True Love and Chemistry: Exploring Myth and RealityGet Advice from Take our Word.com on take-our-word.com. True Love and Chemistry: Exploring Myth and Reality topic will increase your understanding on Advice from Take our Word.com. We at take-our-word.com only provide news, articles, information in Advice from Take our Word.com. Advice from Take our Word.com at take-our-word.com provides the most up to date news and articles. If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
When you think about the qualities found in a true 'soul mate' relationship, what one word comes up most often on the top of your list? Is it CHEMISTRY? Probably. Just the mention of this term conjures up powerful feelings and images for anyone who has ever been in or seeking a love relationship. It is often described as a feeling that leaves you breathless, excited and weak in the knees. Palms sweat, the heart races and the body tingles with nervous anticipation. It is believed by virtually everyone that true love cannot exist without chemistry. Therefore, the conclusion most would-be lovers come to is that if they experience these intense feelings towards someone, they have the basis for an ideal and lasting relationship. Right? Maybe not. For this definition of chemistry is limited to one's physical response to another person. It lacks an entire dimension that resides in our values, beliefs, personalities and worldview In order to know you have the right connection with a potential (or existing) partner, it's important to have a basic knowledge of what real chemistry consists of, instead of embracing only the myths that surround it. This can be difficult to do. This intense, physical passion is the stuff that Oscar winning movies and best-selling books are made of. So, take a step back for a minute and see if you recognize yourself in the following. Sarah is a thirty something, very attractive and successful, professional female. She has been in a relationship for over a year with a man who is unfaithful, disrespectful and incapable (unwilling) to make any commitment to her. Yet, when he makes late night 'booty calls', forgets her birthday, or stands her up repeatedly - she remains available and willing, in spite of her general unhappiness and upset over their 'relationship'. Why? 'I think I have mistaken great sex for love. I feel this intense chemistry and physical intimacy when we are having sex, even though he offers me nothing else. Over time, it has left me unhappy and feeling badly about myself.' John is an attractive, intelligent, 30 something male who owns his own successful business. He's dating a woman that he thinks he is in love with. He has knowledge that she has been out with other men. She cancels dates and is often critical and emotionally distant. She refuses to discuss commitment or taking the relationship to the next level. Yet, she turns to John for emotional, physical and financial help whenever she feels she needs it. Why does John continue to see her? 'She's beautiful and the sex is great. We have such strong physical chemistry. It's almost like an addiction for me. My friends can't stand her and even I know she's not really a 'keeper', but it's hard to walk away. These vignettes are great examples of how physical chemistry can be mistaken for the real thing. The attraction on one level is strong, yet these are not relationships that have the right elements to grow into happy and satisfying partnerships. So, what is missing? Kahlil Gibran defines it as 'spiritual affinity'. It's the hidden element of chemistry. It's when two beings meet and connect on a deeper level. It can only be felt in the heart and soul. It's about friendship, respect, humor and the feelings of warmth and contentment that come when you are in his/her presence. People often report finding one without the other. This is understandably a cause of great frustration and confusion about whom should we choose and why. In order to understand this better, it is helpful to know how and when each facet of chemistry occurs. Physical attraction (or lust) generally begins during our first contact with someone. It can DEVELOP into something more over time, yet some pull is there from the beginning. The chemical that results from this attraction (and intensifies it) is phenyl ethylamine - or PEA. It is a naturally occurring substance in the brain. Essentially, it is a natural amphetamine. It stimulates us and increases both physical and emotional energy. The attraction causes us to produce more PEA, which results in those dizzying feelings associated with romantic love. Another substance that is released by PEA is dopamine. This chemical increases a desire to be physically close and intimately connected. When these chemicals are being secreted in larger doses, they send signals from the brain to the other organs of the body. If you wonder why you or someone is attracted to the 'wrong' person, it may be because you are high on the physical response to these substances, which overwhelm your ability to use your head and exercise 'good judgment and common sense'. 'Spiritual affinity' develops over time and repeated contact. When these feelings begin to emerge, the brain produces endorphins. These are more like morphine and result in an increased sense of calm that reduces anxiety and helps to build attachment. As relationships move into this phase they are characterized by more comfort, commitment and friendship. Generally speaking, all 'soul mate relationships' require at least some measure of each of these. The important thing to remember is that they come in stages, which is not to say that the physical attraction passes as one moves into a deeper connection. However, it changes. We cannot sustain those intense emotions as we travel down the road to commitment and a shared life. However, in healthy relationships those moments of intensity can and do occur for brief intervals at intermittent times. Remember not to confuse great sex or deep friendship with romantic love. Instead, look for a measure of both of these in your feelings for another. For then you have the ingredients that lasting love is made from.
|
Advice Home Business Technology Online Advertising Motivational Internet Marketing SEO Help Online Games Science Articles Happiness More Articles:1. Extended Family Relationships: Staying Friends with Former Lovers and Spouses It's natural to want to maintain a relationship with our former romantic partners (assuming that the relationship ended on reasonably good terms, of course). We shared a special bond with them, and they touched our lives and contributed to our sense of self in ways that we cannot even begin to describe. Just because the romantic and/or sexual aspects of the relationship have ended, why shouldn't we include our former partners in our lives in othe… 2. Ask Right and You May Receive How easily do you get what you want from others? And how easy is it for you to ask for what you want or need?Perhaps you haven't worked up the courage to actually make the request you want to make. Or perhaps you've made several requests, but still find your needs unmet. If you're frustrated because you seem to be unable to get what you want and what you ask for, you're not alone.This happens in all types of relationships, including intimate and … 3. How Do You Look? Do you ever think that maybe the synthetic ingredients in your skin care products may be causing your symptoms and your skin to look the way it does? If your skin could talk, what would it be saying to you? If your skin could talk, it might say 'So here we are, I want you to imagine this scenario, hypothetically speaking, you walk into your favorite skin care supplier and you see this on nearly every label of the products you were planning on bu… 4. How to Get the Most Out of an AA Meeting 1. Know where the meeting location is in advance.You might want to check a directory to see if the meeting is still at that location. Preferably, drive by the building at least the day before so you know where the building is, since many of themeetings are at night and it may be difficult to locate an address in the dark.2. If you are self-conscious about going to your first AA meeting,or going to a new group, you might want to find someone to go… |