Conscious Loving Ever After: How to Create Thriving Relationships at Midlife and Beyond

There isn't any fluff on these pages. Every section of this book is riveting and essential for anyone who is truly ready to adopt a new context for their relationship and life.The Hendricks cover all of the the most intense and consequential issues of mid-life: Sex; devastating losses and deaths; despair over apparent loss of creative drive; 'empty nest’; fears which have turned into long standing behaviors; the weight of past suffering; the excess weight of bodies, of routines, or of a relationship pattern that doesn't seem to ever resolve.They go on to help us recognize the deeper roots of all of those difficult experiences, help us see how mid-life is uniquely suited for adopting some very different perspectives and commitments that change the game entirely - a new vista for relationships that, rather than sounding like ‘growing old together,’ sounds wild, exquisite, magnificent - or in their words, committing to the full bloom of our love and creativity.Most of the book is for mid-life couples to step onto this new way of life together, though they do have a section for singles, including some recommendations for how to go about online dating in ways that shape new connections in the direction of this new context of relating.The fact that they have lived this themselves not only shows up in their moving accounts of their own breakthroughs of the past few decades, but in the writing itself; the way they write gave me a sense of a whole new possibility for relationship and co-creation, as if I could feel and osmose the evolutionary leap now embedded in their connection. Also palpable are their tenderness, humor, and what they call the ‘genius of the relationship.' Writing together is definitely one form of the genius of their relationship!I was especially moved by this book because, as a woman of 46, even with decades of experience in facilitating personal and relational transformation, I had in recent years experienced some very big losses, and, with all my skills, had still had not fully recovered. I had begun to experience episodes of despair, as though my most heartfelt dreams for life were either behind me, or fast departing my capacity to fulfill them. And with that, I recognized ways that my relationship had felt rudderless also.While reading this book, I began to have a felt sense that the core of what I've most wanted is definitely not out of reach. With Gay and Kathlyn's laser-like support in navigating my exact mid-life issues, I am already finding greater ease in grieving the losses, and letting go of the shapes I thought my dreams would take, as I hook myself up again with the source of those dreams, my felt sense of love and bodily experience of creativity. Also, my partner and I have tried some of the activities in the book, and each time we do any of them, we each have wild new ahas and love tears.

The information, practical skills and tools that Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks bring tot he world have been invaluable in my life. Conscious Loving Ever after continues in this vein. I love the way book is organized. Each chapter focuses on a specific topic and goes in detail as to why and how the topic (eg. creativity, presencing,integrity) are vital to loving, lasting relationships . And there are practical tools that can be practiced daily.This book is written for couples over 40, yet the skills and tools are useful to all couples and singles as well and in all differing kids on relationships.I highly recommend this book if you want to thrive in your life!

Good but a bit goofy at points. Good but a bit goofy at points. Good but a bit goofy at points.

Wow! I read it on the stationary bike at the gym. But the experience was far from stationary. The forward momentum as a result of applying concepts and absorbing lessons learned from these two inspiring teachers is just what I needed. I highly recommend this book to anyone over 50. Thank you! 👏

I am so grateful I found this book! It is deeply helpful in multiple ways. I'm finding that I can't read a whole lot at a sitting - need to read a few pages, then take a few days to let it sink in, and try the things that I learned in real life. I love the ideas to deepen the connection - tried the Heart Talk and it works for us! Several times it's happened that I have a challenge, and I feel drawn to read Conscious Loving a bit - and it has the exact answer for me. Magic...

The customer service was fine I only bouth the boook becaues I promised my girl friend I would read the first two chapters. I read 3 to keep my promice but I thought It was a wad of S****t most of the time the authors spent braging about their workshops were. I got absolutely nothing out of the book

Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks have written another classic! This book offers the key concepts and central practices that take you from routine to renewal and from impasse to passion. Many people I begin working with say their long term relationships are lacking in creativity, sexual passion and are full of blame. The Hendricks know that is one option but through their own relationship and supporting thousands of others, they have mapped the territory for how to create relationships that break all of the rules to create magical possibilities. I'm grateful for a book that addresses the core of all relationship issues, FEAR, and how to deal with the various versions of it that keep us in suffering. The chapter on creating the best sex ever was particularly inspiring and gave me a lot of valuable new practices.

An interesting approach, very down to earth and trying to cover almost all the areas of living as a couple. Combining stories of their own experience with those of the couples they encountered in their practice as therapists, written both with a good sense of humor and with depth, it is a good read by yourself or together with your partner. Very nice exercises, meditations and techniques for day to day life but also for specific issues. Easy to read, nice to think about.

Some great points

interesante libro

What a fabulous concise and loving creation this book is!! - a great guide to staying present and open to finding love and living life to the fullest. I highly recommend this book and am grateful for the work these master teachers have manifested.Update. I gave this book to several couples I know. It has spoken deeply especially to one couple on the verge of splitting and they are now using the book to care for their wounds and move forward. So gratifying to see this wisdom applied and working.

From what I could bear to read, this is a book of self-indulgent 'wibble', couched in purple prose. I managed about half the first chapter and flicked through the rest of the book, the content didn't seem to improve. If there are any nuggets of wisdom contained within the pages, I would suggest they are small and very well hidden. In my opinion this is a book to avoid.

Great book