The Seasons of a Relationship...

Relationships go through phases just like the seasons, and each phase of a relationship can be related to one of the 5 seasons (In Chinese medical theory there are 5 seasons, instead of 4, because late summer is considered to be the 5th season).  The courtship phase, the beginning or birth of a relationship, is related to Spring, when things are unstable and excitable... hot and cold, up and down.  The passion phase, aka the honeymoon stage, is related to Summer, when things are at the height of joy and intensity.  The companionship phase, or the "warm blanket" stage, is related to late summer, when you settle into the comfort, warmth, and security of the relationship... nourished by friendship.  The letting go phase is related to Autumn, when the ideals and expectations of perfection (of the relationship and of your partner) fall away like the leaves from the trees and what is left is each partner as they really are.  Lastly, the phase of deep love is related to Winter, when a relationship intensifies and the connection deepens as the innermost layers and darkest sides of the couple are revealed... it is the stage of greatest intimacy because if you can stay committed through the Winter of a relationship then you can truly begin to understand unconditional love and a profound commitment.  

As we move through the phases of a relationship... we may find that there are certain phases in which we get stuck or have trouble even entering.  If you can discover in which phase you may be blocked... then you can work on acknowledging and releasing whatever it is that may be creating resistance to the natural flow of a relationship.  Give yourself the permission to stop repeating the same patterns.  What can you do differently to accept each phase of the relationship?