The Art of Receiving

You’re in the middle of a difficult task or project and feeling somewhat overwhelmed when somebody offers to help – do you gratefully accept their help or tell them it’s okay, you can manage by yourself? You’re meeting friends and one of them tells you they like the jacket you’re wearing – do you simply say “thank you” or do you go into a story of how you bought it on sale at a certain store and you’ve had it for years, etc.?

Although it may be hard to believe, these examples actually give clues as to how abundant you are or feel you are. They give clues to your ability to receive. If you have difficulty receiving – even when someone offers you a compliment or assistance, then you will find that many opportunities simply pass you by because you’re not ready (or willing) to receive them. Usually this is completely unconscious behavior on your part, but fortunately your every day behavior will tell you whether or not you do have difficulty receiving.

Another common scenario that I see all the time is when people say they want something – it could be help with something, or they want to know how to resolve a particular life situation, or they may want something very specific that they pray or ask for. They put out the intention for what it is that they want, but they can then sabotage themselves when it actually shows up. This can be because it shows up in a way that they don’t recognize or weren’t expecting – meaning they were attached to ‘how’ what they wanted was supposed to come or what was supposed to happen.

You’ve probably heard the story of the flood, but just to refresh your memory – a town was being threatened by flooding. Joe was a very devout man and so he prayed that he would be saved from the flood, that God would rescue him. As the waters were rising his neighbor came to him and suggested that they leave together to escape the flood. Joe knew that his prayers would be answered, so he declined the offer saying that God would rescue him. So his neighbor left. The waters continued to rise so high that Joe had to climb onto the roof. He continued to pray to God to rescue him. He believed in the power of prayer and he just knew that God would come and rescue him. So as he’s sitting up on the roof in the rain someone comes along in a boat and asks him to climb in and be rescued. No thank you he says, God is going to rescue me, I’ve prayed to him.

A police helicopter hovers overhead and they throw down a rope to Joe, asking him to grab hold of the rope. But he declines once again saying that he knows God will rescue him. In the end he drowns and as he arrives in heaven he asks why God didn’t rescue him. God’s reply – “who do you think sent the neighbor the boat and the helicopter?”

If you have difficulty receiving then all sorts of opportunities and solutions to your problems can show up but you won’t take advantage of them. One common example that I see frequently is when people are having money difficulties. They want a solution, what they think they need is more money. But then a solution may show up in the form of a book or a workshop that teaches them how to manage their money more effectively or how to change the way they may be doing things to make more of what they already have. They refuse the book or the workshop because they’re just expecting more money to show up without having to do anything for it, certainly without having to pay out money for the solution.

When you send out a message to the Universe that you want something, you will always receive an answer – but you have to release your attachment to HOW it shows up and you have to be open to recognizing the solutions when they do show up in ways you don’t expect. And you have to be willing to receive what shows up. If you cannot receive compliments or assistance when it is offered, or receive when someone offers to buy you a cup of coffee or lunch, or gives you an unexpected gift, then you will not be able to receive the bigger things that you want so badly.

So make a practice of gratefully receiving what is offered to you. If someone offers to help you, accept. If someone pays you a compliment, simply say ‘thank you.’ As simple as this may sound it can be transformational.

There are also some simple Feng Shui techniques that can help you with becoming better at receiving. The first is simply to create an environment that you love – that nurtures and supports you. If you don’t feel this way about your house right now, then start with your bedroom. Turn it into your personal sanctuary, a place that you love.

Another very powerful Feng Shui technique is to identify anything in your home that you don’t need, use, want or love – and remove it. Give it away, sell it, throw it away – whatever you need to do, but remove it from your environment. Remove anything that has negative memories and associations for you. By doing this you are creating the space for what you do want to come to you and you are honoring yourself by removing things that no longer serve you and keep your energy stuck.

Starting today, observe how you receive throughout the day. Even when someone offers you a smile or holds the door open for you – receive it gratefully. Being able to receive the ‘small’ things in life really does help to prepare you to be able to receive the ‘larger’ things.

Linda Binns

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Tags: Feng Shui Balance, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Life, Feng Shui Success, Receiving