In his book Intimate Communion, David Deida presents a structure for relationships based on three stages of relating: the first stage centers on self—"What do I need?"; the second on mutuality—"What do we both need?"; and the third on surrender—"What does Love itself ask of us?" While this model is illuminating, its power grows exponentially when brought from the head into the body, through the openness of an undefended heart.

In this 45-minute teaching from The Art of Sacred Intimacy, Cascais, Portugal, 2024, John guides participants into the embodied practice of these three stages. When we live them fully, we learn to stand in love and truth without demanding the moment, or the person before us, to change. It’s not a bypass—it’s a devotion to love’s highest calling.

If you’re ready to live from the liberating depth of love, and to engage life’s most challenging relational moments with openness and artfulness, this teaching will show you how to create a field of presence, truth, and heart-wide embrace.