In The Spirit Of Marriage

• Presents interviews with ten contemporary practitioners of spirit marriage, exploring how the relationship developed and the opportunities and challenges • Discusses the author’s own spirit marriage, including her awakening as an erotic mystic and her encounters with her Faery beloved • Explains how to cultivate a spirit marriage, sharing precautions and practices to spiritually prepare yourself and navigate the potential challenges of spirit marriage Exploring the phenomenon of the spirit spouse or spirit lover--an entity to which a human is psychically bonded--Megan Rose, Ph.D., examines the practice and purpose of spirit marriage around the world, presenting transcultural evidence of this form of sacred union in anthropological research, religious literature, mythology, folklore, and the oral tradition. She shares her in-depth interviews with ten contemporary practitioners of spirit marriage, including a Faery Seer, a Shakta Tantric, a West African Shrine Keeper, a New Orleans Voodoo Mambo, Haitian Vodou practitioners, and a ceremonial magician. Through these respectful interviews, the spirit-marriage practitioners tell their stories of initiation and of having a spouse who is both otherworldly and able to assist in waking- world activities. They offer intimate insight into this growing global practice and its larger evolutionary purpose. We learn about their experiences of first contact, the decision to marry, how the relationship is upheld by their community, and the impact on their other relationships. We also learn about the risks and challenges as well as one example of divorcing a spirit. Sharing her personal experience, the author discusses in detail her own spirit marriage, including the erotic nature of being “spirit filled” and her encounters with her Faery beloved. She explains how to cultivate a spirit marriage, sharing precautions and practices to spiritually prepare yourself, interpret your paranormal encounters, and navigate the potential challenges of spirit marriage. Presenting the first study of the transcultural, shamanistic practice of spirit marriage, this book shows how bonded relationships with spirits are needed now more than ever to assist with spiritual evolution.

"As a paradigm patterned after the chaste union of Mary and Joseph, spiritual marriage upheld Christian doctrine; as a spontaneous practice, however, it aroused the suspicion of the very church authorities who extolled its virtues. Through this union women could achieve a measure of spiritual and physical autonomy, which threatened not only their husbands' authority but also that of the clergy. Elliott shows how spiritual marriage could be manipulated by male-dominated institutions as well: it enabled early medieval kings to mask their unilateral repudiation of infertile wives, the church to establish the roots of a ritually pure priesthood, and the late medieval clergy to underline female submission to patriarchal authorities. Far from being a curiosity peripheral to the study of Christian sexuality, spiritual marriage emerges as far-reaching in its implications and long-lasting in its influences."--BOOK JACKET.

"People say our marriage is impossible." Laurie and Matt Krieg are in a mixed-orientation marriage: a marriage in which at least one partner's primary attraction isn't toward the gender of their spouse. In the Kriegs' case, Laurie is primarily attracted to women—and so is Matt. Some find the idea of mixed-orientation marriage bewildering or even offensive. But as the Kriegs have learned, nothing is impossible with God—and that's as true of their marriage as anyone else's. In An Impossible Marriage, the Kriegs tell their story: how they met and got married, the challenges and breakthroughs of their journey, and what they've learned about marriage along the way. Christianity teaches us that marriage is a picture of Jesus’ love for the church—and that's just as true in a mixed-orientation marriage as in a straight one. With vulnerability and wisdom, this book lays out an engaging picture of marriage in all its pain and beauty. It's a picture that points us, over and over again, to the love and grace of Jesus—as marriage was always meant to do.

The Marriage of Spirit is a handbook for spiritual awakening. It directly addresses how we can experience divine presence in our lives and offers simple, powerful exercises for creating balance and harmony. First published in spiral-bound form in the mid-1990s, it has blossomed organically over the decades, primarily by word of mouth, into a worldwide best-seller and has become a classic in its field.Based in the ancient teachings of the reconciliation of opposites, these revolutionary, unique, and easy journaling techniques help us accelerate the path to unity consciousness by quickly and dramatically moving us beyond egoic limitations and overcoming negativity, anger, pain and fear. In this groundbreaking book, which has been translated into several languages and has helped thousands worldwide, Leslie Temple-Thurston shares the story of the awakenings that led to her spiritual transformation and her eclectic, yogic-influenced approach to enlightenment. Filtered through spiritual psychology, her insights and principles are based on the truth teachings of ancient mystery schools, traditions and religions, revamped and simplified for the contemporary spiritual seeker.As the author says, "We have arrived at a new and different time; we are here to enlighten the physical plane, the body, and the personality while living and working in the world. If we integrate the dualistic and polarized schisms in our personality, we can know directly and palpably the unity which we truly are, beyond the limited personality."In a world torn apart by polarization, it offers hope for a third way, the way of unity amidst diversity.

Reflecting on forty years of matrimony, John Piper exalts the biblical meaning of marriage over its emotion, exhorting couples to keep their covenant for all the best reasons. Even in the days when people commonly stayed married "'til death do us part," there has never been a generation whose view of marriage was high enough, says Pastor John Piper. That is all the more true in our casual times. Though personal selfishness and cultural bondage obstruct the wonder of God's purpose, it is found in God's Word, where his design can awaken a glorious vision capable of freeing every person from small, Christ-ignoring, romance-intoxicated views. As Piper explains in reflecting on forty years of matrimony: "Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God. It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does. Marriage, therefore, is not mainly about being in love. It's mainly about telling the truth with our lives. And staying married is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ's covenant-keeping love on display." This Momentary Marriage unpacks the biblical vision, its unexpected contours, and its weighty implications for married, single, divorced, and remarried alike.

In this booklet you will find thirteen doctrines that guide a marriage that will bring glory to God; humility, forgiveness, generosity, peace and prayer, to name a few.

Describes what marriage should be according to the Bible, arguing that marriage is a tool to bring individuals closer to God, and provides meaningful instruction on how to have a successful marriage.

You can improve your marriage by following God's ways not the ways of this world. Popular approaches to marriage in both the world and the church are seriously flawed and cannot be fixed. Such approaches are based on a rigid view with everything supposedly known. If everything is known and rigid, there would be no need for the Holy Spirit in marriage. But marriage is one of the great mysteries of God, and his mysteries are revealed only by his Spirit. This book explains how a husband and wife can involve the Spirit in their marriage to improve it. Under the guidance of the Spirit, they can bring forth Christ in the marriage and fulfill destiny. The Spirit pours grace into a marriage to strengthen and sustain the relationship. This book explains how a married couple can be sensitive and responsive to these rhythms of grace. A married couple will face many challenges through life on the path to maturity. They need to be empowered by faith and through the Spirit to overcome obstacles. This book explains how to develop a spiritual relationship and resolve marital issues. A spiritual relationship will sustain love and intimacy. As a married couple faces inevitable changes, they can rely on a marriage covenant to respond appropriately to marital issues. The marriage covenant brings depth and freedom to the relationship when it is applied under the guidance of the Spirit. With the marriage covenant, both the husband and wife can expect freedom, abundance and fulfillment.