Author: Ann Schiebert
What is INTIMACY? So many people struggle with this in their relationships. Just what keeps us from being intimate in how we converse with each other? What are the masks we wear to keep others from knowing our real selves, our dreams, fears, successes and failures? What makes someone emotionally unavailable?
Intimacy so many definitions: most private or personal, very close or familiar, deep and thorough.
Wikipedia says: An intimate relationship is an interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate sex and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual relationship.
Intimate relationships play a central role in the overall human experience. Humans have a general desire to belong and to love which is usually satisfied within an intimate relationship. Intimate relationships involve physical and sexual attraction between people, liking and loving, romantic feelings and sexual relationships, as well as the seeking of one or more mates and emotional and personal support for the members. Intimate relationships provide a social network for people that provide strong emotional attachments, and fulfill our universal need of belonging and the need to be cared for.
Wikipedia goes on to delineate two types of relationships that facilitate intimacy: 1. Physical and emotional intimacy wherein LOVE and sexual attraction lead to passionate love. 2. Companionate Love – wherein passion is much less of a factor, and a sense of mutual commitment, a profound feeling of mutual caring and a satisfaction that comes from sharing goals and perspective provide the bonds.
Emotional Intimacy: The goal of most romantic relationships. Emotional intimacy can also be the goal of good friends and therapy groups. WHERE DO WE FIND EMOTIONAL INTIMACY? HOW DO WE ACHIEVE IT? And, actually, WHAT IS IT? Why are so many people feeling lonely? feeling let down in their relationships? turning to INTIMACY FREE PASTIMING (IFP-)to fill the void instead of finding INTIMACY FILLED PASTIMING? (IFP+)
This blog will explore the topic of intimacy in weeks to come. We welcome all comments. The goal of this blog is to explore the current cultural tendency to practice INTIMACY FREE PASTIMING (IFP), to examine the reasons for the drastic change in contemporary interpersonal relations, and to provide a format for discussion.