In systems and Integral theories, the principle of wholeness has long shown what neuroscience is discovering now, integration is an essential heart/brain function that links spirit, mind, and body for balance within and outside human systems. The phenomenon of the whole being greater than the parts is not new. The less recognized integration is in couple systems between spirituality, compassionate love, and sexuality. The Compassionate Love practice offers a link between spirituality and sexuality, as a potent navigational system within relationships for researchers/practitioners in the field of mental health. This relationship navigational system reveals a path toward integration, taking into consideration sociocultural and historical contexts within couple systems, and using the strength-based framework of Appreciative Inquiry (AI)’s 5 elements: Conversations, Cooperation, Co-creation, Co-design, and Continuation. Specifically, I conducted an AI study on understudied resilient relationships, the descendants of the African Holocaust from slavery. At an individual/couple-level, and relational/community-level, black and white relationships may be at risk for retraumatization and transmission of sexual mass trauma effects on present and future offspring. From the culturally distinctive positive core of these couples emerged five strategies that naturally occurred within their relational space, releasing the emergent properties of resilience on the path of wholeness to oneness.
Menu
