The Shared Heart: Relationship Initiations and Celebrations

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, you will find this book to be perhaps the deepest, most profound and spiritual book on committed relationships out there. It is NOT based on any particular religion, but encompasses deep spiritual concepts based on love, committment, communication, and forgiveness. I think this book should be given as a wedding gift to every couple - it just might save some marriages! Barry and Joyce have a very warm and engaging style of writing, and they bare their souls in this book. Their marriage was not all peachy, but they learned from their mistakes and grew closer. The reverance they show towards sacred marriage is just beautiful. This book is priceless! They have several books, all of them wonderful, but this is definitely their best.

This book is by far the most impactful book on relationships I have ever read. It goes straight to the heart, beyond the excuses, patterns and clever tactics of the mind and rests you in what is truly important and real - Love. It is a remarkably touching, candid and inspiring book, full of wonderful anecdotes, spiritual truisms and great exercises. I can't recommend this book enough. Barry and Joyce truly invest so much of their own love into this book and it is infectious in its inspiration of the heart. Their message is simply love yourself and love another. Also, if you ever get a chance to do a workshop with them it is a transforming and a joyous event.

I first read the Shared Heart when I was getting married. The woman who married us required both my husband and myself to read this wonderful book. We both got so much out of it, I have made it a point to give it to everyone I know who is engaged to be married!

Joyce and Barry Vissel's is a celebration of shared love. The Vissel's use their own experiences as poignant examples of the trials and triumphs encountered on the couples path. The authors present a spiritual perspective which encourages growth and constant refreshing of the relationship rather than a simple "getting-by". This is a book for soulmates on a spiritual path together.