Introduction

“There is a subtle but powerful difference between taking and receiving—one contracts, the other opens.”

In the realms of healing, love, and abundance, the energy with which we engage life shapes our experience of it. And one of the most transformative shifts we can make is learning the difference between taking and receiving.

Taking: Energy of Scarcity and Control

Taking often stems from fear, urgency, and the belief that if we don’t grab what we need, it will be lost. This energy is tied to survival—a learned behavior from times when our needs weren’t safely or consistently met.

When we take, we:

• Grasp or push
• Try to control outcomes
• Often act out of a sense of lack

“I need this now. I deserve this. If I don’t take it, I might lose out.”

This way of being is common among those of us with early emotional wounds or trauma. Taking can be a protection mechanism—but over time, it leads to disconnection, exhaustion, and misalignment.

Receiving: Energy of Trust and Worthiness

Receiving is rooted in trust. It’s soft, open, and present. It requires a willingness to be vulnerable—to be seen, supported, and nourished.

When we receive, we:

• Allow
• Open ourselves to connection
• Trust in divine timing
• Affirm our inherent worthiness

 “What is meant for me will find me. I trust myself and the flow of life.”

Receiving is not passive. It’s deeply embodied. It is the fertile ground where miracles land.

Why Many Struggle to Receive

Receiving requires us to let go of control—and for many, that feels unsafe. Especially if we’ve built an identity around being the strong one, the giver, the achiever.

We’ve been taught:

• Asking is weak
• Needing is shameful
• Resting is lazy
• Letting in support is selfish

But none of that is true. In fact, learning to receive is one of the greatest acts of healing and reclamation we can embody.

In Relationships: From Grasping to Grace

 “You can’t force love to land. But you can become the space where it chooses to stay.”

In love, when we take, we often demand attention, reassurance, or validation. Not out of malice, but out of emptiness. We’re trying to soothe an unmet need. But when we receive love, it nourishes us deeply. We allow ourselves to be touched by it, without clinging or controlling.

This shift transforms how we relate:
From being a consumer of connection → to becoming a partner in intimacy.

In Healing: Letting Medicine Move Through You

You cannot take healing like a prescription.
You can only receive it.

This is especially true in sacred medicine work. Psilocybin, for example, is not something we “take” to fix us. It’s something we receive as a teacher, as a guide.

 “The medicine meets you where you are—not where you want to force it to go.”

True healing comes when we surrender, listen, and allow. It flows when we trust the process—not when we control it

In Abundance: Trusting the Flow

Hustle culture teaches us to take:
Take the client. Take the stage. Take the opportunity.

But real abundance doesn’t come from force. It comes from resonance.

When we shift into a receiving state:

• We attract aligned opportunities
• We magnetize support and prosperity
• We stop chasing, and start allowing

This doesn’t mean we do nothing—it means our action is rooted in alignment, not fear. When we are grounded in worth, abundance meets us with ease.

Pause & Reflect: Are You Taking or Receiving?

The next time you feel the urge to grab, control, or demand:

• Pause.
• Place your hand on your heart.
• Ask:

Am I trying to take something because I don’t trust it will come?

• Can I allow this to unfold without forcing?
• What would it feel like to truly receive?

This gentle inquiry will help retrain your nervous system, soften your responses, and align you with your highest self.

Final Words: Returning to the Sacred Flow

 “You don’t have to force what is already yours. You only need to open and receive it.”

Taking is rooted in survival.
Receiving is rooted in the soul.

When we shift from taking to receiving, we return to our true essence. We come home to trust, presence, and connection—with ourselves, with others, and with life itself.

 Sodashi ~ Return to Self

If this piece resonated, share it with someone who is learning to soften, trust, and receive. Or explore our offerings at Sodashi—a sanctuary of sacred healing and remembrance.