Honoring the Succession of Teachers
I use social media to connect with friends and share my creative work, like many people do. I've had different projects over the years, like blogging and running an online store. I don't do these things to make money. I have a regular job that pays my bills. My true passion is teaching. I want to share what I know to help others. I charge for my products just enough to cover the costs of running the business. For example, the money I make from my
Etsy shop goes right back into buying more supplies. I also give some of the money to local charities.
I often see influencers on social media who seem to care a lot about getting more followers. Some of them share useful things, but some don't. One thing I've noticed is that many of these influencers, don't seem to remember the importance of honoring their teachers. I'm not even sure if anyone teaches this anymore. It's about recognizing the people who came before you and taught you things.
In spiritual communities, we talk a lot about honoring our ancestors, but we don't always acknowledge our teachers. These are the people who taught us directly, shared information with us, or even showed us what not to do. They learned from their own teachers, and so on. If you're a spiritual person, it's your duty to honor this line of teachers.
Enter Denise Alvarado
One of my teachers is Denise Alvarado. I met her online in 2010 when I was writing a blog about witchcraft and hoodoo. She was writing
The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook and asked to use my entry
"A Doll to Trip Up Thieves" in her book. I said yes, we became friends and started working together on several efforts. We've done many projects together, including my first book
Secrets of a Sissy Boy. Other publications include:
Even though we've never met in person, Denise has taught me a lot about magic, hoodoo, and running a business. One of the most important things I learned from her is the idea of "lagniappe," which means giving something extra as a gift. What that means to me is to always give more than what people expect from you. There have been numerous times in which I have made a purchase from her and received a little something extra! In addition, I have also often received unexpected packages from her containing dried roots, stones, oils, dolls, etc...
The Lesson in Action
Like Denise, I always give more than people expect from me. When you make a purchase from my Etsy Store, you get more than just what you expect. Most of my protect are books, so when you purchase a book from 12th House Books, you'll likely also receive the following:
- A handwritten thank you note
- Witchy Stickers
- A random Affirmation card.
- A random bookmark
In fact, during the month of February I am also including a Valentine Card as well as a Lucky Red Envelope left over from Lunar New Year. These envelopes include a random tarot card, a random Chinese Fortune, and a random sticker. Other items such as tarot decks, come with a reading cloth and a crystal.
By always giving more than people expect, I am honoring the teacher who imparted the lesson. It's not just about the physical gifts themselves, but about the spirit behind them. It's about recognizing the value of generosity and passing that value on. Denise shared this concept with me, and by incorporating it into my own business practices, I'm acknowledging her influence and keeping that tradition alive. It's a way of showing respect and gratitude for her teaching and ensuring that the lesson of generosity continues to be shared with others. It's a small way of saying thank you and acknowledging the impact she's had on my approach to business and my interactions with customers.
Links
Carolina Dean
Janitor, School-of Life
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