The Gift
by Silvia Hartmann
Welcome to The Gift - a simple pattern
that is both ancient as well as modern, with a thousand and one uses,
that can make the world a different place for you, for the people you
love, for the people you don't love, and for those who you haven't even
met yet.
It may be that the act of giving The
Gift can make changes at a far wider level too; as more and more minds
become involved in this wonderful process, we might well have the
opportunity to permanently influence matters on a profound plane of
reality.
Having worked professionally with
Energy Therapies for many years, I am very aware that we receive far
more information and insight about the nature of reality around us than
we could consciously ever understand, or evaluate, or even respond to.
Much of this information is invisible
- but you can still feel it and it certainly has the power to make you
happy and bright, or to bring you down; it is this information or
knowledge that makes the hair on your neck rise on entering specific
buildings; that gives you a strange feeling in the pit of your stomach
before the telephone has even rang, and that accounts for gut level
responses to people, situations, proposals and ideas.
When you are engaged with another in
any kind of healing relationship, and this could be both as a
professional therapist or just listening to a friend who is in trouble
and you are trying to help them somehow, both you and I have the power
to help in a most profound way - if only we knew how to transfer our
invisible and unspoken understandings into action in some way.
The Gift is the bridge over which your
deep and unspoken understanding and your knowing about how to help can
travel to the other person. It is easy to give, any human alive can do
this - children are especially good at it - and you will know that a
change has occurred when you have given The Gift.
What exactly happens when you give The
Gift is a mystery. It has been suggested that you could be making a
healing adjustment to the others energy system, or maybe that you adjust
the flow of the meridians through their bodies, or perhaps align a
chakra or two in just the right way. Im not sure what happens, only that
something happens, that it feels wonderful and right, and that it
creates positive change both for the giver and for the receiver.
I invite you to try it for yourself.
Its a simple thing yet endlessly applicable in its very simplicity and
profoundly useful and helpful in many situations.
Silvia Hartmann
July 2000
Very simply, we are going to ask for a
metaphorical representation of our unique contribution to the person to
whom we are going to give The Gift.
The name metaphor means a container -
and in the case of The Gift, our metaphor will contain whatever the
person needs from us at this precise moment in time and space. It could
be an understanding, a special vibration of love, something that might
remove a certain negative energy, something that could unblock
something, or provide nourishment in some way, support, an embrace, a
space of silence or perhaps sanctuary or sustenance.
We do not need to consciously
understand what it is that we are giving; and I am saying consciously
understand because when you have given The Gift, you will have a
different kind of understanding - you will know that it was the right
thing to give, because it feels right. You might not be able to explain
in words how it was the right thing - but then, metaphor and intuition
are from the unspeakable realms, where what exists is beyond words, and
thats just fine.
So, for a moment, consider a person to
whom you might like to give The Gift.
Allow yourself to consider them in all
ways, and beyond the face they may be wearing, beyond their social
status and clothes, beyond their problems and successes, beyond any love
or jealousy you might have for them.
Consider them and then ask yourself
this question:
At this time, at this moment, I ask
what gift I can give to this person.
Relax and let an idea or image bubble
up in your mind. This image, sound, feeling or idea is the container
that will carry your unique gift to the other.
Here are some examples of gifts that
appeared when the question was asked:
- - a small blue and red bird
- - a multi coloured spiral
- - a small tree in a flower pot
- - a pair of wings
- - a huge field of green grass
- - a luminous white dove
- - a warm blue cloak to wrap around your
shoulders
- - the sound of ocean
- - what looked like a beach ball at
first and turned out to be Planet Earth.
Now, take your time to consider the
person and find a gift for them. Don't argue with your choice and accept
whatever springs to mind; your conscious mind doesn't know enough to
know what would be the perfect gift but your unconscious mind does, and
that is the place from where the metaphor arises.
Most people more than readily can
think of something. Should your mind go blank, you can either leave the
request to keep working on it and send it to you as a flash of insight
at any time within the next few days; or you may consider which colour
might be good for this person, and then just imagine a gift box with a
matching ribbon on top in that colour and trust that your perfect gift
will be inside that box.
