Product Description:
We all crave an authentic experience of intimacy.
We all yearn for intimacy, but we avoid it. We want it badly, but we often run from it. At some deep level we sense that we have a profound need for intimacy, but we are afraid to go there. Why?
We avoid intimacy because having intimacy means exposing our secrets. Being intimate means sharing the secrets of our hearts, minds and souls with another fragile and imperfect human being. Intimacy requires that we allow another person to discover what moves us, what inspires us, what drives us, what eats at us, what we are running toward, what we are running from, what self-destructive enemies lie within us, and what wild and wonderful dreams we hold in our hearts.
In The Seven Levels of Intimacy, Matthew Kelly teaches us in practical and unforgettable ways how to know these things about ourselves and how to share ourselves more deeply with the people we love. He both acknowledges and calms our fears, while showing us how to move beyond them to experience the true power of intimacy.
We continue to subscribe to the myth that pleasure, possessions, and achievement will fulfill us. Yet after each encounter we are left with the same dissatisfied aftertaste. Why? You simply can never get enough of what you don’t really need. We don’t need more money, faster cars, bigger houses or grander promotions. The human person needs one thing above all else: intimacy.
Carefree timelessness and intimacy are best friends. Our relationships cannot thrive under pressures of our noisy, busy, fast, modern lifestyles, but every relationship blossoms when it is nourished with a little carefree timelessness.
Life is about love. It is about who you love and who you hurt. It's about how you love yourself and how you hurt yourself. It's about how you love and hurt those close to you. It is about how you love or hurt the strangers that pass through your life. Life is about love.
Praise for The Seven Levels of Intimacy:
"A highly readable, well written book that contains deep wisdom and practical guidance about relationships that will be useful to everyone seeking genuine and durable intimacy, especially couples. I especially appreciate his thesis that love is a commitment to helping the other become the best person he can be. I highly recommend it."
- --Harville Hendrix, Ph. D., author of Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples
"Matthew Kelly reminds us that love and intimacy aren’t just cozy feelings that drop into our laps. They’re the result of hard work and giving of ourselves—and lead to the ultimate joys of life. A wonderful book about an important subject readable, and full of wise and practical suggestions."
- -- Hal Urban, author of Life’s Greatest Lessons and Positive Words, Powerful Results
Product Details:
ISBN 10: 0743265114
Pages: 271
Language: English
Customer Reviews:
The Seven Levels of Intimacy February 22, 2006
Review by Diane Dixon - Xenia, Ohio
Great read - captivating - thought provoking - inspiring - excellent exercises to put into play what you read/learn. A catalyst for change - sure wets one's appetite for intimacy in the truest sense of the word. Gives courage to ask for more in the relationships that matter most.
The first step towards resolving intimacy issues August 2, 2008
Review by David T. Daro
Wonderful book on intimacy and it's necessity to the totality of the human being. The book has a neatly laid out theory or look at intimacy and even includes some great practicals on how to work towards intimacy in your relationships. Great read.
Should be must reading June 16, 2008
Review by John Chancellor – New Orleans
We are all involved in relationships. But most do not achieve real meaningful ones. Our relationships don't turn sour, we just become indifferent. We have been bombarded by messages that promise fun, excitement, pleasure and possessions are the answer to our emotional needs. But those are all feelings. And feelings change. They are not permanent. So no matter how much fun and excitement we pursue, it will not satisfy the basic need for intimacy. Our wants - material possessions - cannot fulfill our need for intimacy.
Matthew does and excellent job of exploring what intimacy is and what it is not. The book is filled with very valuable information about the various types of intimacy - physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. Matthew also provides the basis for a strong relationship. If you read and accept his premise, you will change the way you look at your relationships. You will understand that most relationships are self-centered and therefore almost always doomed to fail.
The book is divided into three parts. The first part defines intimacy, the second part discusses the seven levels of intimacy and the last part discusses the 10 reasons why people do not have a great relationship and how to design a great relationship.
Your primary relationship will have a huge impact on your quality of life. This is very valuable information and should be read by everyone who has not committed to living as a hermit.
"Seven Levels of Intimacy" by Matthew Kelly February 6, 2007
Review by Thomas Owen – St. Louis
This book has great ideas on how to make your relationships deeper and more meaningful. Nor am I just talking about a romantic relationship, or one with your significant other. This book should drastically change how you view all relationships, from friendships to your (future) spouse. This is a great read for anyone looking to go deeper.
Incredibly informative and helpful! February 18, 2006
Review by K. Williams
Jam packed with good, solid truth and helpful information about how to be happy and have meaningful lives and relationships. No fluff. It's nice to have a clear voice come through the haze of daily life and "wake you up" to the joy of life.