From the Web

According to clinical psychologist and author Tara Brach in A More Perfect Union, approaching your committed relationship as a spiritual practice can lead to enduring love, improved harmony and liberation. She explains how in depth and gives as an example, the act of being present with discomfort in a yoga pose can release blockages and bring you more harmony mentally and physically — can also be applied to our relationships.

The article follows two separate couples undergoing “A-ha” moments in therapy and where it leads them. Ms. Brach suggests to one couple who focuses on each other when complaining about things they thought were not working for them, to instead stop and investigate their own feelings more closely when they feel intense emotions arise. If we pause before reacting, blaming, or withdrawing, it will then help to allow us to focus and figure out what is really going on at the depth of our experience. Next is to learn to let go and accept what is. Learning from these techniques proved to be freeing for this troubled couple, ridding the divide caused by fears, judgments and misunderstandings and giving way to inner peace and love that was inside all along. I was impressed with this article and it’s been on mind ever since I ran across it. I look forward to working to pause much more often before my own emoting to see what I can learn from that, and to what places within me I may reach as a result. Check it out at www.yogajournal.com.

From the Blogs

In Top 10 Relationship Mistakes, item number one, “Confusing the Real Purpose of a Relationship,” Jay Soriano says relationships are mirrors of ourselves and therefore the true purpose of one is to understand yourself since the True You is always revealed instead of how you think you are. And here’s something to try I haven’t seen before — in number six, “Misunderstanding the Limits of Your Relationship,” he suggests devoting fifteen minutes per day, for just the two of you alone, to silent contemplation together (separate from any other spiritual activities). This is supposed to help build a spiritual foundation and counteract the worldly endeavors which undoubtedly connect the two of you, but when out of balance can cause stress your relationship in the long run. I can’t imagine that contemplation together would hurt any! For more on the Top 10, go to www.symbianize.com.

For Fun

This soul mate calculator takes various preferences of yours into account, and then calculates the number of singles you must meet in order to find your soul mate. (Included on the web page is a link for viewing explanations of how the figures are calculated, if you are curious.) Go to www.solvedating.com.