As a Craniosacral Therapist, you're a natural-born giver. You're here to walk a generous path of service, using your hands, your heart and your higher power to help your clients achieve health and well-being in all aspects of the body-mind complex.

But here's the naked truth: Your devotion to service may actually be stopping you from receiving the prosperity that ultimately allows you to give even more.

In Soul Currency: Investing Your Inner Wealth for Fulfillment and Abundance, author Ernest D. Chu talks about the Law of Circulation, which states that whatever is given is returned to the giver magnified.

But first the giver must be open to receiving. Like every other kind of energy, currency only flows easily when it's running in a full energetic circuit.

The problem is, most of us have a hard time receiving. According to Chu, sometimes we even view love as the denial of self. We often subordinate our own needs to those of our loved ones and friends. (I'll throw clients into the mix, too.)

If you have trouble receiving in your own life, Chu says, you may have come up with a clever way to disguise it by becoming extra generous with your time, attention, talent and money.

But in situations where the circulation of energy is impeded, the outward flow of love eventually dwindles to a trickle. And the inward flow of money slows down to match it.

Mistaking Pride for Selflessness

Recently, I woke up to the harsh realization that my own need to balance receiving with giving was blocking my ability to receive my full birthright of abundant prosperity.

I actually viewed it as a source of pride that I could only allow someone to give to me to a certain extent before I felt the need to give back. No one could ever call me selfish!

And then it hit me. As long as I couldn't fully receive the energy of giving, I was affirming to the Universe that there wasn't enough good to go around.

I was declaring with my thoughts and my actions that if I didn't personally take responsibility for balancing the energies of life, then life would be, well, out of balance.

Even the word "deserve" carries with it the idea that yes, we can receive ~ but only when we've already given enough to warrant it.

So when we say we deserve success, we are actually de-serving ourselves. Because we're reinforcing the idea that all giving and receiving must be self-generated.

Is that true? Does Nature really need our help to figure out who gets what and when?

Indeed, when we open our arms wide and allow the energy of giving to flow into and through us, we become filled with the sweetness of life. Then our own giving comes from that natural spring of love rather than guilt or obligation.

Where Are You on the Scale of Receiving?

Think back to a time when someone gave to you in some form or fashion. It may have been love, attention, or even a simple compliment.

Now answer these 4 questions:

1. How far did you let that energy of giving inside of you?
2. Did you erect an energetic wall in front of you so the generosity bounced off?
3. Did you allow it to sink in, but only so far before you felt the need to give back?
4. What was the thought behind that action?

Sit with that. Then, when you're ready, shift your consciousness to a higher perspective. Ask yourself if you truly believe there's enough in the Universe for everyone to get what they need.

Finally, release the thought that you're responsible for keeping life in balance.

When you can receive with no limits, you expand your well of prosperity. And ultimately, you have far more to give.