We Belong Together (for Men)

Time for Exercise: one hour

Properties Required: Buy a three-to-four foot (1.0–1.25 m) length of one inch (2.5 cm) diameter doweling or cut a section from the handle of an old implement. Gather together tidbits of colored string and construction paper, glue, earrings, jewelry, painted trinkets, small children’s toys, money (coins and bills), small figurines of people, animals or caricatures, etc.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Song of Love

Songs of romance are sure-fire heart-melters, especially when they are sung just for you by the one you love.

Time for Exercise: three to five minutes to sing

Properties Required: Obtain the lyrics to a love song by listening to a CD, from a CD cover, or from the Internet.

Steps:

1.Sit your lover down and sing that song to her.

2.Sing without musical accompaniment. Sing from your heart.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Love Poems

Time for Exercise: five minutes to one hour

Properties Required: books of poetry

Steps:

1.Browse through books of poetry to locate poems that elicit an emotional reaction when you read them. The poems might be about love, romance, commitment, or sex.

2.Copy those you like the most so you have a collection to choose from when you want to read aloud to your lover.

3.Practice reading some of the poems out loud while you are alone.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Lovers’ Scissors

Popularity: 3% [?]

Lovers’ Days

Asking your lover for what you want and giving your lover whatever has been requested are two sides of the same coin—a yin/yang balance of receiving/giving, and passive/active pleasure. Just as it is important to learn to freely ask for what pleases you, it is also important to know that you can give unconditionally. This playful practice helps you do just that.

Time for Exercise: two afternoons, evenings, or full days

Properties Required: varies with the play

Popularity: 3% [?]

Yin Yang YES!

The familiar Chinese yin/yang symbol suggests a balance and harmony between the yin (feminine energies) and yang (masculine energies) or between any pair of opposites.  Examples of yin/yang in relationship are following/leading, surrender/control, opening to the mystery/making precise plans, and creativity in the moment/habit.

An important issue in many relationships is who leads, who makes decisions, and who is in charge? Sorting out “who’s the boss” can be quite contentious but does not need to be. Many couples are able to switch the lead back and forth depending on the situation and the respective abilities of the partners. They find the complementarities between their differences rather than competitiveness for power and control.

Time for Exercise: two to four minutes per dance

Properties Required: stereo and selection of slow dance tunes

Popularity: 3% [?]

Permission Please

Time for Exercise: one minute

Properties Required: none

Popularity: 2% [?]

Popularity: 3% [?]

So through the eyes love attains the heart:
For the eyes are the scouts of the heart,
And the eyes go reconnoitering
For what it would please the heart to possess.
Guiraut de Borneilh, Poet

Popularity: 4% [?]

Heart in Darkness

Time for Exercise: 15 minutes to one hour

Properties Required: drawing paper, pencils, colored pencils, pen, charcoal sticks

Steps:

 

1.Draw a picture illustrating the emotional state of your heart right now. Convey the extent to which your heart is wounded, healed, open, closed, stingy, generous, capable of giving and receiving love. For example, your heart might be entombed in an impregnable fortress, or there might be cracks or openings giving some access to your heart. It could be shrouded in darkness or bathed in light. Various colors might symbolize your heart’s condition. There might be sores or tears in your heart. It might be impaled with sharp objects.

Popularity: 3% [?]