New Earth Relationships: A Guide for Couples in the 21st Century

by William Weil

Eckhart Tolle’s "A New Earth" offers a path to greater consciousness, an end to suffering, more fulfilling relationships, and the possibility of enlightenment. In "New Earth Relationships," William Weil combines the work of Tolle with that of our most notable relationship experts into a compelling, prescription for relationships. The goal of "New Earth Relationships" is to have us be brilliant at relationships – and to have our relationship fully support our purpose in life. While it focuses on romantic partnerships, much of "New Earth Relationships" applies to any friends, family, co-workers, etc. Everyone’s relationships, especially marriages, start out perfect, with the promise of lasting forever. Yet most relationships fail. Both partners have the best intentions, but the relationship fails. Weil asks, “What’s going on here ?” He then lays out a brief history of relationships, to illustrate how relationships got to where they are, and how the past is insufficient to the possible future for relationships and provides a compelling context for powerful relationships. The tools described in the book enable individuals to help each other heal their own path. Time-tested techniques allow couples to create a safe space for each other, to communicate safely, effectively and powerfully, and to allow each other to grow into their full potential. Keen insight and vulnerable personal stories make the book compulsively readable.Weil states that if you are currently happy in your relationship, now is the time to build the skills and tools for a long-term, loving, passionate, mutually fulfilling relationship. If you are currently less than happy, then now is the time to begin to repair things.Weil shows us how falling in love is one thing; staying in love is another – it requires learning how to constantly and consciously “create” your love for one another. It’s easy when you are first in love. But when that wears off, when the little things start to become big things, when you least expect it, that’s when you need a context and tools for excellent communication to keep you and your partner on track."New Earth Relationships" offers a clear path for reducing suffering and increasing passion and joy in intimate relationships. Weil intends that readers can avoid a future of expensive relationship counseling, or worse divorce, by laying a positive, enlightening foundation for their relationships.

182 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 20, 2008

Reviews

[Rebecca Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Eckart Tolle's The Power of Now, I came across this book which takes Tolle's philosophy and applies it to relationships. There is a lot of good in this book, although it is shorter than I might wish. I wanted to see MORE, more in depth looks at the value of relationships in cultivating a spiritual life, more than what Tolle has already said in his book. What IS in the book are some useful tools and exercises and places to start on the path to greater self awareness. Some of these tools are familiar (use "I" statements instead of accusatory "you" statements, etc), some are new. I did have a couple moments of "Oh wow, I do that and I really shouldn't" and "Oh I need to do this more often", and I can see myself using some of these tools to stay present and not get worked up during an argument.

The suggestions and exercises of couples dialogue have very important aims, but I can't really see myself using them in as scripted forms as the author suggests. (It sounds... well, scripted.) But for couples having a hard time of figuring out where to start or what needs to be said, it could be helpful.

There are some people I know who I WISH would read this book because I think they would better understand their failed relationships and why they fail. I am lucky to be in a fantastic relationship and many things in this book we do already. But I am a firm believer in constantly cultivating your relationship and not taking it for granted. Better to improve a great relationship than to try and keep a failing one from sinking. Regardless, I think everyone would get something valuable from this book.