Intimate Relationships In Today’s World
(This
is an excerpt from
a University Of Metaphysical
Sciences course
at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Written by Margaret Branch
Introduction
At the brink of the 21st Century, we find ourselves in a rapidly changing society. Technology has facilitated the process of communication to become easier and speedier through the growing use of computers, mobile phones, and more. The nature of this communication is mostly information-based, but has become pervasive and affects us more deeply than we realize. In present times, the art of relating intimately to a partner and being able to express and process emotions faces many challenges, and the experience of coupling up and sharing living space requires new parameters in order to succeed. As well, the traditional models of marriage and family are now in a state of flux as changes in the economy demand a two-income household just to survive. In fact, the family profile is transforming dramatically with many people electing to postpone having children, if at all.
As societal expectations of male and female roles drop away, many people find themselves searching for new ways to be good partners in their own right. However, the desire for intimate connection is affected by variables such as work demands, difficulty in managing time effectively, and the need for personal recreation and exercise to balance a busy lifestyle. To compound the problem, the communication skills with which we have been raised are not very effective, and they become exacerbated by the impersonal tone of our day-to-day interactions.
In order to investigate tools for developing harmonious and growth-oriented partnerships under these societal disadvantages, this course will not focus on the formation of dysfunctional relationships based on deep childhood trauma involving abuse of many kinds. That is a far deeper subject. It will, however, attempt to encourage and present general skills for managing romantic partnerships skillfully and consciously, while acknowledging the spiritual aspects of relationship for the purpose of evolving into higher awareness. Regardless, there is much important information to examine regarding the forces that have led us toward the desire for such commitment.