Mindful Relationships While Quarantined
Being cooped up for a long period of time can test even the most stable and loving of relationships. Add in the stresses of full-time parenting and homeschooling and the fears of getting sick or losing work, and many couples are reaching their breaking point.
Miraval has long been a place where couples have found peace together, where they’ve rediscovered their passions and learned how to better communicate and support one another. By working with our specialists and taking part in our wellbeing programs, many couples have found that mindfulness is the key to a happy relationship.
We’re happy to share with you tips from our specialists about how to bring mindfulness into your own relationship. We hope that you can emerge from this with a stronger bond, ready to take on any challenges that come your way.
Start the Day Focused
According to Alysa Volpe, yoga instructor at Miraval Arizona, it’s important to set an intention guide the rest of your day. She says, “If you commit to being more present in your day, you will be more present in your day.” It sounds simple, but if you say out loud when you wake up that you’ll be more appreciative for what you have, or that you’ll put down your phone at meal times, you’ll be more apt to do it and reap the benefits.
Eat Mindfully
Relish every bite of what you eat during the day, chewing every bite thoroughly and appreciating every flavor and texture you come across. Eventually you’ll find a newfound sense of satisfaction and gratitude for the meal and who you’re sharing it with.
Breathe and Move Together
Go on a daily walk together, of course being mindful of keeping a safe distance from your neighbors, and use it as an opportunity to find a moment of calm together. Walk slowly together, breathing in for four steps and out for four steps. You’ll quickly feel more relaxed, at peace and in sync with one another.
Also try to walk silently, resisting any urges to talk about the news, work troubles or kids’ antics. You’ll begin to notice the beauty of the world around you and find more comfort in your companion.
Meditation
Alysa advises couples to take on meditation as their committed workout. By committing to a daily meditation practice, whether for 5 minutes or 45 minutes, couples will able to better process whatever stresses come their way together.
Make the Bed
It may seem small, but according to Miraval Arizona’s master healers and real-life couple Tim Frank and Pamela Lancaster, making the bed together every morning is akin to “symbolically straightening out the wrinkles in your relationship.”
Be Intimate, Not Sexual
Tim and Pam also advise to spend at least three minutes per day spooning without any sexual intention. “There’s so much more to intimacy than sex and date night,” says Pam. While spooning, try to match each other’s breath for an added level of comfort and intimacy.
Rest Easy
Exhaustion can lead to anger and unnecessary fighting, but Miraval’s sleep specialists advise couples to put away the endless nighttime worries and checklists by coming up with a few potential action items to accomplish together the next day and then giving ourselves permission to rest easy.
