to coerce the other to meet their needs. In a conscious marriage this can be transcended and a realization develops that the partner can help one meet their needs but only when more constructive and cooperative tactics are employed.

8. A person will learn to look inwards for the strengths and abilities they are lacking.

Partners are chosen because an individual can see in them all the abilities and strengths that they do not have. This then leads to an illusory sense of wholeness. However, in a conscious marriage a person learns that wholeness r

The aim of marriage counselling should be to help couple move towards a conscious marriage. A definition of this would be a marriage that allows the opportunity for maximum psychological and spiritual growth by becoming conscious of and cooperating with the basic goals of the unconscious mind: to be safe, to be healed and to be whole.

1. The hidden purpose of marriage is to heal childhood wounds.

This involves helping individuals recognize their unresolved childhood issues and how these issues underlie their current behaviour and emotions. This will help people to transcend their surface needs and desires and provide them with great insight into their everyday interactions.

2. Creating a more accurate image of a persons' partner.

People tend to fuse their lover with their primary caretaker and then project their own negative traits onto their partner. In a conscious marriage these illusions gradually become shattered and one begins to see their partner as they really are; another wounded person struggling to be healed.

3. A person takes responsibility for communicating their needs and desires to their partner.

In an unconscious marriage a person expects their partner to intuitively meet their needs. A conscious marriage involves the understanding that needs require clear communication.

4. Your interactions become more intentional.

A conscious marriage entails behaving in a more constructive manner as opposed to merely reacting without thinking.

5. An individual values their partners' needs as much as their own.

More energy is devoted to looking after ones' partner instead of mistakenly assuming that the role of the partner is to look after ones' every wish and desire.

6. A person embraces their negative traits.

The individual openly acknowledges the fact that they have a dark side to their personality, just like everyone else. By accepting this, a person is less likely to project these negative traits onto their partner, which serves to create a more pleasant environment.

7. New methods are learned to satisfy ones' basic needs and desires.

When couples are locked in a power struggle, the partners tend to use negative tactics in an attempt to coerce the other to meet their needs. In a conscious marriage this can be transcended and a realization develops that the partner can help one meet their needs but only when more constructive and cooperative tactics are employed.

8. A person will learn to look inwards for the strengths and abilities they are lacking.

Partners are chosen because an individual can see in them all the abilities and strengths that they do not have. This then leads to an illusory sense of wholeness. However, in a conscious marriage a person learns that wholeness r

ll help people to transcend their surface needs and desires and provide them with great insight into their everyday interactions.

2. Creating a more accurate image of a persons' partner.

People tend to fuse their lover with their primary caretaker and then project their own negative traits onto their partner. In a conscious marriage these illusions gradually become shattered and one begins to see their partner as they really are; another wounded person struggling to be healed.

3. A person takes responsibility for communicating their needs and desires to their partner.

In an unconscious marriage a person expects their partner to intuitively meet their needs. A conscious marriage involves the understanding that needs require clear communication.

4. Your interactions become more intentional.

A conscious marriage entails behaving in a more constructive manner as opposed to merely reacting without thinking.

5. An individual values their partners' needs as much as their own.

More energy is devoted to looking after ones' partner instead of mistakenly assuming that the role of the partner is to look after ones' every wish and desire.

6. A person embraces their negative traits.

The individual openly acknowledges the fact that they have a dark side to their personality, just like everyone else. By accepting this, a person is less likely to project these negative traits onto their partner, which serves to create a more pleasant environment.

7. New methods are learned to satisfy ones' basic needs and desires.

When couples are locked in a power struggle, the partners tend to use negative tactics in an attempt to coerce the other to meet their needs. In a conscious marriage this can be transcended and a realization develops that the partner can help one meet their needs but only when more constructive and cooperative tactics are employed.

8. A person will learn to look inwards for the strengths and abilities they are lacking.

Partners are chosen because an individual can see in them all the abilities and strengths that they do not have. This then leads to an illusory sense of wholeness. However, in a conscious marriage a person learns that wholeness r

d desires to their partner.

In an unconscious marriage a person expects their partner to intuitively meet their needs. A conscious marriage involves the understanding that needs require clear communication.

4. Your interactions become more intentional.

A conscious marriage entails behaving in a more constructive manner as opposed to merely reacting without thinking.

5. An individual values their partners' needs as much as their own.

More energy is devoted to looking after ones' partner instead of mistakenly assuming that the role of the partner is to look after ones' every wish and desire.

6. A person embraces their negative traits.

The individual openly acknowledges the fact that they have a dark side to their personality, just like everyone else. By accepting this, a person is less likely to project these negative traits onto their partner, which serves to create a more pleasant environment.

7. New methods are learned to satisfy ones' basic needs and desires.

When couples are locked in a power struggle, the partners tend to use negative tactics in an attempt to coerce the other to meet their needs. In a conscious marriage this can be transcended and a realization develops that the partner can help one meet their needs but only when more constructive and cooperative tactics are employed.

8. A person will learn to look inwards for the strengths and abilities they are lacking.

Partners are chosen because an individual can see in them all the abilities and strengths that they do not have. This then leads to an illusory sense of wholeness. However, in a conscious marriage a person learns that wholeness r

of the partner is to look after ones' every wish and desire.

6. A person embraces their negative traits.

The individual openly acknowledges the fact that they have a dark side to their personality, just like everyone else. By accepting this, a person is less likely to project these negative traits onto their partner, which serves to create a more pleasant environment.

7. New methods are learned to satisfy ones' basic needs and desires.

When couples are locked in a power struggle, the partners tend to use negative tactics in an attempt to coerce the other to meet their needs. In a conscious marriage this can be transcended and a realization develops that the partner can help one meet their needs but only when more constructive and cooperative tactics are employed.

8. A person will learn to look inwards for the strengths and abilities they are lacking.

Partners are chosen because an individual can see in them all the abilities and strengths that they do not have. This then leads to an illusory sense of wholeness. However, in a conscious marriage a person learns that wholeness r

to coerce the other to meet their needs. In a conscious marriage this can be transcended and a realization develops that the partner can help one meet their needs but only when more constructive and cooperative tactics are employed.

8. A person will learn to look inwards for the strengths and abilities they are lacking.

Partners are chosen because an individual can see in them all the abilities and strengths that they do not have. This then leads to an illusory sense of wholeness. However, in a conscious marriage a person learns that wholeness results from finding these positive traits within themselves.

9. An awareness develops of the motivation to become loving, whole and at one with the universe.

Everyone has the God-given ability to love unconditionally and experience the unity of nature and the world. However, due to imperfect parenting and social conditioning these qualities are almost all but forgotten. A conscious marriage provides the opportunity to rediscover these qualities and experience ones' original nature.

10. The fact that creating a conscious marriage is difficult is accepted.

Typically, in an unconscious marriage, a person feels that a successful relationship involves being with the right person. In a conscious marriage, a person comes to the realization that they are with the right partner. Further, an understanding begins to develop that a good marriage requires constant hard work, courage and commitment.