just another way to navigate an already broken system that dehumanizes every experience and interaction we have with one another especially in business?

Here's a personal story that sent me literally over the ledge not too long ago because this person I was working with stayed focus on marketing strategy, profit over people, and ignored human decency.

I was scrolling on facebook when I saw her sweet face pop up talking about empowering other healers. Her advertisement seemed genuine, she seemed genuine, and I looked into her website for more information. I sniffed around for awhile until I finally felt this might be something actually worth my time and might help me out of some blocked areas in my life. So I went ahead and booked a discovery call.

This person really seemed to know what she was talking about. I felt completely validated on that phone call with her. She acknowledged I was burnt out and overwhelmed and that moving forward she was confident she could help me. I asked questions and she showed me the structure of her program and what we would be working on each week. I was sold. Truly. I needed help and felt really connected to this person. Even though it was within a affordable price range, I had to ask my husband to help me out. So, I told her this. I explained I really couldn't afford this and I wanted to be absolutely certain this would work out. She sent back a thoughtful email explaining everything.

But then..

I went to the first group meeting. I started checking out her book and program...

I started engaging...

and everything felt....flat. wrong. Like something was missing.

During the group meeting she just led basic meditations and somatic exercises. She didn't ask or tune into the group. In fact, I noticed this mismatch right away. She never asked any of the group members what they wanted to work on...she just assumed. And this assuming carried on through the online group and when I talked to her. I finally reached out and shared my concerns. I felt like a lot of what the program was teaching was very basic things, a lot of tools I already knew about and used . Her response alarmed me because she was dismissive and kept telling me to just do the work. I was already working through the first week program. After two weeks I just could tell this was already exhausting me and not going to be what I thought it was. I tried to explain it to her, tried to reason...I asked for a refund.

I was told no.

I asked if she could meet half way with me because she knew what I was going through, I had told her my current financial situation, and had just gotten out of a car accident, could she sell me just the book? Or maybe she could consider a partial refund? I didn't realize this wasn't for me and I don't want to lose out here.

No.

My heart dropped.

This wasn't about helping me. It was another person claiming to have "found their worth" and in doing so they fell for the trap our system has so programmed into us and dehumanized their process in their business dealings.

Money lost in exchange for nothing.

Just a very difficult lesson.

So, please learn from my mistake. If someone doesn't offer a refund or is willing to work with you...take that as a red flag. Whether you are a business person, a healer, a spiritual guru, or just someone who gives a crap about other humans in the business process, please let's change how we do things. It would have cost that person nothing to offer a partial refund. It cost me everything and cost them greatly. It cost them my trust, their reputation, and continuing to perpetuate the imbalance in the way we treat one another in business and economy.

We are not products to sell. We are people. And we deserve more respect even in business. People over profit doesn't make less money, by the way. It should make you more of a success...because then people trust you, they trust in the value of the relationship with you, and they trust the service you provide. And if you are a consumer, don't buy into the marketing strategies. You're worth more than that and deserve to be cared about more than just a sum of money showing up in someone's bank account.

I hope I can live up to a better standard and I hope that the way I do business truly helps people feel cared for. Sure, I want to make money and be successful, but not at the cost of taking advantage of other people. I hope we can change the way we do business and economy because honestly, I'm so sick of this I might throw up the next time I see someone selling some program telling us we just need to change our "frequency" to attract wealth.

What do you think? Have you noticed these common seller strategies? Have you ever fell for one or feel annoyed with it too?

Leave a comment below!

With much love <3

-Angela Becker