The Integral Relationship Model shows us that love relationships are co-create in four dimensions between partners: Their interior individual “I” mind/feelings and “We” collective cultural conditioning, and their exterior “It” individual body/behavior and (Its) collective social environment dimension of their being. These four dimensions are arranged into “four quadrants” as seen below:
The image above: The Four Dimensions of Being and Relating
As long as the level of the (left) interior mental complexity, consciousness, and capacity to love between partners is adequate to address the (right) exterior physical and social complexity/challenges of their relationship, for example, their sexuality, behavior, lifestyle, work, or how they deal with money, they will enjoy a satisfying and harmonious love-life. They can usually resolve minor relationship challenges through better skill development or integration at their level of development.
However, when the (left) interior complexity is no longer adequate to deal with increasing demands, challenges, and complexity in the (right) exterior dimensions of their love life, the couple hits a wall, as shown below.
Image above: Integration and Transformation in Integral Relationships
There are only two logical responses to this challenge: (1) They can try to reduce the exterior complexity, which will rarely happen, or (2) increase their inner complexity by transforming to the next higher level of consciousness/capacity to love, which requires deep work.
If only one partner transforms to the next higher level of consciousness or capacity to love and leaves the other behind, a dissonance between the couple in the (lower) collective “We” cultural dimension, for example, communication, and social “Its” dimensions, for example, lifestyle will emerge, and the relationship will be challenged and most likely end.
The Integral Relationship Model offers singles and couples a roadmap for better skill development and integration at any given level of development, and for the transformational growth work in multiple development lines as shown below.
Join us for our Integral Relationship training to learn more about relationship challenges due to the growth of mental complexity.