BRENT MARCHANT: Many of us probably believe that we're readily open to receiving what comes our way in life, especially its many bounties and blessings. But, at the risk of sounding like a killjoy, I have to ask, are you sure?

Receptivity can be deceptively challenging, despite its easy allure. Regrettably, many of us have been taught, from a tender age, and thanks largely to the strictures of traditional religious dogma, that we're not deserving of the good things in life. Such rewards are reserved for 'those who are worthy' (whoever they are, their identities often cloaked in mystery and jealously kept secret). In fact, some would say we lowly creatures should be grateful for whatever scraps get thrown our way, because we're not even worthy of those.

So, given all that, is it any wonder why some of us might have issues with receiving?

It's amazing how pervasive such sentiments are, too. There were many times when I was growing up when I was told, by seemingly everyone from elders to peers to relatives, that I wasn't deserving of my toys, the cozy house I grew up in or even the treats in my Halloween bag. And I always wondered why. Indeed, why shouldn't I be worthy of those things? But what surprised me even more was how many others were told the same things during their upbringings.

Again, why?

The fact that such possessions and circumstances were present in my life indicated--though I wouldn't become aware of it until years later--that I was an inherently effective conscious creator, one who made good use of the practice and was open to receiving the rewards of the process. But, while I graciously accepted these offerings from the Universe, I also had to contend with that onslaught of harsh, sometimes-hurtful comments, and I was always puzzled why that was so (though, as a conscious creator, I eventually would realise that I was drawing those criticisms to me just as readily as the materialisations I enjoyed). As much as I tried to shield myself from such statements, the barrage of disparagement was potent, and its impact managed to worm its way into my belief structure, colouring my outlook on life and ultimately influencing my effectiveness as a conscious creator, particularly in the area of receptivity.

So what was the purpose behind these verbal challenges? And why did I draw them to me? After years of metaphysical study, I came to understand that they played a significant role in helping me grasp the underlying nature of receptivity, which, in the long run, allowed me to make better use of it--and the conscious creation process in general--in my life. This deeper understanding thus helped shed light on several significant aspects of the subject of receptivity:

* The importance of gratitude. It can be all too easy to lose sight of showing gratitude for what comes our way. Many times we take things for granted or even expect certain outcomes, as if we're innately entitled to them. But, even if we don't exhibit such an arrogant attitude, we often fail to display the proper level of thankfulness that we could or should when these blessings appear in our lives. I'm not suggesting that we become obsequiously groveling about this, but I'm certainly not condoning a cavalier attitude either.

In my view, being grateful necessarily comes with the territory when it comes to receptivity, and being challenged on our worthiness might be just what's needed to remind us of our gratitude obligation. I recall an incident I saw on a popular television game show many years ago in which a contestant had an opportunity to win a new washer-dryer, a prospect that drew plenty of envious 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the audience. But when the host asked the contestant what she thought about that, she tepidly responded, "In that colour?" Needless to say, she didn't win the prize, but maybe she would have if she had shown a little more gratitude.

The importance of responsible power management. As conscious creators are well aware, the practice allows us to wield phenomenal amounts of personal power, and inherent in that is the very real potential to abuse it. Learning to respect that power through its responsible management is crucial to keep us from letting it get out of hand, to keep us from losing our control over it.

Little did I know when I heard those unkind comments as a child that they were actually helping me learn how to temper the management of my own personal power, particularly in terms of the choices I would make. They encouraged me to channel my conscious creation energies away from frivolous activities, like squandering my allowance on candy and records, and into responsible pursuits, like building a regular savings program. It was as if I were voluntarily applying the brakes on my own misdirected impulses, eschewing behaviours that wouldn't serve me and, instead, pursuing ones that would. This helped me to become more discerning in my choices, not so much by showing me what I wasn't worthy of but, rather, by pointing out what wasn't worthy of me, a realization that ultimately made management of my personal power that much easier and more effective. The sometimes-nasty comments nudged me toward that epiphany, paving the way for me to receive what I was truly deserving of.

* The importance of 'opening up space'. Learning to manage what does and doesn't belong in our lives sometimes requires us to let go of unnecessary 'stuff', be it possessions, relationships, friendships or jobs. Letting go of such dead weight, in turn, opens up space in our lives to let in what benefits us, to receive what's most worthwhile. That's an important receptivity skill for us to learn, for if we don't, we might hold on to useless flotsam and miss out on valuable opportunities that would enable the appearance of true blessings in our lives.

The foregoing lessons about receptivity contribute to making this one possible, for they significantly assist us in refining our manifestation skills, showing us what we should leave ourselves open to creating (and subsequently receiving). This kind of 'metaphysical space management' helps enlighten us on the substandard aspects of our lives to be disposed of and prompting us to recognise what we're really worthy of embracing. We can only hope that we have the wisdom to recognize occasions this like when they arise (and that we have enough sense to show some gratitude for such realisations, too).

By understanding why we often challenge our own worthiness, as the foregoing lessons help to illustrate, we just might gain a better handle on our capability to receive. And, once we're able to do that, we should, in turn, be able to get a better grasp on how enlightened receptivity can make our lives more rewarding. Try leaving yourself open to those possibilities, and see what you get.