On Being Receptive

Have you ever heard of the guidance that those who follow the earth religions say to do when the moon is full, and you wish to increase your blessings? Take an empty bucket or large pot and place it in the rays of the moon. This is indicating you are willing and receptive to receive blessings.
Of course, it’s probably not as easy as that, but the key words are willing and receptive. And we certainly do not need an empty pot to let Spirit know we are willing to receive our blessings, just an open heart. But sometimes we need a visual.
Either way, we’re going to talk about being receptive today, thanks to Greg and the book he lent me by best-selling author and TV host, Iyanla Vanzant. He originally emailed me some copied pages from her book, “Until Today-Daily Devotionals for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind.” Those pages were part of a month of messages about being receptive in all sorts of situations.
That was the result of my mentioning that I needed ideas for my Messages. And the book is full of them, well at least 12, one basic idea for each month. Might have to purchase the book for myself.
So, back to being receptive. Each day of the month of May, in this case, starts with “I am now receptive to the idea that…” And then what follows is the ‘topic’ for that day, like…doing our best, that what we seek is seeking us, that asking for help is best done before the need is great, and many more.
I like the idea of being receptive. One reason is my ‘word’ from the White Stone Ceremony this past January is ‘willing.’ So, my intention is to be willing to see and acknowledge what I am being blessed by and with. And being willing is certainly along the same lines as being receptive.
What does be receptive mean to you?

According to the dictionary it means “being willing (there’s my word) to consider or accept new suggestions and ideas; being able or willing to receive something, especially a signal.”

If we look back through our lives, we can probably recall times when we failed to be receptive to the signals, ideas, or suggestions that the Divine Universe was placing before us. We weren’t ready, we trusted our ego and our domestication instead of what Spirit was placing before us.
It could have been an idea or suggestion as to how to help a friend in need.
Maybe how to get along better with family members.
Or guidance as to ‘what was ours to do’ find a job or go to school, for example.

There are many possibilities for the guidance that comes forth if we are simply open to it. But too often, we are closed off from that part of our consciousness.
And why is that, do you think?
Most likely, it has to do with fear.

You may ask, what could fear have to do with whether I am receptive or not?
Fear prevents us from letting go… letting go of things, people, situations that no longer serve our spiritual journey, but we cling to them anyway.

I’m not sure why we do that. I have to figure out if I am being willing to receive just as you all do.
But one thing is, we would have no excuse for not doing the things we must because fear can keep us running, hiding, hoping, wishing, trying with little or no success because we are clinging to what was, not moving forward.
Holding on can be mental, emotional and/or physical.

Let’s start easy…look around you. What are you holding onto? Is there a picture of an ex that still haunts you? Have you travelled back and over situations and conversations with them, trying to find where you could have done something differently? Dredged up your regrets?

Look at the mementos in your house. What is there because it reminds you of a good memory and which item brings up a memory with mixed, maybe even negative emotions?
Why hold onto something with negative energy?
And maybe ask, why am I holding onto that period!
Simple can be freeing. Releasing the energy of items and not so pleasant memories can help clear your chakras.
If you are into Feng Shui, you know that our chi needs space to flow properly.

This is a good time to ask look at what needs to be released.
Make a list of all the things you think you need and identify your excuses for holding onto them. We’re not talking about necessities now…but let’s call them extras.
Like why do I have Harry Potter items around my house? And dragons? If the answer is legitimate, I keep them and move to the next item.
For each, ask if those excuses are legitimate?
Do the same, as you can, for the thoughts and memories you have about your past, former friends and lovers, situations that going over and over again and again do absolutely nothing for your souls journey and release them all.

This is not something that you can do in a day, so take your time, but be adamant about doing it. Because we want to release what no longer serves…if not, we block our future possibilities like new adventures, new friends, further abundance and blessings.

If you are afraid to lose what you have, that means your consciousness is based on lack…that there is not enough to go around.

That’s hard to let go of if your domestication is based on it.

Allow yourself to imagine what your life would be like if your hands and heart were to receive something better than what you are holding onto right now. Let that feeling penetrate your being and go with it.

Wonderful, right? No reason why that can’t be so. It’s up to you.
Let’s clear out the thoughts and memories that are holding us back.

I’ll end with this, from May 30th: The affirmation: “I am now receptive to the idea that…some things never grow old. They just get better and go deeper.”

A version of the 10 commandments that may aid you in keeping from closing off from being receptive.

And the text is a Ten Commandments for the New Millennium
1. Thou shalt make it your business to get in touch with God first each day.
2. Thou shalt remember to pray for your mother and your father as soon as you finish praying for yourself.
3. Thou shalt honor thyself enough not to take things that do not belong to you, and this includes people’s people.
4. Thou shalt refrain from telling someone something about somebody until you have told that somebody to their face.
5. Thou shalt refrain from saying anything to anybody that you would be ashamed or afraid to say to God, to God’s face.
6. Thou shalt do no less than two good things for yourself each day.
7. Thou shalt do one good thing for another each day.
8. Thou shalt confine all whining, complaining and criticizing to each other Wednesday, between the hours of 2 AM and 3 AM when the moon is full. When the moon is not full, oh, well, thou shalt wait until it is.
9. Thou shalt live fully, or thou shalt not. This choice is up to you.
10. Thou shalt believe the best about everything and everyone until you have concrete evidence from God to the contrary.