LOVE: The experience of a blissful and highly gratifying feeling that elicits a deep
desire and enthusiasm to live one’s life to the fullest.
In the dawning of morning light
In the sound of wind through the trees
An ocean wave laps upon the shore
and the sparkle in your eyes reminds me of
My reason for being…
At one with the essence of the universe
Feeling love motivates one to express /share this feeling with another (personally or
through some creative expression e.g. art, music career etc.) and when Love is shared
there are some common characteristics that people express with each other:
Reverence, Respect, Fun, Compassion, Affection, Inspiration, Truth, Clarity, Harmony
Trust, Centered, One ness Unity with the divine….add your own
The two polar opposites that negate love or take us away from that feeling of being at the
center of the universe are extremes of:
Constriction and Expansion
Confinement and Abandonment
Hot and Cold
Etc and Etc.
Yin and Yang
At times when Love seems missing from our life we are feeling the above extremes—a
separation from LOVE.
Remind yourself of a heated relationship conflict you have experienced in the past-— the
common denominator in almost every dispute is; someone is feeling abandoned (craving
connection) and the other is feeling confined (wants space). The distance between people
is often proportional to the quantity and volume of the words said out loud or spoken in
our heads.
When people are feeling closely connected…whispers, smiles and the language of our
eyes or hands are all that is necessary.
IF it hurts it’s not Love:
Hurt is associated with the two antonyms of LOVE—Hate* and Fear*
If you Love someone and they leave you and it hurts then you are feeling something
other than love- If you love someone you want them to be happy even if it means he/she
is leaving you…. AND ….nobody leaves you and you cannot leave anybody.
LOVE or Lack of it is always Mutual.
Enough Love brings and keeps people together
When there is a predominance of Love people stay together
Lack of enough love sends people apart
When there is a predominance of Fear people move apart
Sally says she tried everything to keep the relationship going but Sam was numb to his
feelings and showed no effort- “He just picked up and left one day. Sam left me and it
hurts.”
Sam may have appeared to be the one to leave. BUT there are both conscious and sub
conscious attitudes and behaviors that are contributed by both partners, which ultimately
disintegrated the amount of love that is necessary to sustain a loving relationship. There
are no victims of love. Both partners participate in coming together and in breaking apart.
Every event happens be cause of choices we make to bring us to where we are.
While it may be easier to blame someone for why we are here today, it is wiser to take
response ability for our contribution to the situation.
It takes TWO to Tango and it takes Two to Not.
Both partners contribute to the Love or lack of Love for both themselves
and the relationship.
Paul says he knows Sarah is his soulmate. He is deeply in love with her and trusts that
one day she will feel the same. He sends her poems, food, flowers and there is no other
woman he cares for. Sarah says: “I love you Paul, just not in that way. We can be
friends.”
Reality: Neither of them wants to be together in a lasting loving partnership. Paul is not
in love with Sarah – He is in love with the deep desire he feels. When he gets to a place
where he loves himself more deeply, his desire will attract someone who shares what it
takes to accumulate enough complementary chi to co-create an intimate loving
partnership.
Fear is often brought out in our relationships as a reminder of what we truly value.
If one fears abandonment or confinement in a relationship, there are two healthy options:
1) Resolve the fear, which brings people closer and is the reason why it comes up in
the first place—to bring people closer together
2) Accept that the fear is a signal to Love in a different way.
It takes one person to love AND it takes two people who love themselves to be in a
lasting loving relationship.
Each person can express love and that love can influence the other person
Instead of changing someone’s behavior, by changing our response and attitude to the
other’s behavior, we bring love to the relationship.
E.g.
John is too tired to take out the garbage after 10 pm. Mary is afraid to do it and gets
upset that it sits all night in the kitchen. Instead of changing John, Mary looks within and
resolves in herself that nothing will happen to her and starts taking out the garbage….
John sees this and for some uncanny reason decides that if Mary can do it so can he…
and they both end up taking the turns with garbage removal.
Forget the shoulds, the judgments, I am right? Who is wrong?
Leave out the primal separation of ego and listen.. en joy the resulting sweet song
If you ask people to write a list of what they would like to improve their relationship, you
will see wishes like: I wish my partner would communicate more with me or I wish my
partner would be neater… and any number of requests that try to change the other.
