Gift Exchange - sharing our passion, talents and abilities to the fullest
The idea of Gift Exchange came to me when I started envisioning a world where everyone thrives. Living in a world where everyone is leading a fulfilling life doing what they love, that is, sharing their passion, talents and abilities that they choose with the world and meet their needs and desires at the same time, and spreading joy & compassion in the process.
After our first gathering for the book launch, it became apparent that there are mixed understanding and interpretation of the word “gift” and that there is a need to clarify the meaning used in the "Gift Exchange" before moving forward with it.
According to the English dictionary, the word “gift”, has two or double meanings that is at the source of this confusion;
the first is where a gift is something, time or material, that is given without compensation, and
the other is where a gift is somthing you possess within yourself, your passion, talent or abilities that you love to do, be or create
In Korean, there exist two completely separate words to describe the two different meanings so there is no confusion there. The 선물 is to mean those goods or services that you give or receive for free while 재능 is the ability you have that you are good at or you enjoy doing, being or creating.
It is the second meaning that the word “gift” is used in Gift Exchange and Gift Exchang Circle. It's confusing in English because the term or phrase “Gift Exchange” is typically used as the first meaning. And here is another example to hightlight the difference. When I was growing up, whenver someone gave us a gift, 선물, my mother always made sure that we repay them by giving them a gift in another form of similar monatary value so in that sense, for me, the 선물, the gift received for free is never free because it always creates that obligation to pay back. Whereas the 재능, the gift (passion, talent or abilitiy) I share, I feel I deserve to receive the best that life offers and enjoy all that comes my way with gratitude, knowing that all my needs and desires are being met, and spreading joy & compassion in the process.
A Gift Exchange circle is a group coming together with intention to share our gifts, i.e., passion, talents and abilities and meet our needs and desires at the same time and spreading joy & compassion in the process. For some, they may not have specific needs or desires at a given time, and that is the desire in itself, i.e., desire to offer their gifts, talents and abilities without anything in return, it is one’s choice or decision, and not the rule or expectation of the group. As we express ourselves, through the circle, describing the details of our gifts (passion, talents and abilities) we choose to share with others (along with our needs & desires, if we choose to share it), we get to hold that space for each other for healing and creation, envisioning that which is being expressed through the circle.
Now the next item that needs clarification is "Gift card", the term used in "Gift card categories". The gift card is widely used today both in electronic form and plastic card form by retails stores and other businesses offering goods and services. The gift cards are generally purchased by the sender/giver of "gift" to give to the receiver as a present and the receiver can use it in exchange or payment for the goods and services offered by the business that issued them. For DSA, our intention is to allow individual members to be able to issue their own gift card for their gifts (passion, talents or abilities) that they choose to share with others while corporation members can bring the gift cards that they purchase from their employer to exchange with other members through DSA GiftXchange. You can be both members of DSA, individual and corporate, if you choose.
The Divine Spark Allies project is to create a mobile application using the latest technology that can provide the role of Gift Exchange Agent (GEA) that can capture what we specify as our needs & desires along with our gifts, talents and abilities we want to share with others, and provide us with the gift exchange option that we can accept or reject. Once accepted, the GEA is also to capture the feedback or review of the gift exchange results, and provide the complete record of transactions for periodic reporting and audit purpose for each participants.
The gift categories that is proposed to be used are given in Appendix-I of my book, Seven Holistic Practices for Harmonious Living, a Self-Healing Journey to Freedom, available in paperbacks and eBook on Amazon.com.
To learn more or to RSVP to our next Gift Exchange Meetup, check out https://divinesparkallies.net/gift-ticket-swap-meetup
And let us affirm: "I am sharing my gifts, talents and abilities to the fullest and living my dreams", So it is!
Namaste,
Kyung S. Yi-O'Kelly
Your Partner in Our Healing Journey