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Judith
Cannon, PhD, LMFT Healing,
Growth, Creativity Enriching Our
Lives, Our Relationships, Our World |
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Creating Passionate and
Enduring Relationships Introduction Most of us know the story of The Three Workmen. A passerby asks the first
man what he is doing. He says he is laying brick. The passerby asks the
second man who says he is building a building. The passerby asks the third
man. He says, “I am building a Cathedral.” We most often use the story to
illustrate how our attitude affects our experience, which is very true. I
will use the story to talk about relationships. To create a passionate and enduring relationship, we need the mindset of
all three workmen. We need to remember we are creating a relationship
Cathedral, a sacred place to encounter the Divine. We need a plan for the
building of the relationship. And, we need some basic skills.
Passion in our relationship
emerges as we experience the Divine in our partner and in our daily life. Our life energy comes from this awareness of our connection with the
Divine. Experiencing passion involves an active, ongoing preparation of self.
We attend to the creation of our relationship Cathedral through spiritual
attitudes and practices and through shared rituals. In order to build a passionate AND enduring
relationship, we need a plan. “Decide, Devote, Develop” is a plan that
allows the setting of intention and the conscious creating of a passionate
and enduring relationship. The plan bridges the spiritual consciousness
needed for a passionate relationship and the basis skills needed for a
relationship that endures. Basic skills are needed to build a functional relationship and one that
is likely to endure. Important skills include centering, healthy
communication, conflict management and connection. With the necessary skills, a plan, and recognition of the sacredness of
our work, we can create a passionate and enduring relationship. For more information about Creating
Passionate and Enduring Relationships, read: |
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Creating Passionate and Enduring Relationships |
