Various Aspects of Intimacy

Real Intimacy is what we all yearn for and need.
Intimacy (connectedness) has various facets.

Take the Test:
1 = Starved to 5 =Satisfied

Emotional - Sharing significant and private feelings

Intrapersonal - Sharing myself with myself

Intellectual - Sharing deep ideas, studies, subjects

Aesthetic - Sharing beautiful things: arts, nature

Creative - Sharing the creation of something meaningful

Recreational - Sharing recreational activity

Social - Sharing meanigful social times

Occupational - Sharing work/chores together

Crisis - Sharing stirring internal and external crisis

Spiritual - Sharing worshipful and spiritual experiences

Romantic - Sharing tender sensual, non-sexual relations

Sexual - Sharing mutually fulfilling sexual relations

Parental - Sharing the nurturing and parenting of child/ren

Familial - Sharing warm and safe family relationships

Ideological - Sharing ideological and political activities

Conflict - Sharing meaningfully and drawing closer during conflict

Companionship - Sharing delightful companionable experiences

To expect one person to meet all these intimacy needs is unrealistic and will result in misery for you both.
Widen your network of associates and friends.
Intimacy cannot be forced.
Cultivate the openness within yourself that will invite the openness of another.
Intimacy, trust and trustworthiness are intertwined.
Share parts of yourself responsibly with various people.
Appreciate the sharing of others of parts of themselves with you.
Enjoy many intimate moments, of a variety, in your life.
Wisely you will share Romantic and Sexual Intimacy only with your wife.
Hopefully you will grow to the point of being able to share all of you with your wife, and have your wife share all of herself with you.
This is the intellectual, emotional and spiritual work of a life-time.

From: M Kleynhans 1991 (expanded)