In my last post, I talked a bit about the magic that is inherent in giving voice to our desires. But asking isn’t enough; no matter how much brave, bold magic you muster up when you are finally ready to ask the Universe to give you want you want, all that effort will fall flat if you aren’t ready to receive.
Of course, if I ask for something, I think I’m ready to receive it; if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have asked, right? However, I’ve come to realize that asking isn’t the same thing as being open and receptive, and sometimes, that lack of receptivity can sabotage my wants and needs more than my natural hesitation to ask.
One way I’ve noticed that I shut down receptivity is something I’m sure a lot of you do, too: deflecting small favors and gifts. Think about the last time you went out for coffee with your friends, and one of your pals offered to pick up your tab. My instant response is usually “Oh, no, you don’t have to do that!”, but as I’ve tried to become more open to the abundance of the Universe, I’ve realized that when I say that, I’m essentially refusing the gift. I’ll talk in my next post about how giving is inextricably linked to asking and receiving, but don’t you feel a letdown when people won’t accept the gifts and little gestures you want to shower on them? Sure, it might just be a cup of coffee, but by turning that down, I’m sending the message to my friend (and the Universe, which is ALWAYS listening), that I don’t need assistance of any kind. If I can’t accept the little blessings along the way, why would the giver expect my response to be anything different if the gift increased in size and value?
It’s hard to say “yes” to everything; like I talked about last time, the stoicism of my family runs deep, and I think there’s a certain misplaced pride element to it that makes it hard for me to accept freebies; after all, I don’t want to send the message that I can’t provide for myself. Maybe you have no problem with receiving, in which case, you’re well on your way to making some fabulous manifestation magic! But for me, and for anyone who struggles with this, the challenge is to remain open to gifts and offerings.
I have to bite back my impulse to turn down these small blessings, and it’s even harder when the unlooked for gift is something large, but I am trying to practice openness. I’ve been working on consciously receiving things as they are offered, in the spirit in which they are offered, and it’s kind of amazing how many things are suddenly being offered to me.
Abundance comes in all shapes and sizes, and really magical things happen when you accept gifts, favors, and lucky breaks. This week, I challenge you to add to the magic you’ve started by speaking your truth and asking for things, and truly open yourself up to receiving whatever gifts the Universe has in store. And if anyone wants to buy me a cup of a coffee, I promise I won’t tell you no!
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