S P I R A L O F L O V E
Rules of the Spiral of Love: (H/W share)
a. All couples need to bring a notebook and calendars to every session to plan for the next meeting – A dialogue question will be given and you will do a 10/10 dialogue. The 10/10 question is not for open sharing, so you can be more profound and open with each other. When exchanging notebooks, give your spouse a kiss. Letters must be read twice, once for the mind and the second time for the heart.
b. Remember, whatever is said in this room, stays in this room and in our hearts. It is always important to maintain CONFIDENTIALITY.
c. In order to establish trust, we must accept one another. To accept is to acknowledge that a person is accepted with their feelings and points of view without judging the good or the bad, or the level that exists in their sharing.
d. Feelings are neither good or bad, yet we are the only ones responsible for our own feelings.
e. Any verbal, non-verbal comments or judging are NOT allowed when a person is sharing. This may diminish the trust of the group, get the person who is sharing on the defensive and may affect the growth of the group.
f. The emphasis of the Spiral of Love concept is in listening and at all cost avoid open discussion or debates during sharing.
g. Sharing will start with the leaders.
h. Everyone is invited to share about themselves ONLY, not about anybody else, or their spouse’s feelings. Sharing should be limited to the question given. Avoid going off on tangents.
i. At the end of your sharing, say “Thank You’ or “That’s all” and give a kiss to your spouse, so that the next person can start sharing. Be patient, as some people will have difficulty in sharing. Give them time. If for some reason, somebody cannot share or decides not to share, they may say “I pass”.
j. All sessions are built on each other, so it is very important that all the couples attend each and every session. The spiral is not complete without you, we are all one in this spiral so if you are running late, please call and advise us so that we won’t start without you.
S P I R A L O F L O V E
1st SESSION – “WHO AM I”
Theme (H or W)
Often, we hear people say how wonderful the weekend was, and we tend to describe it as “The Miracle of the Weekend” or “The Miracle of the 44 hours”. The Spiral of Love is also a “Miracle”, the relationship that grows from among the couples, the intimate and profound relationship that grows between husband and wife, and the relationship that grows with God. The Miracle of the Spiral of Love, comes from the Lord’s participation, helping the couples to share in an open and honest way without conditions or inhibitions.
I. Opening Prayer
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world…Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”
Lord Jesus, you also said that where two or three come together in your name, you are there with them. The light of this candle symbolizes your presence among us.
And, Lord Jesus, where you are, there, too, are the Father and the Holy Spirit. So we begin our meeting in the presence and the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
II. Bible Reading: Matthew 11, 28-30 (Meditate 3-5 min.)
III. 10/10 Question:
a. What is the heaviest load I am carrying right now?
IV. Open Sharing Questions: (Choose according to the size of the group and to their needs)
a. Where was I born and what was my favorite game as a child? (Mandatory)
b. What is your favorite place at home and why? (Mandatory)
c. Your favorite food is?
d. Your favorite music is?
e. If your house was to catch on fire, what would be the three things you would grab?
f. What are the three most important things in your life right now/
V. 5 minute Break
VI. Open Sharing: (Choose Two)
a. If I could change something about myself, what would it be?
b. Who was the person most important to you (besides your parents) in your childhood?
c. How do you think others see you? How do you want others to see you?
d. How do you see yourself?
e. Finish this sentence: What I need most from this group is…
f. What is your weakness or where do you think you can improve on?
VII. Final Prayer
We conclude our meeting by listening to Jesus say to us what he said to his disciples in his Sermon on the Mount:
“You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill can not be hid. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead, he puts it on the lamp stand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.”
The light of this candle is now extinguished, but the light of Christ in each of us must continue to shine in our lives. Toward this end we pray together the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father…”