As a teenager I experienced a fair amount of heartbreak. Sometime after falling in love my partner would gradually lose interest, becoming distant and indifferent, and eventually deciding to call it off. The breakup would leave me with a sense of despair and sometimes anger. But I wanted to understand why. I wanted to know … Continue reading Illusions of Love
Commitment
Independent in Love
In a previous article entitled “Freedom in Relationships” I talked about the importance of respecting one another’s personal freedom by not imposing rules, restrictions and obligations. I talked before about freedom in relationship. Today I want to elaborate more on maintaining personal independence while in a relationship. What I mean is that so many of us look … Continue reading Independent in Love
Casual Romance
We have such a tendency to see everything in black and white, as polar opposites, as two sides of the spectrum, while ignoring all the gray area in between. And something I've observed is that many people out there in the dating scene tend to see only two possibilities for relationship. Either you're looking for … Continue reading Casual Romance
A Spiritual Perspective on Marriage
I remember as a child attending my uncle’s wedding. During the ceremony my grandfather turned to me and said, as adults often do, “One day you’ll be getting married.” I shook my head, and he laughed. He must have assumed that, being a young boy, I thought that girls were icky. But that wasn’t the … Continue reading A Spiritual Perspective on Marriage
Transitioning from Monogamy to an Open Relationship
Monogamy has been the social standard for romantic relationships for quite some time, but more and more people are beginning to realize that most of us just aren’t wired that way. In fact, many so-called “monogamous” relationships aren’t truly monogamous when you examine them more deeply. But having agreed to remain exclusive, our exploration of … Continue reading Transitioning from Monogamy to an Open Relationship
Monogamy as the Social Standard
In our society Monogamy is kind of a given. It’s so infused into the cultural consciousness that we don’t give it much thought. When we enter into a relationship we rarely sit down to talk about whether or not we are going to be monogamous. It’s often just assumed that we are. But more and … Continue reading Monogamy as the Social Standard
Compromising Your Relationship
The word “compromise” has two meanings. The first describes compromise as a settlement between persons, in which those involved relinquish certain rights and behavior in order to appease one another. The other defines compromise as “to endanger” something. And I find both of these definitions quite fitting, because making compromises is a sure way to compromise … Continue reading Compromising Your Relationship
Be a Space for Your Partner to Open Up & Grow
Often when we’re in relationship, we’re in it for ourselves. We see our partner as someone whose job it is to fulfill our every need. And when things aren’t working out the way we would like them to, we expect the other person to change, to come more into alignment with what we imagine the … Continue reading Be a Space for Your Partner to Open Up & Grow
Dealing with Difficulties in Relationships
When it comes to romantic relationships one of the most common fantasies we have is that we’re going to find our perfect partner and live happily ever after. We imagine a relationship in which everything runs smoothly, where there is no conflict, no agitation, no disappointment. We imagine that every moment spent with our partner … Continue reading Dealing with Difficulties in Relationships
Why I Never Give My Partner Permission to Do Anything…
It is commonly believed that if you love and respect a person, you should allow them a certain amount of privilege. While on the other hand, there’s also the old adage, “If you give someone an inch, they’ll take a mile.” The “experts” say that there should be a balance. They say that you should … Continue reading Why I Never Give My Partner Permission to Do Anything…
