“Love giving freely receives just as much and more”
Dinah Mulock Craik

“For some, it takes little to give much. For others, it takes much to give little”
Claudio Vagni

“When we donate what we own we are preparing to receive what we need”
Douglas M. Lawson

“When we give we receive in exchange, and joy is in the balance between giving and receiving”
Brian Weiss

Knowing How to Give and Knowing How to Receive

Only some years ago I realized why seeing the “One Way” traffic sign had been bothering me so much, had irritated me so.
The reason for this apparently bizarre and even irrational dislike became clear only after I changed my way of thinking, feeling, and acting. I then came to realize that life is not a one-way street. In Nature there is a two-way energy flux linking us to all other beings, and that connects us all via a steady and mutual exchange; unfortunately, often we are not aware of it.
For a long I had lived locked up in my self-centred world and, because of the fears and insecurity I nurtured, worries and pain were my daily bread. Besides, I never had a chance of experiencing how much happiness and satisfaction come with the act of giving, on condition it is done with the true intention to donate out of one’s heart, without expecting anything back. True giving makes us happy and satisfied because on its own; we are gratified by what we are doing (when we do it without expectations) and what could or could not be our return loses all importance. It happens also that after learning to give unconditionally, that is, to love freely, it is almost inevitable to receive the love and acknowledgement of others.


GIVING AND RECEIVING


Giving and receiving are the two faces of the same coin.
While still children, we were taught that it is not right to go to other people’s home empty handed, and that we should bring something to thank in advance for their hospitality.
In the East, a pupil never goes to see his Teacher without bringing a little gift (a flower, a fruit, something). This is a century old custom, and its purpose is to teach that it is fine to take (especially from whom worthy things can be obtained), but it is also right and a duty to give.
These customs show how deeply rooted in human beings is the divine principle of giving and receiving. In fact, God is the quintessential giver, as He is who gave us our life, the most precious of gifts and that enables us to enjoy the incredible beauty of creation. In exchange, He asks only that his gifts be used in the best way, that is, with love and brotherhood: He asks for nothing more, and does not ask for anything back.
Our body has also been created to give and to receive. With our right hand we give (things, money, a caress), with our left we receive. A famous Italian saying says: “One hand washes the each other and both wash the face”. This metaphor tells that when giving and taking are well balanced, they produce useful results (washing one’s face).

Giving and receiving are expressions of the dynamic process that is integral to living our existence. If this back and forth energy flux is disturbed, for instance when we are more inclined to give or, on the contrary, to take, no real balance may exist, and no positive spiritual growth can ensue.

Back