The Joy of Reciprocity
Giving does not exist without receiving, nor does receiving exist without giving, but oftentimes we focus on the act of giving around the holidays without taking the time to allow ourselves to experience the true joy of receiving.
I was recently reading Deepak Chopra’s book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams. In this guide, he describes giving and receiving as a “dynamic exchange” that’s part of the overall “flow of the energy in the universe.” The idea is that we must both give generously and receive gratefully in order to keep the two freely circulating in abundance in the world.
To do this, our acts of giving and receiving must be done with intention, and we should strive to approach both reciprocating actions with an attitude of joy. In a passage that I love, Chopra explains, “The intention behind our giving and receiving is the most important thing. When the act of giving is joyful, when it is unconditional and from the heart, then the energy behind the giving increases many times over.” And as “The Law of Giving and Receiving” dictates, the more you give, the more you receive.
This month, as I give my gifts to the friends and family I love and cherish, not only will I challenge myself to present those gifts with just a little bit more intention, energy and joy, but I will also allow myself to receive their gifts to me with a greater degree of intention, energy and joy, increasing the abundance of both in the process.
As it always does, the holiday season will come to an end on December 31st, which just happens to be World Peace Meditation Day. I will definitely take this serendipitous opportunity to celebrate the day with a meditation on reciprocity and the joy of being able to be a part of the universal energy flow. I can’t think of a better way to start the new year.
Happy Holidays!
JPC
