Tis better to Receive than to Give, er, or is it the other way around?

It’s the Holiday season. There is a lot of emphasis on “Giving” rather than “Receiving.” I believe that it is so important to know how to truly give from the heart instead of just giving to give. My buddy Brittany Ross said something to me that really struck me. She and her Husband, Robbie Ross, started an organization called Mission 108 to work with homeless people in Kentucky. She said to me “It is challenging for me to just give to people when I do not know them or have no personal connection to them. So, we started this organization so we could get to know them and then help them.” Wow! That’s what I call one version of truly giving from the heart.

However, I want to actually chat about receiving. I’ve learned that many people really do not know how to receive. We have been taught to give, but not receive. How many times have you received a compliment, and instead of saying “Thank you” you may have looked down at the ground and blown the compliment off? “Hey mandy, that dinner was amazing” “eh, I added too much spice, and not enough of that.” Or “Andrea, thank you for cleaning.” “Eh, I still need to wipe down the counter.” Or, better yet, when someone gives you a gift, what you should be doing is just enjoying every minute of it. Instead, do you find yourself feeling guilty that you didn’t get that person anything? Do you instantly start thinking of when you are going to go to the store and what you are going to get that person?

When you do these things, you’re actually taking the blessing away from the person who wanted to give to you. Giving is about showing love without strings. The real beauty is Learning how to receive that gift, knowing that there are no strings, and to just enjoy that gift of love. Whether it’s a compliment, a gift, or just someone acknowledging that you did the dishes. And let me let you in on a little secret: When you truly just receive, Smile and say “Thank you,” you are actually giving a gift right back.

Lets do a little movement and yoga practice to help cultivate this receiving.

The following is a really short Asana Practice. You can spend as little as 2 minutes or as long as an hour going through these. You can just do one cycle, or many. Quickly or slowly. Your choice. However, I suggest with mountain pose and warrior one, to add Cactus Arms. Allow your arms to reach out like you are trying to gather and give and then sweep your arms back towards you to receive.

1) Tadasana – Mountain Pose

2) Virabhadrasana I – Warrior 1