Relationships
The good of life is often seen to be dependent on our lives with others. We are encouraged to have many friends and spend lots of time with others. This can be good or bad, joyful or difficult depending on our motivation and expectations.
When we are looking for personal relationships, whether casual, close or romantic, our motivation is often to feel good by being with others. This type of relationship is conditional on meeting expectations and when they are not met it often results in disappointment, cover-ups, blame and criticism.
The Spiritual View offers the alternative of living in harmony with others without the conditions and expectations of relationships in the Personal View. In the Spiritual View there are no conditions or expectations to another but rather a moment to moment expression and appreciation of spiritual qualities with others. The good of the Spiritual View in experiences with others is everywhere. We can see the simple expression of non-conditional friendliness and goodwill in everyday exchanges with others.
We see it in the grocery store and as we pass strangers on the street. We see it often with individuals who work in customer service who respond to others with grace, calmly seeking to be helpful.
We also see it with nurses and others in healthcare, therapists, teachers, managers and consultants, anyone who is interested in expressing spiritual qualities of usefulness, peace, friendliness, harmony and attentiveness.
Everyone benefits from the expression of these qualities. In close relationships with family and friends, and in romantic relationships, it can be more challenging to turn to the Spiritual View due to increased expectations and conditions which we are reluctant to give up.
Knowing that there is the alternative of the Spiritual View makes it possible to consider becoming more interested in harmony than getting what we want, being right, being needed and acknowledged. The Spiritual View relieves us of the seriousness of relationships in the Personal View, and instead there is harmonious co-existence with others when spiritual qualities are expressed.