Now, imagine the person and imagine
offering the gift to them. This part of the pattern creates the transfer
from you to them and represents your intention to be of help.
That is all you have to do. From then
on, whatever happens next, will happen under its own processes as the
interaction unfolds and the changes are made.
Some things you might notice or come
across when you give The Gift are as follows:
Sometimes when you think of the
person, they appear very different to what they normally look like -
they may appear older, younger, may be dressed differently than in real
life, or may be expressing emotions through their body postures that you
are not normally aware of. This is perfectly normal and it is a sign
that you are seeing who they really are.
Often, you might experience strong
emotions yourself when The Gift has come to your mind. Again, this is in
a way the correct reaction to this process and it tells you that it is
working. Emotions and energetic states are inextricably linked in a
single system.
So far, every person who was offered a
gift received it most gratefully - some with tears, some with
astonishment and gratitude and some with childlike delight. It is
conceivable however that a gift might be rejected. Should this happen,
you could ask what they would prefer to have from you instead - there is
something that is absolutely unique to you for them, that they cannot
get from anyone or anywhere else. If you feel you can fill the request,
go ahead; but you also have the right to not fill it if it seems
inappropriate or feels less than good to you.
Pay attention to your self when
sending The Gift. It is often as profound an experience to give it as it
is to receive it.
It is not necessary to tell people
about the Gift, although with good friends it adds another dimension to
the process and if you can discuss the nature of these gifts, gain
tremendous insights into many things.
You can give The Gift just while
talking to someone and without them knowing anything about it. Briefly
focus on a place beyond their physical body, and you may be able to
imagine an astral copy of the person to whom you will give the gift.
When you do this, pay attention to how the other person responds when
The Gift is given. Some people lose their train of thought, some look
over their shoulder; they are aware that something has happened which,
indeed, it has. Note also how after a giving of The Gift the nature of
the whole interaction seems to change for the better.
Remember that The Gift represents an
energetic exchange, in spite of the often seemingly simple or mundane
metaphorical object that carries your intention across. Energetic
exchanges are felt not heard or measured with a Geiger counter; pay
close attention to your feelings and your emotions when give The Gift
because that is how you will know that you have done something
important.
The original pattern of The Gift was
developed for healers and therapists who were suffering from extreme
overwhelm when faced with deeply unhappy, physically and mentally
scarred people who were suffering from a lifetime of neglect, terrible
trauma and lovelesness.
The Gift creates a straightforward
method for their unique healing energies and intentions to go the right
places for that individual, and most importantly, helped them to no
longer feel overwhelmed and helpless. The negative emotions of
helplessness and conscious overwhelm disappear when you use The Gift to
help others, and in so doing, are a gift to you.
A Gift For You
Interestingly, sometimes it happens
that a person to whom you have given The Gift, will offer one in return
to you - and I don't mean people who you have told about having sent
them a gift and who will nearly always reciprocate likewise
automatically, but those you imagined offering a gift to.
Needless to say, please receive it in
gratitude. As we have said before, this is an energetic exchange and
energy needs to flow freely both from you to them, and from them to you.
You can also give yourself a gift in
the same way as you would to another person.
This is an interesting exercise on
many levels and it is intrinsically very different from other peoples
gifts as it will be your own energy you are using instead of a different
flavour which comes from another person.
You may consider gifts for past selves
- perhaps there was a time in your life that was very traumatic, or you
used to be a different person which usually means, a worse person. To
give those parts of yourself gifts can help to re-align them, ease their
suffering and to help them grow and heal. It is possible that there are
certain past yous that cannot be healed by anyone other than you
yourself.
As it is the case that people pop up
in our lives in order to be a mirror to us and our own problems, and as
it is also the case that my sister-in-law always gives me presents she
would liked to have received, you might consider when you have given a
few gifts to your loved ones, which one of those gifts you would like to
have received as well, and give yourself the same one, too.
Gifts For Strangers
As my intuition increases, I used to
find it harder and harder to travel on public transport or be in crowded
places, simply because of the general unhappiness, loneliness and
suffering that was emanating from the people around me.
