If you’re defended, you can’t get closer than a certain distance from another person. This isn’t a problem in day-to-day interactions with people, but it affects your closer relationships. But how can you remain undefended if your partner criticizes you or makes unreasonable demands on you?
PHIL: A dear friend has been badly shaken by the loss of her cat of 15 years. I had a cat called Bert who died unexpectedly, and I was in grief for months. This is something I have heard time …
What Important Secrets Can We Learn From Animals About Relationships? Read more »
PHIL: The phrase “belief and intention” is a good description of how we relate. We believe a harmonious relationship is possible, and intend to have one. Our belief comes from various sources. Primarily, we have the experience of a harmonious …
How We Create Peace in Our Relationship by Intending To Do So Read more »
MAUDE: As we write this first blog of the new year, we are posing the question of what goes into a growing fruitful relationship, one where the values of peace and harmony are primary for both parties within the relationship. …
Why It’s Important to Look Beyond Relationship Differences to Your Own Reactions Read more »
As we said last week, our basic theme is sharing ways to create and practice peaceful relating. Here are some inspirations from throughout the ages to help you put that into practice. “Nobody can bring you peace but yourself.” —Ralph …
So Many Voices Believe in Peace in the World—Why not Add Yours? Read more »
MAUDE: Our basic theme is sharing ways to create and practice peaceful relating. We believe that this is a practice that can change the world. Why do we think this and how it can be accomplished? We recently spent some …
What is Peace in a Relationship and How Can it Change the World? Read more »
It was probably the way we planned for our wedding that first drew our attention to how we interact. Flowers, venue, vows, catering – we made decisions on all of these without clashing. When we looked at how we were …
How You Make Decisions and Find Mutual Solutions is a Pattern for Your Relationships Read more »
PHIL: We’ve been talking about how important fairness is in relationships. It is about treating the other person as an equal, even though they are at the same time, different from you. (Here, I am reminded of the Declaration of …
Why Fairness and Trust are So Important to Your Relationships Read more »
We are continuing to work through some complex decisions about wills, trusts and finances, and are some way from reaching a conclusion. We’ve been using our process for this, so it hasn’t generated any conflict between us, even though at …
Why It’s Important to Find the Essence at the Heart of Your Relationships Read more »
PHIL: I’m from England, which doesn’t have Thanksgiving, yet I have taken to it as my favorite holiday. I realize that not everybody may have such warm feelings toward it when the crazy uncle, paranoid cousin and gloomy neighbor are …
Why it’s Important to Show Gratitude and Give Thanks in Your Relationships Read more »