Guest Author - Sadiyya Patel
The Importance Of Creating Marriage Rituals.
Can you remember the early days of your marriage? How you and your spouse did special things together almost everyday. It may have been having breakfast together in bed on Sunday morning as you both read the paper, or taking a leisurely stroll through the park on a Saturday afternoon. But now, life has become so hectic that you barely greet each other as you pass in the hallway.
How can you bring back some of that sense of closeness and connection that you used to share? In one word:Rituals. Rituals are repeated, meaningful and coordinated interactions that are designed to strengthen the marriage.
The are 3 types of marriage rituals:
Rituals of connection - These occur when we part ways and then meet again, talk and connect. For example, you may hug and kiss your spouse before you both leave for work in the morning and again when you see each other in the evening.
Rituals of Intimacy - These are things such as dates, special times together, celebrating special occasions and anniversaries etc.
Rituals of Community - These are activities where both partners are involved in some sort of outside activity such as religious activities, neighborhood or community activities. The important thing here is mutual participation.
Why are rituals so important to a marriage? Because they provide a sense of belonging and connection that is lost in our hectic, over-scheduled lives.
According to Geoff Steurer, Family and Marriage Therapist "If a marriage is viewed as an entity seperate from each partner, it's more likely to be nutured."
So take some time to nurture your marriage with the power of rituals today.
I highly recommend this fantastic book by Dr. Carol Bruer to help you get started.