I wish the _______ (the other person) would ________(fill in the wish)
Basing our love and happiness on the behavior of an other disempowers our personal path
to feeling and expressing self - love and is a sure step to sabotaging our relationship.
Remember:No one can change an other person
Everything we want an other to do is a reflection of something inside
ourselves that desires attention and improvement
Instead of needing and trying to get Richard to communicate to others without sarcastic
criticism, Jane can find that place in herself that accepts Richard’s communication style.
After all, she knows he really means no harm by it. She can also recognize that avoiding
sarcastic criticism reflects an aspect of herself that she is trying to be better at. As long as
it is one of Janes’s issues, she will continue to be bothered by it. And the easiest way to
feel the shift is for Jane to *GENUINELY change her reaction to Richard’s style by not
taking it personally and to focus on her own desire to communicate differently.
Make a list of things you would like your partner to do, accept your partner for being
him/herself and be more conscious of changing those qualities in your self.
You may be surprised how the shift of being in you own needs takes the focus off
needing something from your partner and paradoxically influences your partner to also
share in making changes. We can also without accusation or expectation, *GENUINELY
request or simply give our partner a heads up of the change.
“Richard, I would really enjoy having less sarcasm around the house. Would you be into
that too? OR
“Richard, I would really enjoy having less sarcasm around the house.
I’m going to cool my use of it.
Sally, does that mean you expect me to nicer (spoken sarcastically)?
Honey I love you the way you are. This is a choice I’m making for myself and I simply
want you to know how I feel.
The breadth of our love is measured by our health condition.
Oxygenation, circulation, blood sugar regulation and the gamut of other health
challenges one can be attracted to, all determine our health condition that attracts and
creates a complementary relationship to learn and feel the lessons of love with.
Lisa’s sensitivity to being pressured (confinement issues) that seem to come up when
she’s tired is a sure set up for her to be in a relationship that brings up this issue. She will
attract someone who pushes her buttons. The better she becomes at stabilizing her energy
level, the more adaptable and focused she can be on more important issues in her
relationship—and she is no longer a victim of men who pressure her.
Gratitude for Life measures the vitality our health condition.
How often do you thank your lucky stars for being alive? How often do you complain
about the circumstances you have attracted? How often do you express appreciation for
the people around you? Are you cynical about life? Do you criticize or blame others?
When we are healthy in body/mind/spirit we view the world and all its relationships as a
perfect opportunity for emotional and spiritual growth. Negativity is a sure sign of a
compromised health condition and a threat to the safety of any relationship.
Success in relationship is proportional to each partner’s
attitude of gratitude/grace ful attitude
How often do you and your partner express (verbally or through actions)
“Thank-You”
The vitality of our health is directly proportional
to the vitality of the relationship we attract and create.
The healthier we are, the more adaptable we will be to the many challenges of
relationship and the greater will our ability to stay together be.
Love wanes when the overall love/health of the relationship wanes.
If one or both persons’ love/health lacks vitality it can affect the relationship AND
All challenges arise because the relationship has what it takes to heal/love and get
back to vitality.
ADVICE: If one or both people in the relationship are tired or hurting, wait …. sleep on
it. Exercise, meditate…become clear. Get back to vitality before making major decisions.
All challenges will bring up the two healthy options:
1) Resolving the fear of conflict brings partners closer and is usually the reason
why fear comes up in the first place—to bring people closer together. Our
differences bring us closer as long as we have the vitality to adapt and
resolve…to come up with creative out of the box solutions that satisfy each
partner 100%…(and enjoy the reward of make-up sex but more importantly
to feel a new depth of connection that surpasses our imagination)
Breathe…. feel the impulses that make us want to run—
behind this intensity echoes the sacred sound of divine silence
Stay with it –where is it in your body, breathe…circulate
Let this physical sensation fuel your vitality…clarity
the miracle of understanding surfaces
behind that mask of darkness comes the light of Love
see the solution…shining, radiating
brighter than we ever knew possible…and it is warm…soft..home at last)
2) Accept that the fear is a signal to Love in a different way.
When the fear is based in a truth that would dishonor one’s integrity and ultimately
cause harm to your soul, it’s time to change the relationship to one that is more
distant. This kind of fear represents a circumstance with effects that are too extreme
for one to bear and still remain healthy. Love can still exist in gratitude to the journey
so far and the relationship, will from this point on look and feel different than what
you might have originally thought.
