Spiritual and Physical

     Spiritual intimacy and physical intimacy usually go together in relationships, though they do not have to. The two together form a more unified bond between those who share it. Birkin says that he and Gerald should be both mentally (spiritually) intimate and “more or less physically intimate too—it is more whole.” The two concepts create a roundness to human interactions and bonding. The spiritual bond and the physical bond strengthen and verify one another. When those bonds are warped or formed out of the wrong reasons, emotional stress is created and leaves at least one partner feeling inept and hurt. When Ursula confronts Birkin about his twisted spiritual connection with Hermione it rouses her jealousy and disgust. Craving someone’s spirituality is almost as bad as craving them physically, and when you suspect your partner of desiring someone else, it creates a hostile environment. Birkin reassures her that though he sees Hermione as a spiritual person, he is not interested in her. The fear of losing Birkin spiritually is just as painful for Ursula as the thought of losing him physically.