When you are the listener of these declarations, actively receive the love and intent of your mate. Accept and treasure your friend's declarations. Few people in the world will ever hear such beautiful thoughts spoken with such love.

Whether you are making these declarations or receiving them, strive to speak or listen from your soul — your innermost being. Look into one another's eyes as you do each declaration. Pause in love as long as you like between each one. Perhaps both of you will prefer to close your eyes in brief meditations. Or, after several practices of this exercise, the receiver may wish to make helpful, non-critical responses at times. (Of course you will need to talk about your problems on other occasions; but the purpose of these declarations is greater and greater spiritual companionship.)

You may wish to join hands. The declarer strives to make these statements with his or her whole heart — as an already experienced actuality, or as a deeply felt ideal.

Your spiritual declarations are...