Spiritual Partnership

A spiritual partnership is a partnership between equals for the purpose of spiritual growth, it requires:

Commitment

• Focus on what I can learn about myself all the time, especially from my reactions—such as anger, fear, jealousy, resentment and impatience instead of judging or blaming others or myself.
• Notice my emotions by feeling the physical sensations in my energy centers.
• Notice my thoughts such as planning my reply, judging, analyzing, comparing and day-dreaming.
• Notice my intention such as blaming, judging, needing to be right, wanting admiration, escaping into thoughts, intellectualizing and trying to convince.

Courage

• Take responsibility for my feelings, experiences and actions. No blaming.
• Practice integrity at all times. This often requires action such as speaking when frightened parts of my personality don’t want to speak and not speaking when they feel compelled to speak.
• Say or do what is most difficult. This includes sharing what I notice, if appropriate, when someone speaks or acts from a frightened part of her personality. Or sharing about myself what I am frightened to say and know that I need to say.

Compassion

• Change my perspective from fearful to loving. Choose to see myself and others in a loving or appreciative way.
• Release any distance I feel from anyone.
• Be present while others are speaking—not preparing replies or judging.

Conscious Communication and Action

• Consult my intuition.
• Choose my intention before I speak or act.
• Act from the healthiest part of my personality that I can find, rather than caretaking, fixing, teaching, judging, blaming or gossiping.
• Speak personally and specifically rather than generally and abstractly. Use "I" statements rather than "we" or "you" statements.
• Release attachment to the outcome. Trust the Universe.
• If I find myself attached, begin again with Commitment, Courage and Compassion.

 - Gary Zukav.