Practice Acceptance

Your practice has sent you soaring, but your partner is holding you back. Practice acceptance and you'll live happily ever after.

By Meagan Francis

When we really open into our spirituality and deepen our practice, we become more self-aware. This can help us not only identify our own role in our relationship challenges but also understand how to move past our limitations and into a place of sincere and profound acceptance. Ultimately, we begin to recognize how our spiritual practice exists to help us grow—not to change those around us.

"Every relationship goes through crises," says Richard Miller. But if you're able to summon truth, compassion, and acceptance to face them, then the challenges can profoundly strengthen your partnership. "When couples really start communicating from their deepest truth and stop trying to change their partner, I often see a passion and love arise that wasn't there before—a deepening into intimacy that's really amazing to watch."

Recently, Woodward spent a harmonious day with her husband, and when she found herself thinking, "Will he ever come around to sharing my interests?" she stopped herself. Delving into the lessons of her spiritual practice, Woodward says she reflected instead on the things that have improved in their relationship and decided to be content in the moment instead of becoming too attached to what may happen in the future. "When I'm not pushing, it's easier for us both to be giving and open. I'm trying to just appreciate and experience that as it happens," she says.

George Taylor remains optimistic that with compassion and openness, most differences—including wildly varying spiritual beliefs—are surmountable: "Any of these issues is an opportunity to move more deeply into an intimate relationship," he says. "A spiritual journey can be an amazing thing for both partners, as long as they're tuned in to compassion."

Meagan Francis (www.meaganfrancis.com) is a freelance writer in Williamston, Michigan.

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