As with most anything in life, meditation can have both positive and negative impacts on your relationships. When you meditate, you are choosing to explore, work on yourself, and grow as an individual. In my case, I began Monroe's meditations from a place of curiosity. The more I meditated with Monroe Sound Science, the more I began to grow and change (for the better). I became more comfortable with myself. I became more well-rounded and curious. I became more present and patient. The benefits were endless, but they did also affect my relationships for both good and bad.

Positive impact of meditation on relationships

Meditation has many proven benefits, but none more fitting for a healthy relationship than the ability to be more present. The more present we are, the more mindful we are of those closest to us, the more we engage with our partners, family, and friends, and the more we are there for them. Being more mindful allows us to listen more closely, respond more efficiently, and just be there with—and for—others on the daily. It allows for a much happier, positive life by creating healthier relationships with those dearest to us, such as our romantic partners.

I guess the bottom line is that meditation changes you. Whether you are looking for that change or not, at least to some small degree, meditation adds to your character by teaching you lessons (about either yourself or the world) and allowing you to adapt to them.

Negative impact of meditation on relationships

Honestly, I’m hesitant to call this “negative” because the impact I’m about to discuss involves growth and development. When you add meditation to your life regularly, it changes you. For instance, you can become a healthier person if you choose to work on unwanted aspects of yourself as you meditate. Perhaps you fed off drama and combativeness in your relationship before establishing your practice. Then, as you meditate and grow, you no longer want to engage in that behavior. When you evolve while your partner stays the same, a seemingly negative impact can enter your relationship.

It’s not at all negative to choose to grow and evolve, but it can cause conflict in your closest relationships when you upgrade to a new version of yourself. If your partner stays the same (which is fine) you may no longer fit together as partners. When one person gets healthy and changes and the other doesn’t, relationships can end—not necessarily a bad thing. It adds fluidity and movement to your life and your close relationships which can shake things up and cause either growth (wouldn’t it be wonderful if you grew together) or a split.

I guess the bottom line is that meditation changes you. Whether you are looking for that change or not, at least to some small degree, meditation adds to your character by teaching you lessons (about either yourself or the world) and allowing you to adapt to them. This will show in your relationships, and how you choose to respond to it inevitably defines the person you become.