Giving and Receiving


By Diane Rothman

The law of equilibrium requires that we give and receive in equal measure in order to maintain a balance of life force energy that allows us to experience life to our fullest potential.

The best example of this process is the process of breathing. We breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide; the vegetation breathes in carbon dioxide and exhales oxygen. Giving and Receiving are really the same thing in that they both contribute to the free flow of energy. Lack in one affects the other just as if we stopped breathing the vegetation would suffer.

Being mindful about how we give and how we receive offers opportunities to identify and release issues caused by energetic imbalances which can lead to disease, sadness, poverty, stress, aggression and much more.

The following offers consideration points for self-evaluation in helping you to balance your ability to give and receive.

Giving: Giving can take the form of money, time, deeds, healing energy and love. Our ability to receive is directly connected to our ability to give, so why and how do we give?

Duty: We may be taught that it is our duty to give whether we want to or not. The shadow side of duty can cause a lack of personal freedom which can cause resentment and resistance to giving.

Charity: Charity involves looking at the world with compassion and willingly giving in a way to relieve suffering. The shadow side of charity is giving out of guilt, to the point of depletion or to gain recognition from others.

The way in which we give is important:

Giving for the right reason is giving without expectation of reward or response, and being okay with how the recipient receives and uses the gift.

Giving the right thing is giving the recipient what they need, not what the giver thinks they need, and without depleting the giver’s recourses.

Giving anonymously is the kindest form of giving and how it works in nature, as in our example of breathing. It helps the receiver with their challenges and frees them from thoughts of obligation to the giver. The receiver honors the giver by paying it forward in accordance with their own ability to give where they see a need.


People are very touched by and encourage acts of giving. However, most of us agree that giving is much easier than receiving. We are taught from a very young age to give before receiving, and in some cases that giving holds greater value than receiving. Many of us are told we must earn what we receive and as a result, we may not feel worthy of receiving.

How do you receive?

Let’s use compliments as an example to measure our ability to receive:
Do you dismiss compliments?
Do you downplay a compliment?
Do you site others accomplishments after receiving a compliment?

These examples demonstrate blocks in receiving.

Why is it difficult to receive?
Do you think givers have ulterior motives?
Do you think givers are just being nice?
Do you feel indebted when given something?
Do you feel undeserving?
Do you feel like you have enough and others need more?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your ability to receive can be blocked causing an energetic imbalance.

Since our ability to receive is directly connected to the way we are giving, being judgmental about who should receive and how they use their gifts can cause you to be judgmental about how you receive.

Understanding how you feel about and practice giving and receiving can help you to better understand imbalances in your life and correct them. Just like breathing, giving and receiving should be free-flowing and free of judgment and expectation. It is an exchange of energy that belongs to all of us. Giving and receiving in equal measure maintains the flow of energy contributing to your greater health and well-being.

Diane Rothman CHTP/I, HSC, is a certified Healing Touch Practitioner and instructor. She is on the Board of Directors for the Healing Touch Center, owner of The Sacred Sage Spiritual Emporium and founder/senior clergy of The Church of the Human Spirit. Contact her at 248-957-6510 or


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