By Claire Diab and Dennis Boyle
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success is a beautiful book written by Deepak Chopra, world renowned author and physician. I have been teaching these principles and using this book at Seton Hall University for the past 15 years and have developed The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga Teacher Training with Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon at The Chopra Center for Well Being in San Diego, CA . This is the second article in a series of seven where I will talk about each one of these principles and how to apply them in your daily life.
The second principle in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success is “The Law of Giving and Receiving.” This principle helps us to keep energy flowing freely and keep abundance, affluence, and all good things flowing to us. A great example of giving and receiving is witnessing the breath moving in and out of the body. If you hold your breath in, you will notice how uncomfortable it becomes. Even holding the breath out without inhaling becomes uncomfortable too. If you stop the flow of either giving or receiving, you interfere with the natural flow of life. To implement this into your daily life, you want to give every person you come in contact with a gift. Every time you meet someone, silently wish them love, happiness, joy, and laughter. You will notice an incredible shift in your awareness; it’s amazing. You can silently wish the grocery store clerk peace and happiness or you can silently say “Namaste” and gaze into the eyes of someone walking by. And, of course, a material present is fine too. Make a commitment to keep wealth circulating in your life by giving and receiving life’s most precious gifts of all, that of love, caring, affection, appreciation, and time. It is important to remember that receiving is the same thing as giving; they are just different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. You want to always accept any gift anyone may give to you with open arms and gratitude. Look at nature and receive all the gifts that surround you. Look at the beautiful sunset, a snowstorm, the sound of wind blowing, the rain, and even the birds singing. There are gifts all around us. Be present, and notice the beauty that surrounds you.
Practice these applications for the next 2 weeks:
1. Wherever I go and whoever I encounter, I will bring them a gift. The gift may be a compliment, a flower, or a prayer. Today, I will give something to everyone I come in contact with, and so I will begin the process of circulating joy, wealth, and affluence in my life and in the lives of others.
2. Today I will gratefully receive all the gifts life has to offer me. I will receive the gifts of nature: sunlight and the sound of the birds singing, spring showers, or the first snow of winter. I will also be open to receiving from others whether it be in the form of a material gift, money, or a compliment.
3. I will make a commitment to keep wealth circulating in my life by giving and receiving life’s most precious gifts: the gifts of caring, affection, appreciation, and love. Each time I meet someone, I will silently wish them happiness, joy, and laughter.
Enjoy!
Claire Diab is an internationally recognized Yoga therapist. She is the director of the Yoga Program for the Chopra Center founded by Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon. She is an adjunct professor of Asian Studies at Seton Hall University. She is the author of several books and DVDs on Yoga including “Yoga For Firefighters.”
Dennis Boyle is a retired fire director and acting chief with the West Orange (NJ) Fire Department. He was the recipient of the 1999 New Jersey Deputy Fire Chiefs “Fire Officer of the Year” award.
