For anyone seeking to build greater connections, intimacy, and deeper levels of communication in their relationship, Sacred Union is an essential guide to a natural and joyous way of love. Filled with timeless practices and guidance for both individuals and couples, this course will explore:

• The art of clear, respectful, and authentic communication.
• How to use the principles of yin/yang to create harmony within your relationship as well as within yourself.
• Qigong exercises, tai chi principles, and meditations to balance your subtle energies and align your spirit with that of your partner.

and more.

Over 2 hours

Lesson One: The Way of Harmony

Unless we achieve harmony within ourselves we cannot hope to have harmony with another person. How do we do that? This chapter will contain guidance on how to achieve spiritual and emotional harmony and how to share that with our beloved. Background on yin/yang theory and how it applies to us in the modern world will help us find out balance point and then how to extend that balance point to others.

Lesson Two: The Energetics of Emotions

Taoists view emotions in a very different way than we do in the West. To the Taoists, emotions are seen as energetic states, not merely psychological ones. We can work to balance, detoxify, and strengthen our inner organs, which will, in turn, balance and harmonize our emotions. How do we do this? Guidance will be given using both meditation and qigong to balance and harmonize our emotions. In this way, we can bring balance and harmony to our relationships as well.

Lesson Three: Opening the Heart

Without an open heart, without a heart as deep as a valley, we are not able to surrender to and extend toward another. Without an open heart, we are not able to hear the music of another’s heart. Without an open heart, we are not able to heal both ourselves and our partner. Opening the heart means healing the heart. It also means developing a kind heart. Without these two things, we will be lost in the often-confusing world of feeling and emotion and will not be able to live up to the full potential of true Sacred Union.

Lesson Four: The Tai Chi of Communication

Conflict is inevitable. Anyone who doesn’t realize that will never last in a long-term relationship. It is in how we respond and react to conflict that will decide if the union will last or not. Reacting in an extreme way to any kind of conflict only fuels the fire of disharmony. How can we learn to communicate directly from our hearts in a non-confronting way? How we learn how to really listen to our partner, without criticism and judgment? How can we learn how to share our deep thoughts and feelings with the one that we love, and in turn, to really listen and receive their deep thoughts and feelings. This chapter will give the listener guidance on just how to do that.

Lesson Five: The Watercourse Way

The image of water is used over and over again in Taoism to denote the qualities of humbleness, flexibility, adaptability, persistence, and acceptance. This is called The Watercourse Way. It is in learning how to be as water ourselves and how to go with the flow in any situation or relationship that will make it much easier to grow and prosper in that relationship. But is often challenging to understand just what the flow is in any situation or relationship. Only by going deep into our own being can we be sure of always knowing and always going with that flow.

Lesson Six: The Way of Wu Wei

Wu Wei, or the art of non-doing, actually means not overdoing, not over extending, not forcing things. As regards to relationships, this means being good with what is, rather than what you wish was. It means not forcing yourself, your views, or your timetable on your partner but instead utilizing the Watercourse Way and allowing what is happening to be enough. This does not mean allowing your partner to be abusive but rather allowing each partner in the relationship to flower and flourish in their own time and their own way.

Lesson Seven: Love and Marriage

Many people end up in relationships out of fear—fear of being alone, fear of being unloved, fear of being left behind, fear of growing old, or of dying without company. But is fear the right thing to base a marriage on? To base a marriage or a serious relationship on anything other than true heart love, respect, and mutual cooperation is to invite disaster. Here we will explore what a true Spiritual Marriage can be.

Lesson Eight: The Poetry of Passion

To Taoists, sex is a form of energy, and as such, it can be used or abused. As energy, it can be used for pleasure, for communion, for communication, and for health benefits. To the ancient Chinese, sex was an art form, a subtle and illuminating as a fine painting.

Lesson Nine: Returning to the Source: Taoist Meditation

If we want to have a healthy and harmonious relationship with another, we need to also have a healthy and harmonious relationship with ourselves. If we are not centered, not grounded, not trustworthy, we will not be trusted by another. If we do not know ourselves, in a deep way, we will not be able to know another. By practicing meditation, we will become more grounded, and emotionally and spiritually balanced. To begin and continue with a regular meditation practice we will be able to explore our own inner being and our connection with the greater Being, or Source. Guidance will be given on simple meditation techniques and tools for beginning and sustaining an enjoyable and helpful meditation practice.

Lesson Ten: Energy Is Delight: The Way of Qigong

Qigong practice is a way to access, circulate and store healing energy or qi, within our own bodies and psyches. If we are not healthy in our mind and heart and energy, this will get in the way of us creating and sustaining true Sacred Union. This chapter will introduce the listener to some simple, yet powerful qigong practices that will help create more energy, a stronger sense of well-being and both clearer thought processes and a more balanced and more harmonious emotional life.