Can Your Relationship Withstand the Test of Time? The 4 C’s
Connection-
Do you feel an intangible yet compelling attraction to the other person? Aside
from physical attraction, lust or magnetic desire, that are important, a connection
also manifests as consistent (daily) pervasive thoughts and feelings about the other
person and the resulting important relationship you share. These thoughts and
feelings evoke support, desire and the inspiration to live life to the fullest.
Simply: Is the strength of your relationship greater than the sum of your
strength as individuals?
Compatibility- Do you share a life dream? Do you have similar opinions on how
to walk your life path, Do you share laughter and passion? Do you have ways to
deal with your differences i.e. Are you reasonably comfortable with your
"uncomfort abilities"? Are you compatible on the most important things,
especially how you deal with the troublesome incompatibilities?
Simply: Do you like and love your partner?
Communication-Do you communicate respect and acceptance to your partner
regularly and avoid rude and defensive communication as much as possible? The
best communication tip is to avoid conveying anything that is over-flavored with
superiority, over-control, judgment, insensitivity, dishonest strategy, rudeness or
negativity. We quite simply react poorly to these attitudes and they cause
separation instead of unity.
“words spoken in anger, instead of resolving differences
only create new ones”- Oksana
Another good tip is to make sure resentments are spoken instead of hidden or they
will fester and chip away at any good commitment/ foundation of a relationship.
The object is to talk about the resentments assertively without blaming or
complaining.
Simply: Does your communication with your partner help you know your
inner self better and are you grateful for the vulnerability you experience in
your partner’s presence?
Commitment: Aside from addiction, adultery and abuse are you both committed/
devoted to resolving any and all challenges together? (And that is a yes or no
question).
Do you trust each other’s words to be consistent with actions? Do you
instinctively consider your partner’s needs when making decisions?
Simply: Can you depend on your partner. Can you trust your partner to care
for you as much as him/her self?
To score 100% on these 4 relationship qualities deserves a monument in the
Smithsonian….. and the bottom line is that the sum of all our conscious and subconscious
behaviors and attitudes will result in unity or separation.
Addiction: a state of dependence that harms /has a damaging effect.
We require emotional fuel- Emotions are like food –Without feelings we will die.
Relationships are the source of our feelings because other people reflect qualities in our
selves that nourish or deplete our souls.
So we have the choice of being nourished through, healthy clean and vital relationships
that eventually lead to enlightenment or through junky, toxic experiences that lead us to
soul suffering.
Again, it is our health condition or the desire to change our health condition that
determines the quality of our relationships.
Toxic relationships are mostly motivated by fear and pain and rarely stand the test of
time.
When making decisions for our self and for the relationship, ask,
which choice will bring vital health?
Does working 60 hrs a week improve or harm the relationship? Does sarcasm or ridicule
bring vitality or burn out? What effect will kindness and compassion have on your
relationship?
Is my decision motivated by Fear or Love?
If it is by fear, how can that fear point out what you value and be turned into inspiration?
If the decision is motivated by love a lasting relationship (of some kind) will result.
Subconscious Health
Many of our life patterns that lead to pain and fear are the result of subconscious patterns
etched into the foundation (genetic karmic, social, cultural) of our body mind spirit that
motivate us to sabotage our conscious wishes for healthy relationships.
BIG question —How do we alter or transform patterns that we are in the dark about?
Again it all comes back to our health condition.
All health problems are caused by living a life predominated by too many extremes.
High on alcohol or drugs-> hangover Burnout
Excess activity-> fatigue, pains
Too little sleep-> neurological disorders
Too many saturated fats-> heart attack
Confined-> Abandoned
Contracted->Expanded
Too yang-> Too yin
Lets look at how we can affect our subconscious mind through moderating our
lifestyle— creating a BALANCE that nourishes our health condition
Physical Recommendations:
Sleep-Are you creating extremes in your sleeping patterns? Do you get enough sleep and
do you sleep deeply? What can you do balance your sleep and activity levels?
