Valentine’s Day is the day of romance and love. But maybe your romance is slightly soured. Perhaps your once flourishing relationship is starting to falter and the happiness you once experienced in your relationship has been replaced with conflicts of the mind and stresses of everyday life.
So while I cannot guarantee the orgasm between the sheets, I can report that a study has determined intimacy and romance in your relationship could well improve through the practice of Mindfulness. Barnes, Brown, Krusemark, Campbell and Rogge (2007) examined the role of mindfulness in relationships and determined that romantic relationship wellbeing was positively affected through activities that promote mindfulness.
What the heck does that mean?
Basically that practicing activities like yoga, aikido, meditation, and breathing makes your relationship with your partner of choice a happy one.
How do they do this?
Creating an environment for effective communication is one of the ways that mindfulness can create happier relationships. Martial Arts like aikido can help you develop an ability to handle conflict situations in an active method that supports successful communication. However the ability for effective communication goes deeper then practicing a few ukemis (rolls) on the dojo mat.
Mindfulness reduces your emotional stress response to conflict. Your perception of what once would have been a conflict situation changes. No longer does leaving the toilet seat up become a big deal.
Other reasons you find happiness in your relationship through mindfulness includes a change in perception of yourself. Through an improved relationship with you as a result of a mindfulness practice the satisfaction in other relationships improves.
Of course I could keep talking about the brain response, the change in reactive behavior and the starting to care factor but I might leave that for another day.
If you are keen to learn more about mindfulness and using yoga, aikido, mediation and breathing techniques as part of a mindfulness practice contact Mindful Living Matters or find us on social media.