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The Conscious Heart : Seven Soul-Choices That Inspire Creative Partnership
by Kathlyn Hendricks, Gay Hendricks Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks are two of today's foremost relationship experts. Their bestselling book Conscious Loving has already become essential reading for tens of thousands of couples. Now, in The Conscious Heart, they identify the seven commitments that can transform from the inside out. These seven simple--but powerful--choices enable couples to: Use conflict to create greater understanding. Overcome the fears and defenses that block intimacy. Resolve struggles for control. Increase generosity and appreciation. Deepen passion, commitment, and aliveness Release the creativity of each partner Filled with numerous true-life stories--including how the authors survived and grew from their own midlife marital crisis--The Conscious Heart is an inspiring and instructive affirmation of the ultimate power of love. From the Back Cover "If you want to take your relationship to the deepest level of joy and intimacy, read this book." --John Gray "A remarkable road map to the heart." --NAPRA ReView "Superb--Worth two readings, minimum." --The Phoenix "An exhilarating guide to transforming your closest relationships. After twenty-three years of marriage, it was just what the doctor ordered for both my husband and me." --Christiane Northrup, M.D. author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom The Conscious Heart by Gay Hendricks, PhD & Kathlyn Hendricks, PhD, addresses honesty in intimate relationships, and makes the case for total truth-telling, with some compelling case studies illustrating the points---including an in-depth story/discussion about the authors and their own marital crisis and use of their methods when he found himself wanting to embark on an affair. The book creates quite a dynamic and often fierce discussion, particularly when students read this sub-section and then argue the pros and cons of no-secrets relationships. The section in The Conscious Heart (a book that was written before I started working with Gay, just to keep it all clean and clear!) that I like so much for class discussions is one with more levels than a class can ever really attend to, but the essence of it is that when Gay found himself at a mid-life crisis point and considering an affair with a woman half his age, he did the unthinkable ... and told his wife. They dealt with the issue together, and the story (as well as the comments of students discussing it) is poignant and funny and sad and many other things. Of all the different exercises and discussion topics I use, this is the only one I've ever seen that always captures every student, no matter how uninvolved...it's remarkable. Since I happen to subscribe to the 100% honesty concept (not brutality in the guise of honesty---just honesty!) it's amazing to me when I see how aghast many students are at the idea of truth-telling in ip relationships. It’s one of the most valuable discussions we have in the course. Laura Joyce, Prince Georges Community College, Maryland, July 1999. [Editor's note: Laura co-wrote a book, A Year of Living Consciously: 365 Daily Inspirations for Creating a Life of Passion and Purpose with Gay Hendricks (1999)]. About the Authors Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., and Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., are nationally known psychotherapists, teachers and workshop leaders. They have been partners in life and work for twenty years, and direct the Hendricks Institute in Santa Barbara, California.
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