Some of us are very practiced at giving. We give our time, our attention, our energy, our care. We know how to be the steady one, the strong one, the one people lean on. Receiving, however, can feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable.
Over the years, I have realized that I was much more at ease pouring into others than allowing anyone to pour into me. Compliments felt awkward. Offers of help were deflected. Even simple kindness sometimes bounced off the armor I did not know I was wearing.
But light is meant to move both ways.
The candles I pour for Aurum Garland remind me of this. A flame offers light, but it also warms the space it is in. When I sit beside a lit candle at the end of the day, I let myself feel held by that warmth. I practice receiving the comfort of a quiet room, the softness of the glow, the kindness of my own decision to rest.
Receiving can look like:
- Saying “Thank you” to a compliment and letting it land without arguing with it in your mind
- Accepting help when it is offered, even if you could manage on your own
- Letting yourself enjoy beauty without rushing past it
- Allowing yourself to rest when your body asks, not just when you are forced to stop
- This week, notice where you instinctively push away light that is being offered to you. Then, in one small instance, practice saying yes instead.
Ask yourself:
What would it feel like to let this kindness in, just a little more?
You are not a burden for needing or receiving. You are part of a human exchange where everyone deserves, at times, to be the one who is held.
