The Old Rules: A generation or two ago, men and women dated, married, had families and rarely divorced. They knew the rules and followed them. Fulfillment was not a priority; unhappiness barely registered and certainly was no consideration for divorce. Instead, the focus was on survival, conformity, comfort, and security.

Life was hard. Our photographic legacy shows few married couples wearing a pleasant visage. Most look quite dour.

The male was considered the provider and breadwinner; the woman, the caretaker and nurturer of children. In a world where emotions don't matter, suppression becomes key to survival.

Growing Pains:
Couples in traditional marriages are experiencing growing pains. Basic needs are easier to meet and we live much longer. Traditional roles don't work like they once did.

Mobility means we have fewer societal bounds tying us to traditional marriages. Women often make more money than their spouses, diminishing the importance of marriage as a financial arrangement. For the first time in history, people have the willingness and the time to consider personal growth, but it often comes at the expense of traditional marriage. Want proof?

• Between 40 to 60% of all marriages end in divorce;
• The marriage rate is decreasing, and is at the lowest level in 30 years;
• Approximately 40% of the population is single.

The Conscious Path
Today many people are searching for a life filled with purpose and meaning, along with the same security couples throughout time have sought. We're seeking relationships in which we are appreciated as individuals, where personal growth is fostered and our changing needs are honored.

The most fulfilling partnerships occur when couples share a common purpose and have compatible values and interests. Men and women want to experience deep emotional intimacy with their partners and express themselves as unique individuals. We want to feel safe to grow and change, and be loved while doing it.

A couple with higher expectations of a good relationship wants to be:

• Aligned in their values, vision, goals, and life purpose;
• Supportive of each other;
• Committed to love and growth in all their relationships;
• Involved in something bigger than themselves;
• Taking full responsibility for their feelings and actions;
• Balancing freedom and closeness;
• Consciously co-creating rich, joyful, and fulfilling relationships in part of the community.