I don't really have an answer for you other than it mystifies me too, and it probably contributes to the sleazy "get rich quick" image of this kind of metaphysical knowledge.

I wouldn't be so bold as to classify myself as a "Law of Attraction teacher" but I see no reason to charge others for the knowledge that I'm able to share with others.

There is a valid argument that people pay more attention to things that they have paid for but that still probably doesn't justify some of the "Get the secrets of life here for $49.99...today only!" hype-filled tactics that go on. But, hey, second-hand car salesmen have been making a living from doing it for years :)

Perhaps I'm missing something but the way I see it is that if the knowledge that is being taught really works and you truly believe in an abundant universe, you'd just apply it yourself to create a wonderful life and not worry about sharing it freely with whoever wants to know.

It reminds me a bit of the Pope (apparently God's representative on Earth) riding around in a bulletproof car. Faith in action? :)

(No offence intended to any Roman Catholics here, just an observation)

EDIT

I've been pondering over this a bit wondering why people, including myself, get a little frustrated at this sort of thing.

It occurred to me that these people are not really teachers in the sense that we imagine great spiritual teachers to be but rather people running a business who are actually just out to sell as much of their products as possible.

Abraham once commented that a number of those involved in The Secret movie hadn't even heard of the Law of Attraction before they were approached to be experts on it for that movie. And, with the absence of Abraham, their status in that movie has been elevated and I think a few of those business people have simply cashed in...as any good business-person would probably would.

It's not really their fault. It's how they make a living and with all the interest in The Law of Attraction, they've simply capitalized on that business opportunity.

So, perhaps this frustration about these people is probably more to do with a mismatch of what we think a teacher should be (genuine caring for students) versus what some of those folks really are...shrewd business people.

You Have learned a lesson I take .Enjoy learning from the matrial that you have recieved.I have not yet paid for any LOA stuff-

Abraham -Hicks has a free email they send everyday .PSI-TEK has many free LOA books online (Thanks Simon..See link at the bottom of this page)and so does google books.This site alone is a teasure of LOA wisdom. Keep the internet free. Sharing is caring. I have other stuff that I have found torrents for.and those I have obtaianed on a intsallment plan. I intend to pay for the material when the resourses appear.

peace

I won't name the lady, but I recently went on the website of a well-known LOA "Teacher". She is within the inner circle of famous LOA folks who endorse each other's books and so forth. To my surprise, she had her life's story on the website, but when you arrived at the last two chapters, they were "for sale". You could not read the last two chapters without paying for them. I clicked onto the payment page to see how much she was charging, out of curiosity, and not only was she charging for the last chapters, but in TINY print, I discovered that as one purchased the chapters, you were also agreeing to subscribe to a private section of her website for $19.95 per month, which could only be dropped later by jumping through hoops. I was astonished at her unethical grab for money. When I went to her comments page a lot of people were complaining about the $19.95 per month charge, and her reply was that if you were properly using the LOA you would have no problem coughing up the 19.95! True story but not so funny.

Be careful! As Vesuvius mentions, there is nothing wrong with expectation for payment of helpful information. But when someone appears to be tricking people or in any way it doesn't feel legitimate, then go the other way, with LOA or anything else.

With respect to "doing it for free..."

There's nothing wrong with money, and there is nothing wrong with charging for your services if they have value to other people. Money is just a medium of exchange, a convenience so that we no longer have to barter. Would you work a job for free?

With respect to the marketing techniques...

I don't buy from merchants who use these kind of "bait and switch" marketing techniques; it is a real turnoff for me. But apparently many other people do, because these marketing techniques are still used in abundance. Why do merchants use these techniques? Because they work.