Category Archives: Intimacy

“Only the Best in Us Can Talk About the Worst in Us; What’s Worst in Us Lies About Itself and its Own Existence.

Posted on November 26, 2023 by John

“Only the best in us can talk about the worst in us; what’s worst in us lies about itself and its own existence.” — David Schnarch, author of “Passionate Marriage” and “Intimacy & Desire“ Also from David Schnarch, Ph.D. — … Continue reading →

Posted in "The Scarlet Letter", C.S. Lewis, Conscience, Critical Thinking, David Schnarch, Dostoyevsky, Intimacy, Intimate Relationships, Lies, Love, Maurice Nicoll, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Nietzsche, Truth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In the Gap Between Stimulus and Response is Where Real Love Occurs

Posted on March 12, 2016 by John

I’ll meet you there (to riff on Rumi). Or better yet: Start meeting your partner there. Choice is sexy. When partners choose when and where and how they want to have sex, that is sexy. When they make a choice to engage … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Conscious Love, Intimacy, Intimate Relationships, Love, Love is a Choice, Love is a Decision, Love is Not a Feeling, Mature Love, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Personal Growth, Perspective, Real Love, Self-Awareness, The Examined Life, Truth, Waking Up, What is Love? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Is it Possible to Lie & Deceive Someone We Love?

Posted on January 27, 2015 by John

Is it possible to lie and deceive someone we love? One of the blogs I read on occasion (http://relationshipremedy.com/2015/01/28/sex-lies-and-the-truth/) asked a question similar to that asked above. And the short answer is: No, of course not. And the longer answer … Continue reading →

Posted in Antilove, Commitment, Immature Love, Intimacy, Kindness, Love, Love Is a Verb, Mature Love, Mental Health, Perspective, Real Love, What is Love? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Love Is a Verb (“I Didn’t Love My Wife When We Got Married—The Real Truth About Love”)

Posted on October 29, 2013 by John

. I am going to reblog a very honest and nicely-written article with the attention-grabbing perhaps even somewhat shocking title of “I Didn’t Love My Wife When We Got Married” (The Real Truth About Love) ” by Elad Nehorai (the … Continue reading →

Posted in "The Five Love Languages", Elad Nehorai, Emotional Maturity, Immature Love, Intimacy, Intimate Relationships, Love is a Choice, Love is a Commitment, Love Is a Verb, Love is Not a Feeling, M. Scott Peck, Real Love, Spiritual Growth, Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Examined Life, The Road Less Traveled, Truth, What is Love? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How to Be Truly Happy In Life — And How & When to Start

Posted on August 20, 2013 by John

. We’ll worth the watch.  It’s how a real sense of community and brotherhood/sisterhood begins — by really sharing what’s affected us (affecting us) deeply. I often wonder when I’m interacting with some people, have they ever lost anyone?  How … Continue reading →

Posted in Authenticity, Bonding, Community, Death, Friendship, Intimacy, Kindness, Mental Health, Personal Growth, Perspective, The Examined Life, Truth, Vulnerability | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Love *Is* Difficult

Posted on November 29, 2012 by John

. Love is difficult. It is difficult to learn how to really love another person. It is difficult to learn how to love oneself. Loving another means caring deeply for that person, being good to that person, wanting the best … Continue reading →

Posted in Difficulty, Immature Love, Intimacy, Intimate Relationships, Love, Love is Not a Feeling, Mental Health, Real Love, Rilke, Truth, What is Love? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Thoreau on Love

Posted on July 14, 2012 by John

Love is a severe critic.  Hate (as well as self-centeredness and self-interest) can pardon more than love.  The heart is blind; but Love is not blind.  None of the gods is so discriminating.  We may love and not elevate one … Continue reading →

Posted in Conscience, Courage, Intimacy, Love is Not a Feeling, Mature Love, Mental Health, Real Love, Spiritual Growth, Thoreau, Truth, Waking Up, What is Love? | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

How Close Does the Dragon’s Spume Have to Come to You, to Me, to Any of Us, Before We “Get It”?

Posted on June 27, 2012 by John

“If You Knew” – Ellen Bass What if you knew you’d be the last to touch someone? If you were taking tickets, for example, at the theater, tearing them, giving back the ragged stubs, you might take care to touch … Continue reading →

Posted in "If You Knew", Death, Ellen Bass, Gurdjieff, Honesty, Immature Love, Intimacy, Intimate Relationships, Mental Health, Real Love, Truth, What is Love? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The Ego versus the Soul in Relationships

Posted on June 20, 2012 by John

. For the ego, all relationships are ultimately recreational. They exist to accessorize the ego, add fun, gratification, entertainment, pleasure, comfort, convenience, utility to a person’s life, to provide escape. They are not there to add depth, challenge, greater awareness, … Continue reading →

Posted in "If the Buddha Dated", "Real", "The Velveteen Rabbit", Charlotte Kasl, Intimacy, Intimate Relationships, Margery Williams, Mature Love, Mental Health, Real Love, Spiritual Growth, Truth, Waking Up, What is Love? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Romantic Love Dies from a Lack of Love

Posted on April 26, 2012 by John

. “Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don’t know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Anaïs Nin, Ayya Khema, Conscience, Conscious Love, Immature Love, Intimacy, Intimate Relationships, Mature Love, Mental Health, Real Love, Spiritual Growth, Truth, Waking Up, What is Love? | Tagged , , , , , | 26 Comments