The Three Stages of Love: Separate, Connected, United

Building loving relationships, especially romantic relationships, is a progressive process – and follows a path similar to the three stages of individual human development (Mind to Heart to Spirit). Relationships pull us from our own view of how the world works and enable (maybe even necessitate) a shift in our individual perspective to accommodate the perspective of our partner. This process may be uncomfortable and the mind often resists it, but the process eventually catalyzes growth in both participants in the relationship. 

The result of this progression is always intimacy! As Puran discusses in this presentation from March of 2016, relationships are central to becoming fully human.