The Yoga of Healthy Relationships

Growing up, each of us inherits the prevailing belief systems for our gender. Men are trained to act in accordance with the accepted customs of the groups they are connected to...family, religion, region and country. Women are conditioned to theirs.

Even our ancestral heritage intrudes upon our deep levels of collective unconsciousness imposing the symbolic hunter and gatherer archetypal impulses into men...and homemaker and nurturer into women. These conscious and unconscious influences are powerful forces of the interplay of relationships we subject ourselves to in every aspect of our life...romantic, social and business. Yet, like all things of the mind...our beliefs are ideas and, as such, are impermanent. Accepted behavior during one time period, (i.e.) the 1950's when I was a child and domesticated, radically changed in the 1960's as free love expression of the hippies sprouted and then the feminist movement emerged. All the accepted roles that had been ingrained in our minds had been turned squarely on its head. This continues today to be as those influences grow and develop into many new acceptable concepts. To be successful the ever changing role of men in beginning and maintaining a relationship must go deeper into the knowledge of the one who is the knower and interpreter of the beliefs and choices if one is ever to succeed.

Joining together in Yoga

In yoga, practitioners learn to develop balance and a steadfast position through first asana's and then meditation. Without achieving what is called an "easy seat" our bodies and thereby our minds are off center and disconnected from the harmony of their own existence. Through yoga practice deeper concentration is developed to know oneself as a divine spirit and to recognize the divine spirit everyone else is. It is through a steadfast practice of asanas and meditation that purification of the mind occurs.

Through ones' practices (sadhana) the confusing and ever changing concepts of what roles we are to play in relationships are transcended. Love and devotion begins to flow from the heart to join together in shared purposes and goals in a unified oneness.

Perhaps the hardest lesson we come to learn in our life is when we loosen the ties of our conditioning and become one pointed in our relationship with God. We can then experience God and that this awareness energizes all relationships, romantic and otherwise. We are all children of God, Life, Pure Consciousness and so deserve the same devotion. Our notions of acceptable behavior are in a constant state of flux and the human notion of love is we love to be in love; as long as the other gives us what we feel we need, want or believe we are missing in our life (what the Course in Miracles calls"special" love). Through the practice of elevating our consciousness to its purified state of devotional oneness with our Source can we experience the true power of a yogic relationship. (Yog is Oneness of Being)

From my experience I can only say giving devotion to another is recognizing their God Self. It brings amazing bliss and enlightenment and when that devotion is mutual it becomes a celestial joining that lasts forever in the Light of God.

Expressing Oneness

Each day we are given the opportunity to develop the yogic state of being. Being kind and gentle to ourselves and each other, earning how to interact in a pleasing manner...stepping back from the concept you have of someone or something in your head, and experiencing the light of their essence in your heart. Couple meditation is an excellent way to unite two people in spirit using the principles of tantra in sexual relationships can release life enhancing shakti and kundalini to raise the energy vibrations quickly and remove chronic depression, anxiety or tiredness. The archaic roles most humans play in the sexual dramas are not life supporting. Of course, the ability to communicate at all levels on a centered face to face basis is still not important.

Having a healthy relationship is a choice each of us can make. Find a helpful support team of coaches, teachers and therapists and look deep within yourself to purify your own self first and then radiate that light so others can be guided to help themselves and have fun.

Brian Sheen, PhD

The Quantum Healing Center – 12 NE 5th Avenue – Delray Beach, FL 33438 – 561 272 3733