Is there any rhyme or reason to how spiritual work is priced within Haitian Vodou? I see a lot of really high pricing for things like readings and then really low pricing for other things and I am trying to figure out what's worth my money and what's not.
Yes, there is some traditional pricing for things and some logical thought processes that go into that.
In traditional Haitian Vodou, divination is largely done with a prepared deck of playing cards and it referred to as a leson/lesson or fe kat yo/making or doing the cards. It is straightforward and uncomplicated; the priest prays, lights a candle (usually a small white taper), pours out some water and kleren or white rum, and lays out the cards on a laye/flat woven basket, the ground, or maybe on a table. Most priests I have sat with for a card reading start with a basic look at who you are and what’s going on, and then address specific questions or situations you want the guidance of the lwa on. It is not read as Tarot is read, in that the cards tell a story, but it is directly reaching to the lwa. The priest is the conduit/translator, and the cards are the tool.
Traditional readings cost in the ballpark of $57 in whatever currency you are working with. I charge $60 to keep it round and easy on electronic payment methods, some folks charge $55…but most keep it in that range. There’s nothing extra for the seeker to provide–no moushwa, no candle–and it’s not something that needs a lot of prep work. Like, if you call me on the phone and I am free, I will tell you to send the money over and we’ll get to it. Not a whole lot of mystery to be found.
I personally do not understand high prices for readings from folks who claim traditional or “real” Haitian Vodou. Like, when you are getting into prices of that are closing in on $150-$200+ for a reading, might as well save a few bucks and talk to a traditional priest about calling a spirit into their head to have a face-to-face chat, because that’s what you’re in the ballpark of price-wise. If you can afford that, why not do it? People are often willing to pay higher prices for what really should be basic services because the packaging is lovely or the personality is charismatic. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s important to go into things with eyes wide open; do you want a reading, or do you want a reading from This Person With A Name? No real wrong answer here because it’s about what you want and what you are looking for, but it’s generally a good practice to be honest about what you want because it will reflect what you get.
Spiritual work certainly is work and should be paid for, but let’s be real…ain’t no one in Haiti charging huge amounts for a reading. For folks there, coming up for a fee for a reading can be hard enough never mind a high fee that is more money that most people make in a month. In Haiti, spiritual work and consulting with the lwa is not a luxury item; instead, it is a means for survival. You have a problem, you consult the lwa and figure out what to do.
Outside of Haiti, I firmly believe that readings should be exactly what they are: the doorway in which to seek the lwa. As a priest, it is literally the ground floor of what I can provide for someone who needs or wants to speak with the lwa, in that I cannot do anything cheaper for someone. If you have nothing else you can do, at least you can consult the lwa, ask them for their input, hear what they have to say for you, and talk it through to see what we can do together–like, I can tell you things you can do for yourself and give you recipes and outlines of how to do it. That should be as accessible as possible for folks.
And, if I ask for a high fee for a reading upfront, what does that mean for the person who has scraped that together because they need answers and gets answers in the form of ‘you need to do bigger work that will cost money’? I would much rather they save their money and put it towards what they need, whether it turns out to be spiritual work or bus fare.
After that, it sort of comes down to common sense stuff. I wouldn’t expect to see spiritual work that costs less than a reading because it doesn’t make sense with time, ingredients, and the expertise of the priest.
An example: I make a lot of spiritual baths for clients. What does that mean? It means I pull out a big ol’ basin and start mixing ingredients that I have sourced, paid for in the client’s name, and prepared in the way I have been taught. Ingredients can be leaves/plants/roots, oils, powders, colognes/perfumes, food items, items specific to the spirits overseeing the construction of the bath, and on. Most baths have 10 or more ingredients. Many baths are prepared on the pwen/point of a spirit which requires songs and prayers specifically for them and potentially some offerings. Many baths have to be made on the correct day for the purpose or the spirit(s) associated, and, most importantly, they are made specifically for the person who has purchased the bath. Like, some baths can be made in a large batch and portioned out (and that’s a way to make things more affordable for popular baths that aren’t tailored for one person’s conditions), but most are made based on divination or dreams and instructions from the lwa.
So…a bath for $50 isn’t really possible. Like, many times, that’s not even going to cover the ingredients that go into it never mind the priest paying the spirits for their work, the time it takes to make the bath, or even paying themselves.
And then there’s the administration of the bath; if you want a priest to administer it to you (a really awesome thing if you can swing it), if you aren’t going to them you’re going to need to cover their travel to you. If the bath is being shipped, it’s the cost of packaging and shipping added in. I ship all baths ‘wet’/fully prepared (it’s important to me that someone gets the full benefit of a bath made by my hands), so it’s careful packaging to make sure it gets to someone whole, and it’s gonna be a heavy package.
So, a lot of it is both knowing what you are purchasing and what that object or service entails. Since many/most spiritual baths sold online are dry, bulk-produced baths, folks sit back a little when they hear the price for a traditionally prepared bath…and that’s totally understandable since folks haven’t seen it before. When a paket kongo is presented online as a folded up paper packet tied with twine and a cowrie shell, it’s understandable that someone might get ruffled with the price of an actual paket kongo, which essentially has a spirit mounted inside of it for the purchaser.
The bigger the work, the more the price will increase. If someone wants a spiritual treatment (alongside their medical treatment) for a severe illness, the price will reflect the severity because bigger interventions will be needed. If it is initiation, the price will reflect the 14 days or so of ceremony done for you, and all that goes with it. Most priests are able to give you a thumbnail sketch of what is needed (drummers, animals, food, people to help, etc) and, perhaps most importantly, the price is not going to change drastically at the last minute. For big stuff, most priests are not making money and often work out of pocket to make sure things are done completely. I’ve watched priests eat unexpected costs or last minute price increases (happens ALL THE TIME in Haiti…when the person who is selling the chickens knows you are buying them for ceremony, they are suddenly very expensive chickens) because it’s simply not fair to ask someone who has scrimped and saved to meet the price necessary to fork over more last minute.
Many priests will tell you the spirits set the prices, and that’s very true most of the time. If a spirit(s) has stepped forward to oversee the work, they will often tell the priest how to price it because the money is theirs…the priest is the tool, the spirits are the mechanic and the battery all wrapped up into one. Sometimes priests will negotiate with the spirits on behalf of the client, sometimes the price is just the price and the spirits can work with the person to make it happen. There are definitely traditional ‘payment plans’ of sorts (Haitians love a good sòl) and all sorts of stuff.
There’s also a lot a priest can help you with without having you buy a lot of product or services. Like, if someone is starting out with the lwa and needs to set-up a table, I can tell you how to set a table for your personal lwa. If you are in a situation where you need to do something but can’t afford work, I can do my best to give you options that you can make with your own two hands and your prayers. Not everything requires money, and most priests go out of their way to help folks who are sincerely trying to do their best.
I hope this answers your question, please let me know if I can explain anything more thoroughly.
