ABSTRACT
The arts provide good illustrations of the fundamental existential principle of contrast. In art it is the use of shadows and shading that creates the chiaroscuro, which guides the eye to what is highlighted. Love may be a source of light and enlightenment, but, it also casts many long shadows. In existential philosophy, there are many different views on love and our relationships with others, but they fall into some broad categories. The picture of love that emerges from literature and philosophy is often either romantic, idealistic, on the contrary, dramatic and destructive. In existential therapy work with love will carefully consider how a person loves and relates and enable her to open up to a more complete way of loving. Existential relationship therapy welcomes the challenges and conflicts that exist in all human relationships. While it aims for harmony, it can only create harmony if differences and problems are faced and valued.