For example, I saw an Indian lady with
many heavy bags at a train station. Although I helped her carry the bags
onto the train, there was so much sadness and physical suffering around
her like a dark grey fog that she hardly seemed to notice me. I gave her
a tropical garden, and she took a deep, deep breath and seemed to become
alive and aware of her surroundings.
I then went through all the passengers
of the train compartment, one by one and felt myself getting lighter and
more comfortable with each gift given and hungrily received.
I received a number of gifts in return
also and left the train full of energy and brighter than I had been in
years.
What I believe is that The Gift is a
stepping stone, a learning process that will allow us to do this type of
work automatically and without us having to even give attention to it
once we are fully familiar with its workings.
I would invite you to try it for
yourself, and note what difference it makes to you and your individual
dealings with strangers and passers by.
Animals (wild animals and domesticated
animals) are extremely aware of energetic shifts of all kinds, and they
too can receive The Gift. Further, their feedback to receiving the gift
is immediate and clearly visible in their physiology, their body
postures and their subsequent behaviour. Here are a few examples of
gifts for animals:
- a gift bow (for a dog which later
turned out to have been an unwanted gift);
- a foal (for a mare who was highly
strung - as soon as the owner thought of the foal the mare stopped dead,
relaxed right out and stood very quietly, with her head drooping);
- a blue green blanket (for a dog who
then came into the room for no good reason lay down, at full stretch,
exactly in the spot the blanket had appeared to the owner).
If you remember, the original gift
pattern was designed to help with overwhelm.
What can be more overwhelming than
global issues such as world pollution, world hunger, the suffering of
all the children, all the animals, global warming, wars and famines, and
so forth
What causes depression and overwhelm
is the thought There is nothing I can do.
With The Gift, there is something you
can do now beside recycling and donating to charity, and I believe that
every one of us who addresses such issues at the energetic level in this
way actually does make a difference.
As The Gift pattern does not require
much meditation, time or effort other than conscious volition to do it
now it is a perfect beginning to start to use our abilities to make
changes at the energetic level on global issues too.
What gift will you give to the world
today To The Children To Humanity Whatever you have to contribute, know
that it is uniquely yours to contribute - no-one else in the world can
give this gift the way you do - and that it will make a difference.
Feedback
Here are some stories received about
using The Gift in practise. I would very much like to hear your
experience with The Gift, too. Please mail me at the address at the end
of this article to contribute.
A friend came
to visit me who is in a very unhappy relationship. I listened to her for
a long while but began to feel more and more uncomfortable in the face
of her anger and couldn't think of what to do other than to just go
along with it and hope shed tire of it soon. I remembered The Gift from
the newslist, and focussed on what I could be giving her. As soon as I
thought of it, a white dove appeared before me. It was carrying a long
flowy red ribbon in its beak, and fluttered in midair. I stared in awe.
After I got over my surprise, I *gave* it to my friend, mentally
released it to her. Instantly, she stopped talking. The entire mood of
the room calmed, and she tied up a few loose ends and left, calm and
confident.
This metaphorical gift giving solves a
huge dilemma I have had weighing on my heart. I recently spent time with
some very old friends and was quite disturbed by the way they are
treating their children, and by their troubled 13 year old son. These
are not people I can confront or help right now, and their kids live
across the country from me so I can't establish a relationship and help
that way. But I CAN go
inside myself everytime I think of it,
and send whatever seems appropriate at that moment. It has been a
wonderful relief to me.
I heard that a dear friends father had
died suddenly. I wanted to do/say something to help but was in a spin,
couldn't find the right words, so I settled myself down and pictured my
friend and his father, immediately I knew that the 'gift' was a very
special poem about laughter. Later on I was tapping for my friend but it
just didn't feel right, I couldn't find the right thing to tap
on....until your mail arrived. It was so obvious I couldn't see it. Now
I know that the greatest gift that I can energetically send at this time
is laughter. Thank you for putting into words what I knew but couldn't
see.
