On the way to the Wedding: Transforming the Love Relationship

[lilyalic]

I recently started reading the book "On the way to the Wedding: Transforming the Love Relationship" written by Linda Schierse Leonard. She is the best-selling author of "The Wounded Woman, The Call to Create, Meeting the Madwoman, Witness to the Fire, and Creation's Heartbeat" Leonard is a philosopher and Jungian analyst. This book was suggested in "Unholy Hungers"

Here's what's on the back:

"With deep understanding and practical wisdom, Jungian therapist Linda Schierse Leonard writes about the longing for a true wedding, one that unites two beings in a sacred search for meaning in life. For many people, this longing focuses on the quest for a committed relationship with a soulmate. For others, it centers on the relationship with the creative muse, on union with the divine, or on a wedding of opposite forces within the psyche. Exploring dreams, personal experiences, myths and fairy tales, and themes from films and literature, the author uncovers the inner obstacles to love and creativity as experienced by both men and women. The meaning of the traditional rituals of putting on the veil, taking the vow, and enchanging rings are presented through a contemplation of the poetry and life of Rainer Maria Rilke. Leonard shows that whether one seeks an inner or an outer wedding, it is the work of transformation within that provides the transcendent ground for its attainment. Ultimately, On the Way to the Wedding is about living an authentic life that honors with love and awe the mystery of the whole of existence."

This book is really all about finding "true love within oneself", she describes her childhood trauma and how it led her to realize that working on her wounds was how to overcome her fears. It's a similar read to "Unholy Hungers" in terms of the metaphorical stories.

Here are some quotes:

I have had to develop the inner feminine warrior spirit to hold my own in our dialogue (her & her husband) and to learn when to give and when to receive [...] at the same time, I have had to learn to accept the limits that a relationship requires

Sorrow is the ground for growth and, like the seasons, our interior life grows in a cycle of transformation

Only by allowing myself to fully experience the wound in all its horrific depth could I emerge with the courage, compassion, and wisdom I needed to enter a relationship with a soulmate

At the deepest level, the wedding we seek is really a wedding within ourselves. To have a whole, healthy relationship with another person requires to be whole and healthy myself

There is no birth of consciousness without pain

She puts short poems at the end of every chapter, and it's really nice to read! She also explains how she related to each event or chapter. I really recommend this book!