The other night, during a conversation with my husband, I felt a surge of questions bursting out of me. I wanted to ask him. “Have you loved fully and deeply? Like really? Embraced vulnerability and love not as a broad idea but as an intimate, attuned way of connecting with another from one moment to the next. Is there a form of love within you waiting for the perfect moment to express itself?” I wanted to ask these questions because I was curious about the question of how deeply we love when we love.
Yet, before I could speak those sentiments, my inner voice asked me questions. “Have you received love fully, deeply, throwing caution to the wind and embracing it in all its forms? Have you sat with it as it moved and spread in your body and being? Have you allowed yourself to be filled with love?
I paused and made a mental note to explore this prompting from my inner self before returning to the conversation with my husband.
The next morning, bathed in the morning light, I sat by my bedroom window, contemplating the question of receiving love deeply. Memories flooded my mind – my grandmother standing at the bus stop waving goodbye, my sister holding my hand, my brother’s words of encouragement, and moments of tenderness with my husband, son, and even our dogs.
In these memories, I realized I had felt loved and seen. However, reflecting deeper, I acknowledged the missed opportunities to fully immerse myself in their love, to savor and embrace the vulnerability beneath. I had often received love as if in passing acknowledging it with gratitude, but less on a somatic, felt sense level, slowing down to be present with how it unfolded within me. Had I done that I would have savoured it.
Savoring takes time.
I know that opening ourselves to receiving love can be emotionally challenging especially if we’ve experienced ruptures in our most important relationships. The act of being receptive means exposing our innermost selves, making us vulnerable to the unpredictable currents of others’ emotions. It involves tearing down the protective barriers we often build around our hearts, risking the possibility of disappointment, rejection, or even overwhelming emotions.
Our protective instincts are not wrong but maybe a tad overzealous. A gentle inquiry can help to illuminate the appropriate amount of protection if needed.
I realize that it’s not only in receiving love that I could do better. Perhaps, like me, you’re curious about embracing a slower pace, savoring experiences, and filling up deeply. What’s your relationship with receiving? Does it feel safe to accept compliments or gifts? Or do you find yourself squirming or bracing when showered with praise or love? Would you like to expand your capacity to receive – more time, more love, more energy? What would be different if you did?
Let’s embark on this journey together, exploring the richness of receiving and the transformative power it holds. Please share your insights or thoughts with us. We’d love to hear from you.
Much Love,
Navjit