Sleep is the time reserved for our subconscious mind to work out the “stuff” that keeps us
from feeling our natural vital state. Avoid eating before sleep, clear your bedroom space,
and impregnate your mind with affirmations and prayers before sleep. Conceive your
supreme destiny. E.G: (can be done as you are falling asleep)
With every breath I feel the Universal Life Force entering my body. I breathe and feel
every cell of my body being nourished and cleansed. I empty my mind of thoughts- As
thoughts come I breathe them away and instead focus on these words:
The power of healthy change lies within me and I am energized by all that is around me
My sub conscious self continues to move my body mind spirit to make decisions and
actions that empower me by improving my health… vital health of body mind spirit
With every breath I am becoming healthier
My sub conscious self continues to move my body mind spirit to make decisions and
actions that empower me by improving my health… vital health of body mind spirit
With every breath I am becoming healthier
Breath- O2 is our no 1 life essential nutrient and Co2 is our no 1 toxic metabolic by -
product. Efficient breathing nourishes and cleanses our blood. Extreme ups and downs in
our breathing patterns also affects the heart rate, blood pressure and are the root of
tension, mood swings and anxiety. Slowing our breath through quiet deep diaphragmic
breathing improves the condition of our lungs. When our lungs are clear our brain is clear
and instead of anal lies ing, creative solutions intuitively surface. Exercise and spend
more time in nature away from polluted cities. Got a relationship problem? Go
somewhere where the air is clean, feel the earth under your feet, jump in the lake, walk in
the trees, eat a meal made over a fire and you will be surprised at the clarity you
experience. Internal energy exercises like yoga, tai chi and chi kung clear the brain and
strengthen the internal body as well as the outer framework.
Food- Extreme eating patterns are the next factor in creating vital health. Do you eat
enough vegetables? How often do you eat junk food? sugar? Choosing organic
wholesome foods over junk food that tax the body will allow us to use our energy for
making healthy decisions instead of eliminating chemicals hormones and antibiotics.
Better yet, grow your own food in a garden or planters on your balcony- planting seeds
yourself and taking care of your own foods permeates the plants with a complementary
energy customized to heal your body.
Emotional Recommendations
How is your emotional balance? Do you experience extreme highs and lows in your
moods? Learn to feel before you react in a way you will regret. When someone pushes
your buttons… Listen to where you feel this emotion. Instead of chasing it away by
judging arguing, crying for pity, pleasing others, having a drink etc..take 5-15seconds to
feel the sensation. Use the breath to empty yourself of thoughts and use the feeling for
healing. You will find that this slowing down and fueling yourself with the physical
sensations found in your feelings will stop you from reacting in ways that damage your
relationship.
This method will help you to respect yourself and everyone you come in contact with.
When in doubt choose peace.
Spiritual Recommendations
Are you spiritually balanced? Do you have a sense of spiritual direction that you
experience regularly?
When making a decision ask, does this choice move me closer to my dream in life or
send me back a few steps. Cultivate your intuition instead of your logical brain because
over anal lies ing your choices keeps you stuck in the past .
Emptying the brain through daily meditation/sitting quietly makes room for genuine
truths-(truths that further your consciousness and health) to surface.
Relationships are the root of our social condition on planet earth. The reverence we feel
within and express outwardly in our personal and family relationships overflows, to bring
peace to the planet.
Breathe…Feel…. and be love.
Notes:
*Hatred is an emotion of intense revulsion, distaste, or antipathy for a person, thing, or phenomenon,
generally attributed to a desire to avoid, restrict, remove, or destroy the hated object -Wilkipedia
*Fear is a repulsive feeling of apprehension or distress caused by the presence or anticipation of danger.
Fear always pertains to something that has yet to happen. It is a feeling that holds us back based on the
memory of a past dangerous experience that we anticipate may happen in the future.
In the presence of actual danger people often report a feeling of surrender –a place where fear disappears.
Fear exists in the present moment when we anticipate something that has yet to and may never happen at
all, or will never happen exactly as we are making it up to be. I.E. Fear is usually something imaginary,
AND if we consistently commit many moments/nows to the eventual happening, then it may eventually
happen.
GENUINELY means we really ask or make comments from a place in ourselves that is free of hidden
agendas. If manipulation or judgment is there our partner will feel it making more trouble than we
imagined.
Seymour Koblin is the founder of the School of Healing Arts in San Diego and current owner of the International School of Healing Arts. He has been presenting classes and workshops in Zen-Touch™ Shiatsu and Eastern Healing since 1984. Humor, intuition and a modern day perspective to traditional Holistic Health practices make his presentations an inspiring experience.
Post new comment
Please Register or Login to post new comment.