By Souls of Silver
To be giving has always been seen as a sign of power. Being a giver, instead of having a big heart, has been associated with the idea of affluence, even in terms of social standing. Everyone wants to give away things to prove the above true, but amidst all the powerful glamour surrounding the “Giving”, there is something about the reception that we tend to miss.
It is not a needy and weak act to receive. A receiver is at the poorer end of the bargain. A taker is associated with a stereotype of not being the one in control, and hence, this weakness is inherently assumed in any similar relationship.
These deep-seated and intrinsic understandings of social life that we hold have pushed us to a point where we have difficulty accepting anything. The act of receiving does not come organically to us anymore. Even in a bargain between equals, somehow, to receive something has become a cumbersome task.
This entire situation pushes us to give more. We start investing in things or people or giving things away. It can turn pathological at its extreme. It changes people’s demeanor around others. Give and take relationships now fail to exist as an association of equals.
Read: Dalai Lama Speaks About Universal Humanitarianism
All of this and yet, no one talks about the strength required to receive something in humility and also in pride simultaneously.
The Depreciation of Receptivity
Reception (receptivity) is associated with certain traits in persons attributed to the Chinese idea of ‘yin’. The yin is generally considered to consist of abstracts of what we feel and sense: physically or intuitively. Acts of dreaming or listening or feeling are all examples of the aforementioned.
But if you were to notice the way society functions, you’d notice how qualities associated with the Chinese idea of ‘yang’ dominate the entire running of things. Action-driven attributes like working, pushing boundaries, competing, etc, are a few examples of the same.
This gap that we find at certain times between society and ourselves is what makes us question our standing in society. Hence, it makes us question our joys, even the desire of it, at times. The question of being worthy eats away at us, making us succumb to these stereotypes.
Read: 5 Zen Quotes That Will Guide Your Spiritual Journey
The Appreciation of “Vulnerabravery”
In his book Belonging, Remembering Ourselves Home, Toko-pa Turner uses the term “vulnerabravery” to describe bravery which is linked with being vulnerable. So, to wear your heart on a sleeve is a difficult task, but to do so is courageous. It about shedding our inhibitions. About dipping our soul in love.
As a society, we need to co-exist, but this idea of having to co-exist in detachment is something that we should do away with. We need to aggressively promote attachments! In a world so full of layered alienation, here’s hoping that belonging will do us good and bring us happiness.
If you love this article, then share it with your friends and family and show them the power of receptivity.
