In my spiritual tradition, you always receive a blessed gift with both hands. You never try to snatch a blessing away, you always put forth both hands. To receive the greatest experience, one offers of oneself wholeheartedly giving from ones entire being.
When unexpected gifts come your way do you honor them by receiving them with both hands wholeheartedly? This is a powerful practice that requires focus, presence and agility. Life’s most magical moments often arise from surprising invitations. What if we made it a standing, house rule to pause and accept these with both hands?
I’ve noticed lately that I have gotten into the annoying habit of considering the impact of every darned thing before I receive it. I ponder, “How does this gift fit it into my schedule or business plan?” I evaluate, “Do I have enough money or energy to fully utilize this gift?” How exhausting and frankly, off-putting. I’m pretty sure gifts are NOT going to flow in easily to one in this state of relentless analysis! What would it be like to simply receive with both hands?
This week when you are offered a gift, especially if it is unexpected, (which is the best kind, right?) simply focus on receiving with both hands, offering yourself wholeheartedly. I wonder what breathtaking turning points will unfold?
At the very least, this practice will yield; you got it, to the greatest blissful experiences. Sounds perfect for the year of Honor, Ease and Bliss, right?
photo courtesy of flickr @nicole erin 123
I accept the gifts contained herein, Receiving with Both Hands, Wholeheartedly! 😉
you are awesome Jeaneen. Truly.
Love and Blessings.
k
okay…this one is for me….My birthday just past and a long term friend used a different agent to buy and sell after years of great support to her. I can barely overcome the pain…
She calls me smiling on the progress of her sales and my mind feels the knife in the back every word.
She shows on my doorstep with a card in hand the day after my birthday and says she was not certain of the day.
I told her of my pain and now she figures the relationship is over.
Why can I not graciously recieve her wish??? For I do not even want to open the card but give it back…
I am sure I will get over it when I get to the point of forgiveness. But I need some help and time.
Dear One,
You are honest, courageous and vulnerably strong. Good for you for being clear about your pain and truthful with your friend. This is what I consider leadership. Speaking the hard truth, being with the impact and then creating what is next together in relationship. Unfortunately this does not ease the broken hearted place. Let yourself move into forgivieness at your own pace. In the mean time, pay attention to the support you are receiving from other places. Each morning, I invite you to make it a practice to write out the answer to these questions. How have I been supported? What have I received?
I close with the last line from the poem Sweet Darkness by David Whyte.
Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn
anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive
is to small for you.
May you continue to find your way through in your own way.
Thanks….by confronting her honestly has reduced some of the pain and what I have been holding inside around her. I since have falsley been her friend and could not have peace…a fakeness existed between us.
It was spilling over into other areas of my life…and around others who know both of us. Even when I was pretending to myself that it was not a big deal….
There will always be other opportunity for business but she rejected me as a friend wanting to help her and diminished my trust with her as well.
Those we know can hurt us the most…but what is incredible is when we can truely speak their name with out the pain and know we have crossed to the other side of forgiveness. If only there was a magic way to process this.
Thank you for your kind support of listening to something that may be so trivial compared to real problems.
Your kindness to respond alone makes the world a better place…