(6/16) Evolving Romanticism

NINE QUESTIONS ABOUT LOVE (EVOLVING ROMANCE)

The Sanctuary's discussion workshop for individuals seeking a meaningful life.

Next class: Tuesday June 16th at 6PM in the Sanctuary Yurt





QUESTION NO. 3: IS ROMANTIC INTIMACY SUSTAINABLE?

Our first two questions are now in play. They were (1) How can love make you a better person? And (2) Is passion compatible with happiness? Our next class will take up this most pertinent of questions, is it possible to keep falling in love with someone forever?

FORMAT FOR OUR NEXT CLASS ON TUESDAY, JUNE 16th at 6 PM.

We will be exploring this question through the work of the brilliant psychotherapist Stephen Mitchell. There are many theories of romantic intimacy, many of them with pessimistic views about sustaining the romantic intimacy. Freud’s theory which still influences contemporary theory on this matter, is totally pessimistic on the possibility of unifying love and desire for the same person in a sustainable way. He in fact believed that unifying our spiritual and sexual sides into a relationship was intrinsically impossible and would always degenerate into hatred, fear, loss. Stephen Mitchell’s view, as expressed beautifully in his masterful book, “Can Love Last? The Fate of Romance Through Time” is the most inspiring, most optimistic book on this subject I have found. In this class, we will look at his view and try and make sense of his powerful message.

If you’d like some background on his book before class, you can read a review of this book from Salon HERE, or read larger sections of it HERE.