Successful Relationships Reading Corner
This week, we asked what is peace in a relationship actually like? Here are some other posts of ours where we write about the importance and power of peace in relationships.
Let’s Create Peace in the World, One Relationship at a Time “We experience this in a number of our connections, most deeply between the two of us. We live harmoniously with humor, kindness, presence and love. Our relating is not about power or dominance. It is about support, acknowledgment, growth, pleasure and gentle communication. We have, as a result, a living experience of peace. There are many areas of behavior that promote living in peace. You must have the intention toward this kind of relating and the belief that it is possible. Once you practice these forms of acceptance and presence, peace becomes part of the fabric of your interactions. You become ever more peaceful yourself, as much of this kind of interaction involves looking inward and learning about yourself.”
It’s Important to Know You Can Choose Peaceful Relationships “We received feedback clearly indicating that many people could identify with this description of tension and struggle from their own lives. Many people believe that conflict is inevitable. This is not surprising given the state of the world and the apparent divisions between people. It is our experience that when people are presented with stories of hardship, tragedy and difficulty, they often respond with recognition and a propensity to give them their full interest and attention. There is a willingness to discuss them at length and dwell on these negative challenges. Peace on the other hand, is just a concept or a word to many people. It has not yet become an experience, a visceral reality. It has the element of fantasy to some, or something that is far off and distant to others. And it will remain so if you do not make it a part of how you live and conduct your deep relationships. Phil and I know that this is possible, and what we want to share is that there is a choice to be made. There is nothing wrong with feeling bad, but when you are consciously or unconsciously attracted and prone to dwelling in negativity, that is a choice. You can choose peace, you can create peace in your own life. There are many aspects to how, and those are the topics of our posts. The real deciding factor is to make the choice to move in that direction, realize you can, and keep choosing it each time you are confronted with a decision.”
How Your Peaceful Relationships Are a Shelter From the Storm “Phil and I share an inner peacefulness that is beyond any of the effects of the changing world we live in. Through the practices we share with you every week, we experience a path of peace that never wavers and serves to strengthen our individual struggles. This is true of a number of my deep relationships where this peace we speak of is a living quality. I can turn to those in moments of distress to help me and strengthen me. These peaceful relationships provide the shelter from the storm that all of us need sometimes, while we renew and refresh ourselves.”