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The charging of a fee came about because the founder of TM realized that Westerners didn't value something unless they paid for it. Once that started, one had to have accountants, lawyers, etc, created a large overhead. TO put that in perspective, however, the fee doesn't just pay for the 4-day class, but also for lifetime access to TM centers worldwide. That access is free-for-life in teh USA and AUstralia, but many countries charge a nominal fee after the first 6 months. . Also in the USA is a "statisfaction guarantee" offer: COmplete the 4 day class, attend the 10-day followup meeting and at least one "checking" session (can be at that 10-day meeting) and meditate for 30 of the first 60 days... If, by the end of 60 days, you decide TM isn't worth it, you can get your fee refunded, so essentially you learned TM for free, and had 60 days access to a atrained TM teacher for free, but you forgo the lifetime folllowup program if you request the refund. . Also (and this only applies if you didn't ask for your money back)... . I have a friend who has been teaching TM for 55 years. She literally wrote the most popular book on the subject — New York Times bestseller, one million copies in print, translated into 7 languages, the most recent edition published a couple of years ago and actively sold on Amazon, etc ( The TM Book: How to enjoy the rest of your life -older version and the TM & TM-Sidhis Book -latest version) — and she enjoys meeting TMers from all over the world, so she offers the same followup services a TM center does, for free, via zoom conferencing. Redditors from all over the world have taken her up on her offer and say that often intractable issues that their local TM teachers haven't been able to address, she manages to help them with. Fifty-five years of TM teaching experience is a quite a valuable resource, and she applies the US fee structure to the followup program she provides via Zoom. I.E. she does it for free. . So you get a lot for that fee besides a 4-day class. And TM has no "temples." TM isn't a religion. There are Roman Catholic priests and Jewish Rabbis who are trained TM teachers. In Oaxaca, Mexico, I understand village shaman, hand-picked by the village elders, teach TM. I have friends who taught the Voudon priest-king of a tiny African tribal kingdom TM and they said he expressed interest in becomeing a TM teacher. I know somoene who travelled to Mongolia to set up a TM center by request of the Mongolian government (cultural tidbit: one is not expected to drain the ceremonial cup of fermented mare's milk... oops).