What is your first impression when you see the title Reverend attached to a name? What if the title were Pastor, Minister, or Priest? How about Doctor of Divinity or Doctor of Metaphysics? Most people would assume the person to whom the title is attached is learned in Holy Scriptures and/or has otherwise endured years of instruction in an accredited school of some type of spiritual discipline. But what happens when we peel back the skein of the title? What do we find?
The world, it seems, is consumed with self-exalted and self-honorific titles for those in positions of seeming leadership or influence. And nowhere is this becoming more prominent than it is within the holistic healing and metaphysical communities, especially within the facet of energy-based healing practitioners and those who use such titles as Spiritual Intuitive, Psychic, or Life Coach to help describe their services.
While there are numerous ministers in these fields who have studied in earnest within an academic setting, and through such have truly acquired a formal degree through application of hard work, an outstanding larger number have not. This can be very misleading to clients and potential clients who may see such titles as validating the practitioner’s or teacher’s standing. Some practitioners and teachers simply use the title with the sole purpose to deceive, others – some with intention to deceive and some who are merely naïve but well-meaning – apply the titles for ‘puffing’ and thus purchase their ordination/certification through one of a number of Internet websites which cater to those who desire an exalted and honorific title “for whatever reason” (actual quote from an online ordination site!), without ever opening a book or stepping foot into a classroom.
Ordination websites offer titles of every kind: Master of Wicca, Doctor of Divinity, Guru, Priest, Priestess, Reverend, Shaman, and more, without educational requirements of any kind, and are making incredible profits from unlearned holistic and metaphysical students, practitioners, and teachers. They sell pieces of paper, for as litle as $29.95 (some even free) with whatever kind of title or ordination the heart desires. They are equally prepared to sell you proper religious attire, offer correspondence courses (everything from Christian ministry to Wicca – all in one-stop shopping), lapel pins, bumper stickers, books, certifications for whatever you can think of (from “Good Standing” to “Marriage Certificates” and beyond), and even press pass cards among a slew of other gadgets and trinkets and hoopla. The more one has in terms of these items, the easier it is for the owner of same to deceive clients … and perhaps even themselves.
Within the energy-based healing and metaphysical communities there is a major misconception that having such a title and running the operation as a “spiritual or religious business” (be aware that many truly are intended that way) allows one certain tax breaks and advantages such as often associated with churches, tabernacles, temples, and other spiritual/religious businesses. Under such circumstances, some teachers and practitioners are using these empty loopholes for the purpose of avoiding taxes. And often discover, too late, the breaks were not so advantageous.
If you are considering hiring a teacher/practitioner who also claims any sort of spiritual/religious ordination, and if the ordination is one of the factors playing into your decision to hire, be sure to ask about the stated title (and all other credentials as well) – through whom and where was the ordination received? How many years were spent in study and training? What are the names of the instructors the person learned under? Once you have all the information you request, be sure to research the claims and sources. If it is important to you, do a little footwork to find out how legitimate the title really is – bear in mind these online ordinations are considered legal in many areas! You just may end up saving yourself tremendous hassles in the long run.
