The Power of Receiving

Since I was young I had this constant need to learn about spirituality or anything that can empower the mind, body and soul. From religious teachings, self-improvement books, reading the new earth to practicing the law of attraction, it seemed that I couldn't just constrain myself to one method of belief. I realized it's not actually an answer that I seek, it's the discovery of looking into life questions itself that I enjoyed.

After having a little fall-out the past months, I laid in bed and I questioned myself... what was I missing in this process? I am trying out this law of attraction... made the perfect vision board, and attracting the romance, the finances, the new friends, but I couldn't seem to hold on to it long enough. It just passes me by... like a butterfly having a beautiful dance near you... giving you that moment of bliss, and in an instant it flutters off never to be seen again. In my mind there will be more butterflies that comes and goes. Was I wrong to just enjoy the moment and not actually do the work to keep it together? But when the moment quickly runs out, it ends up burning me down to the ground. Maybe I do need to commit to a method and test it out till completion. It seemed like I get pumped up and inspired in the beginning but then distraction comes. Whether its learning a new sport, trying a new hobby, or having a creative idea...it ends up stored away in the closet like my other unfinished knitting projects... lost, deserted and picking up dust.

So a few weeks ago i was at periplus bookstore with a friend of mine and came across the book "The power of receiving" by Amanda Owen. What drew me to it was Christiane Northrup's review on the front cover. I had seen her on Oprah and was just mesmerized by her soul which just oozes out in her glowing beauty. If she believed in the book, that means it's definitely something I should look into. So I bought it and it rested unopened on the bedside table for a few weeks until I finally managed to complete it a few days ago.

Let me tell you this, the book gave me a lot of aha moments. One of it was:

"Just because you know how to attract something, doesn't mean you know how to receive it. Receiving something as simple as a compliment is difficult for many people."

This hit me immediately, I do have a problem with receiving. Giving always felt good, but when someone else gave me something, offered help, give compliments, opened a door or just suddenly stroked my hair to show affection...I felt uncomfortable and went into an immediate defensive mode, over-analyzing, questioning, when in fact I needed to relax, open-up, accept and simply receive. But how do I break away from this belief that only giving is good and receiving is me being selfish.

"Receiving not only creates balanced lives & relationships but it also has the power to lead us to our hopes, goals and dreams"

Here's a bit of the exercise that the book teaches to practice receiving:

• Accept anything that's given to you gratefully and graciously whether its compliments, gifts, or smiles. When you are comfortable receiving small things you will gradually feel comfortable receiving bigger things.
• Count your blessings, write a daily gratitude journal with a minimum of 5 things
• Do a complain fast since suffering is about the past rather than the present. No Suffering Allowed! No Suffering Aloud!
• Be self-revealing to others, show every part of your personality not just the collected and in control bit, be real. Remember though that complaining is different from revealing your feelings. Revealing your feelings is good. Complaining is about you being victimized.
• Acknowledge the certain parts we hide about our selves, usually things we dont like in others are a reflection of our own inner personality that we try so hard not to show.
• Breathing exercises to keep you in the present and breathing exercises to realize your self-judgements (negative & positive) and accepting them as a part of you.
• Spend time each day in awareness of your five senses which will strengthen your receive muscles being receptive to everything around you.
• Writing your goal properly and being specific with it. Writing it as one of your daily gratitude.

This book has so much more great points and practices that is eye-opening. That it's ok to want certain things and to tell others what we want. If we don't how will anyone else know, he or she might be the person who was meant to give it to you...and if not, at least you've made it known that this is my goal and with that... it will open a path for the goal to come. Let's see if I can commit to this...gambaru! Lets start day 1 :)