Spiritual Intimacy: Fostering Spiritual Intimacy in Marriage

Spiritual intimacy is the connection between two people over a system of beliefs. Romantic partners and married couples might be devoted to more than just each other. Both people, or maybe just one, might also have a religious life in which they believe in the existence of a god, a higher power, or some other divine or special being. Couples who have a spiritual life will find spiritual intimacy integral to their relationship’s well-being.

Couples building spiritual intimacy will find that practicing religion together can strengthen emotional intimacy and fortify a long-term or marriage relationship. For some, spiritual matters are crucial to finding a partner of the same faith.

Historically, this was common practice—single people and matchmakers would seek out like-minded individuals as partners—and still is in some parts of the world. Today, however, spiritual relationships can be more fluid; people with different views on God’s love, the afterlife, and prayer are more likely to intermingle and experience a rich spiritual closeness.

Spiritual intimacy is essential because it can bring two people closer together and give them faith to lean on during good and bad times. Just as hobbies and worldviews can provide couples with something to share and discuss, faith can also be an essential glue in intimate marriages and relationships.

Taking spiritual journeys together can deepen a couple’s relationship. Over time, this can foster stronger bonds, leading to more satisfying physical and emotional closeness. Relying on one another for spiritual support can bring about a greater sense of trust and vulnerability in your relationship.

Spiritual intimacy can take many forms, many of which benefit the spouses or partners and the health of their relationship. Signs of spiritual intimacy include:

1. 1. Clear support: Faith offers many people a support system. You can give your partner prayer requests in hard times to know they are considering you and your relationship needs.
2. 2. Emotional closeness: Discussing faith can mean pondering life’s big questions. This can open couples up to one another and lead to sharing feelings and tighter bonds.
3. 3. Physical intimacy: Some faiths prescribe how to practice physical intimacy. This can give couples clear guidelines with which to work. Similarly, practicing faith can bring people closer, intensifying their sexual chemistry.
4. 4. Strong trust: Sharing a set of beliefs can elicit greater trust. Knowing another person’s value system often means understanding how they will behave and what practices they will follow.

You can engender a stronger spiritual relationship in a few ways. Consider the following methods to promote spiritual growth in a relationship:

• Celebrate high holidays. Infuse the high holidays with festive flair and enthusiasm. You can also celebrate the holidays of other religions with friends and family who practice them to give you a deeper appreciation of others’ faith.
• Commit to self-love. Practice kindness when it comes to yourself and your interactions with your partner and others. When you love your true self and practice radical self-acceptance, you are better prepared to accept and love others, too—maybe even despite their flaws.
• Practice your faith. Set aside time to practice your religion with your partner. You might attend a study group (such as a Bible study), visit a house of worship, or even listen to a spiritual podcast together.
• Share your weaknesses. To forge a deeper connection, share your shortcomings and the ways in which faith has been instrumental in your personal growth. Be truthful with your partner.

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