the yoga of relationships

source: offerings - buddhist wisdom for every day compiled by danielle and olivier follmi

sept. 24: our companion or partner is perfect, but we may wish that they were still as beautiful as they once were. this only proves that we have forgotten the imminence of death. --dilgo khyentse rinponche

sept. 25: from the moment that a man and a woman are united in their karma, they should spend every moment in search of harmony. --dilgo khyentse rinponche

sept. 26: the act of acceptance, of acknowledging that change is a natural part of our interaction with others, can play a vital role in our relationships. these transitional periods can become pivotal points when true love can begin to mature and flower. we are now in a position to truly begin to know the other. to see the other as a separate individual, with faults and weaknesses perhaps, but a human being like ourselves. it is only at this point that we can make a genuine commitment, a commitment to the growth of another human being - an act of true love. --howard cutler

sept. 27: our capacity for intimacy is built on deep respect, a presence that allows what is true to express itself, to be discovered. intimacy can arise in any moment; it is an act of surrender, a gift that excludes nothing. --jack kornfield

sept. 28: peace must develop on mutual trust. --the 14th dalai lama