The Gift of Receiving - It Takes Practice

“The sun is the wine, the moon is the cup. Pour the sun into the moon if you want to be filled.” ~ Sufi poet Hafiz

Without the cup it would be hard to get that drink of wine. It’s the balance, like giving and receiving. If you want to be filled up you must give and receive. How many of you find it difficult to receive a gift? A gesture of help? A compliment? A friend offering to pay for lunch? I do! Yet, we have religious guidelines, mystical thought and social norms that encourage us to live a life of love and not resist the gift to receive - instead embrace receiving as you would openly acknowledge gratitude.

In our world giving is celebrated. We are taught from a young age to be of service, to offer help, to volunteer, donate, etc. Science tells us that giving actually promotes the release of dopamines - the amazing pleasure hormone that makes us feel good. But, this doesn’t happen with receiving. In fact, many of us look at receiving as taking instead of really seeing the offering from the giver. And, instead of openly accepting a gift we often are thinking in the backs of our minds, how will I repay this person?

I ask you to rethink receiving.

Let’s look at the moon to illustrate this idea. When the moon is full it’s light illuminates snowy peaks, lakes, forests, streets and backyards. Yet, it isn’t the moon giving the light, it’s the sun. The moon receives the light and we benefit from the reflection. If we open ourselves up to receive then we can become the “moonbeams” ! With practice you can then begin to shift your thinking and remove your barriers (judgements, self value, eg.) to receiving. It’s not always the comfortable path but with practice you will shine your love in ways you never thought possible.

It takes practice to resist receiving. Open up, be the moonbeam, take the light and shine it for the world to see.

Happy new season, new year, new decade! Let’s bring 2020 on and give the gift of receiving.

~Lisa Fischer