Loading practices
Loading practices
Areas › Your marriage › Staying regulated in conflict
Gridlock rarely yields to argument. Set persuasion aside and get curious about what the issue means to each of you.
The believers conduct their affairs by mutual consultation (Quran 42:38). Consultation starts with finding out what the other person actually means, not with arguing them down.
آل عمران
فَبِمَا رَحۡمَةࣲ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلۡقَلۡبِ لَٱنفَضُّواْ مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
By an act of mercy from God, you [Prophet] were gentle in your dealings with them- had you been harsh, or hard-hearted, they would have dispersed and left you- so pardon them and ask forgiveness for them. Consult with them about matters, then, when you have decided on a course of action, put your trust in God: God loves those who put their trust in Him
Qur’an 3:159read it in the library
الشورى
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَجَابُواْ لِرَبِّهِمۡ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَمۡرُهُمۡ شُورَىٰ بَيۡنَهُمۡ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ
respond to their Lord; keep up the prayer; conduct their affairs by mutual consultation; give to others out of what We have provided for them
Qur’an 42:38read it in the library
Translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, The Qur'an, Oxford University Press, 2004.
Gottman's move for gridlock is to set persuasion aside and get curious about what each position means to each of you. Pressure does not shift a perpetual problem, but understanding the dream behind it does.
John M. Gottman; Nan Silver (1999). The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Crown
Principle 6, Dreams Within Conflict. Gridlock persists because a life dream is hidden inside the position. The Dream Catcher's task is to ask about the dream and honour it rather than to argue the position.
Strength of evidence: one line of research. A single study, or a theoretical account.
Replacing persuasion with curiosity about the meaning behind a position is what moves a couple from gridlock to dialogue.
Where this sits: Gottman method, Manage Conflict; Dreams Within Conflict (gridlocked, perpetual problems).