“The more two people open to each other, the more this wide-openness also brings to the surface all the obstacles to it: their deepest, darkest wounds, their desperation and mistrust, and their rawest emotional trigger points. Just as the sun's warmth causes clouds to arise by prompting the earth to release its moisture, so love's pure openness activates the thick clouds of our emotional wounding, the tight places where we are shut down, where we live in fear and resist love.” PeopleTwoEarthCausesFearSunEmotionalPureCloudsObstaclesWideSurfaceWoundsAriseReleaseOpennessWarmthThickDesperationTriggersMistrustPerfect LoveActivateMoisture Author:John Welwood
“Not knowing that we can be loved for who we truly are prevents us from trusting in love itself, and this in turn causes us to turn away from life and doubt its benevolence.” LoveTurnsCausesKnowingDoubtTrustNot KnowingBenevolence Book:Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships: Healing the Wound of the Heart Source: Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships: Healing the Wound of the Heart
“A relationship that has any depth and power at all will inevitably penetrate our usual shield of defenses, exposing our most tender and sensitive spots, and leaving us feeling vulnerable - literally, 'able to be wounded.' To love, in this sense, is to open ourselves to being hurt. The dream of love would have us believe that something is wrong if a relationship causes us pain. Yet trying to avoid the wound of love only creates a more permanent kind of damage. It prevents us from opening ourselves fully, and this keeps us from ever forming a deeply satisfying intimate connection.” IfsTryingBelieveKindFeelingsDreamAblePainCausesHurtConnectionsDepthLeavingDefenseWoundsOpeningSpotsVulnerablePermanentSensitiveIntimateDamageSatisfyingUsualWoundedPenetrateShieldsExposingBeing Hurt Author:John Welwood