27. Paper Boats

sending blessings, receiving good fortune, giving and receiving

Stay afloat and don't tilt too much. A lesson awaits you.

A wonderful midsummer practice is to craft paper boats, fill them with flowers and blessings then send them off on rivers, lakes and streams. Whoever finds them will be blessed with good luck and fortune. It’s a beautiful practice that teaches the art of giving and receiving.

Abundance is a two-way street: to give there must be a recipient, and to receive you must be willing to accept. One cannot exist without the other. There is no shame in sharing or accepting, and you will find yourself experiencing both sides of the coin many times over. Share your time, resources and skills when you are in a position to do so as you never know how a gift that is given without expectation can change someone’s day, even going on to impact them for a lifetime. Each time you give, you deposit a karmic coin that will make its way back to you when you need it most.

If you find yourself on the receiving end, do so without feeling guilty for needing a helping hand. Allowing others to repay their fortune in kind to you is not a sign of failure or weakness but is one soul doing their part to uplift another and, in turn, lift up the greater consciousness. It all flows back into the unlimited stream of love, the universe's cache of kindness. Celebrate your turn in fortunes, being sure to pay it forward when you're back on your feet.