SEX (Union)
Sex, the most intimate and intense expression of love, can be bonding because it imprints one's energy on the other, especially during orgasm. It is the closest two people can be in physical bodies. Symbolically, it represents two being one. In addition, sex is the mechanism through which new life enters the world. Metaphysically, where does new life come from? It flows from the miraculous energy of creation. Sex, then, has the power to summon profound energies.

While Western religions have wrapped sexuality in a thick shroud of guilt and science has reduced it to chemical interactions, Hinduism has recognized its spiritual potential as expressed in tantric yoga. Sex, when used as a vehicle to express love, is pure, organic, natural, and uplifting.

ARMS (Security)
Arms reach out. They are for embracing, for feeling close and wanted, and for furnishing emotional warmth and security.

HANDS (Communion)
Hands denote touch. You can learn much about people not only by how they touch you, but also by the energy that accompanies it. The sensation can be caring or indifferent, peaceful or disturbing, trusting or fearful, gentle or rough. Additionally, we can touch each other physically, mentally, and emotionally. Being aware of how we contact others is an exercise in Zen.

FEET (Grounding)
Feet keep you in touch with reality. When a couple is in touch, they have a greater chance of understanding the challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities that face them. Being "in the clouds" is uplifting, but without the necessary grounding, it leads to misunderstandings and confusion.

THE SENSES (Appreciation, Gratitude)
The senses — seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling — are receptive mechanisms. They provide ways in which we can appreciate and enjoy our partner. Loosely speaking, each sense is a different form of touch. In intimate relationships, our senses delight in touching the one we love.

SOUL
Although the soul isn't a physical part of the human body (it's more of an aspect of consciousness), we can include it in this analogy as representing a person's love. Everyone loves differently, and if we could say love was tangible, each would be as unique as a fingerprint. The many different ways we express love — in gestures and voice — all spring from that same "entity." While the blood represents the expressions of love in this analogy, the soul represents love itself. When we love purely and freely, it is our soul that expresses itself and, as such, is a spiritual act. Like that, we bring a touch of Heaven to Earth.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
When our relationships are healthy, we glow. We are happy. The flow of love makes us radiant and animates us. We dance. If life has blessed us with a loving relationship, we are wise to nurture it and keep it healthy. Health is wealth, and being healthy in this way means we are rich in spirit.