For millennia, spirituality has been a deeply personal pursuit - monks on mountaintops and yogis in caves. But the world is more social than ever, and interconnectedness is transforming everything, from our family lives to work. Today, we need a spirituality that focuses more on "we" than "me." ,  , In Evolutionary Relationships, Patricia Albere draws on more than four decades of teaching work to introduce a new spirituality called "mutual awakening" that you can explore with a friend, lover, spouse, or partner. With practices to guide you and lessons to inspire you, this book helps you become more available to yourself, your partner, and our world.,  , WHAT IS AN "EVOLUTIONARY" RELATIONSHIP?,  , Life is defined by relationships--we're deeply social creatures. But not all relationships are created equal. An "Evolutionary Relationship" is one that drives us, challenges us, compels us to grow and evolve. It is a consciously created connection that is formed between two or more people who mutually commit to explore and develop higher states of perception and awareness together.,  , This book will show you how to find and amplify the "evolutionary relationships" in your own life. Perhaps more importantly, it will show you how to transform any committed relationship--whether with a spouse, a lover, a partner, a close friend, or family member--into a dynamic engine for mutual evolution.,  , PRACTICING MUTUAL AWAKENING:,  , The book is centered around an in-depth exploration of Patricia's 8 Activating Principles of Mutual Awakening.  You'll be guided, step-by-step through each of the following principles with exercises and practices:, Engagement: A genuine interest in what happens within the relationship. Saying "yes" to being fully connected.Commitment: Dedication to each other and to the relationship, expressed as a willingness to "stay on the inside" even if something is not working.Truth: A shared love of truth and transparency, and a desire to explore reality openly together.Trust: The ability to generate trust together (even while knowing that we inevitably will disappoint each other), and a willingness to allow this field of mutual trust to restore a more universal trust in life itself.Openness: A presence and availability for whatever arises in the moment, which allows the field of the relationship to offer all of its possibilities.Essential Uniqueness: Embracing the distinct dimensions of each other's identity that allows your relatedness to flower. Authentic essential autonomy is developed and strengthened inside the sacred communion of the relationship.Contact: A deep respect for each person's essential, unique being that touches each person's soul outside the boundaries of the personality. Mutual Influence: The desire to positively affect each other. This sacred intent creates a field of sensitivity and responsibility that allows the relationship to thrive on multiple levels and dimensions.