Spiritual Partnership summary

Perhaps you think that perceiving the world through your senses and your intellect has served you perfectly well so far. Maybe you’re content with your relationships as they are.

But do you lose your temper more often than you’d like? Does hearing about your friend’s new promotion make you feel envious? Can you stop at “just one drink?” Do you worry so much about something happening to your kids that you’re afraid to let them go?

Ever heard of Plato’s famous cave analogy? If not, here’s the short version. 

A group of people have been imprisoned in a cave their whole lives, shackled so they face the back wall. Behind them is a fire. Between the fire and the prisoners, puppeteers walk up and down, casting shadows on the wall.

Imagine you go out for lunch with your friend Joe. You chat about work and family, and then he brings up his exciting and expensive scuba diving trip to Australia. Suddenly, your mood takes a dive. You’re not enjoying yourself anymore.

Later, you call up another friend, Sam, and describe the exchange. Sam snorts, “Oh, that Joe, he’s always bragging. Forget him and his stupid trip. We’ll plan something way better!”

In the previous blink, Andie invited you to revisit the physical sensations you experienced during a difficult situation. Your churning stomach, hot flashes, erratic heartbeat – all these are assaults to your energy centers. They are symptoms of the deeper undercurrents of jealousy, anger, or other feelings that are holding you back from spiritually developing.

When Andie helped you observe these symptoms, she was engaging in the first dimension of a spiritual partnership. 

By now, maybe you’re convinced that being a multisensory human in a spiritual relationship is a wonderful thing. But how do you make the shift to acknowledging the vast human connection that binds the whole universe? How can you engage in spiritual relationships rather than mere friendships?

It’s simple: through love and fear. More specifically, reject fear and embrace love. 

Our families, neighborhoods, work environments, hobbies, and responsibilities all provide different opportunities for relationships with a variety of people. But certain relationships are especially suited to becoming spiritual partnerships.

The relationships between parents and children predate birth and last long past death. They are so intense that they affect every other relationship. The author recommends that you think of family as homeroom in “earth school;” he asserts that by healing yourself within the framework of family, you can change your generational karma. And by freeing yourself of the bonds of fear, you can tap into the love of all souls.