Shared Spiritual or Philosophical Perspective
| Article Index |
|---|
| Shared Spiritual or Philosophical Perspective |
| Look for Obvious Mismatches |
| Examine Well-Establishe Perspectives |
| Mission Governing Values and Goals |
| All Pages |
The spiritual or philosophical perspective you hold represents essentially the foundation on which you live your life. It is important that a couple share similar perspectives. For example, one person may believe:
"If I have the ability I should make as much money as I possibly can."
Contrast this with someone who says:
"life is all about self denial, giving away that which you do have, devoting your life to the betterment of the unfortunate, and living in poverty."
A marriage between two such people would be disastrous.
The only way the marriage of the two people described above could work is if they find a deeper perspective that allows them to live in harmony. If, for instance the money maker wants to generate wealth to benefit many worthy causes, and the poverty-mind-set person decides that it is OK to be comfortable financially and that more money can benefit more people, then it may work.
Most frequently the shared foundation is associated with one's spirituality.
Research has found that:
• Those higher in spirituality have more successful marriages
• Those who share a similar spiritual perspective have more successful marriages
• Those who belong to the same denomination have more successful marriages
Typically people who come from a well-defined spiritual or religious background have a more clearly articulated philosophy of life-based on their spiritual beliefs. Those who are atheist, agnostic or for whom religion plays only a peripheral role usually have a more poorly defined philosophical perspective.
If you are serious about determining spiritual or philosophical compatibility there are 3 levels of exploration:
• Look for the obvious
• Explore well-established perspectives
• Create your mission and governing values