I have been troubled by feeling very
negative - hateful - towards a certain person recently. When I got the
message about the gift, it occurred to me to try it on that person to
see if it would make any difference. Immediately, a huge black raven
sprang to mind. I was worried that it might be something bad and
hesitated, but it looked very beautiful and powerful so I decided to
trust my unconscious mind and send it anyway. I felt better immediately
as I saw the raven flying away all purposefully and actually found it
hard to get back those feelings of negativity about the person. Later,
someone told me this: The raven on the Shamanic Medicine Wheel is the
guardian of in absentia healing and it's medicine is considered needed
to bridge the Void, to reach the collective unknown. I had no idea of
that but WOW. What a gift - and just what that person must have needed.
And what I needed to do to regain balance in my mind.
The gift I gave to a friend I did give
to myself too and quite a few spooky things
have happened to me since including: a
change of attitude to food: frequently I am "energised " by some "energy
" which leaps out of me; feeling at peace and "full " of self-love and
kindness. I also I had a weird experience to find out I share a past
life memory with a friend!
Today, a friend stopped by. He was
tripping out, exploding with ideas, and I began to feel overwhelmed with
his energy. I thought of The Gift, and a small speckled egg appeared in
front of me. It was a lovely greenish bluish greyish color, with
brownish spots. I just stared at it for a moment, sort of cherishing it.
Then I released it to him. I was watching his face as I gave him this
egg. He stopped in mid word and just stared at me, and asked me what
he'd been saying. He said, "Something just happened. everything is
different." so I told him about the egg. he teased me about having
*egged* him. Then he said that the sensation he was experiencing was a
sort of encapsulation. about a half hour later, he was again escalating
his thought process, and my attention drifted back to the egg. I
replayed it in my mind, and as I did so, he again stopped, looked at me,
and asked if I'd egged him again. I hadn't meant to! We laughed about
it. Now I can't wait to use this with my kids, and my ex when he stops
by & begins to attack me. This is truly the simplest thing I've ever
done, and the results are remarkable.
I was in this doctors office with a
replacement doctor because the regular one was on holiday. This was a
woman of about 50. She spent the first ten minutes apologising to me
that she wasn't the real doctor and kept asking me if I wanted to wait
until the real doctor was back again. I thought of The Gift and what
came to mind was a single red rose. Whilst she was still apologising, I
imagined a ghost shape of me giving the rose to a ghost shape of her, it
took it and said quite loudly in a tearful voice, No-one has ever given
me one of these before. At that moment, the real woman stopped talking
and looked over her shoulder, in the same direction where I was seeing
the ghost shape. She took a deep breath and seemed confused for a bit,
then she smiled at me and said, Well, lets find out how can I help you.
The morning after I received The Gift
on the list, I was out walking and saw a woman shouting and screaming at
her dog in the park. For some reason I wondered if I could give a gift
to the poor dog and I thought of a big red ribbon, like a gift bow. I
send it to the dog and then went on to say hello to the woman and stop
her somehow. She was very angry at first but calmed down, and then told
me that dog had been an unwanted gift. I nearly burst out into tears on
the spot.
One of my best and oldest friends is
dying. I lay in bed and couldn't sleep for tears although I kept telling
myself it was all for the best and that he was going home. I was
exhausted and at 3am, I called up an image of my friend and began to
give him all sorts of gifts, dozens of them, until he smiled and stopped
me and gave me a gift instead - it was a big white Indian blanket with
symbols painted on it which he wrapped about me. I don't know what
happened or how but I felt really warm all of a sudden. I stopped crying
and went to sleep. Thinking about it now, I think the gift was always
about me.
Further Information
Working with energy & intention to
heal, solve problems, or even just to have fun with finding out what
your imagination and intuition can do for you, is both one of the most
ancient human endeavours as well as being now at the absolute cutting
edge of mind-body technologies.
This is a vastly under-rated,
underestimated and underexplored domain of virtually limitless potential
that is easy to access and comes naturally to most people.
Please
send us your experiences
with the Gift and note that this pattern is copyright waved for
distribution in any way you like, although we would appreciate it if you
kept the sig line intact.
The Gift by Silvia Hartmann,
PhD
http://SilviaHartmann.com
Related Product:
Project Sanctuary Manual |
