Well, it had to happen sometime and it did on Friday last week. A few people have encouraged me to conduct classes online in recent times and it has been an idea I've been considering off and on.
Kelly Western, owner and lead instructor of Yoga Off Broadway, a quaint, homely (The British definition of "homely" which I am used to is quite the opposite of the North American definition. The Brits define it as "simple but cosy and comfortable, as in one's own home" and the North Americans as "(of a person) unattractive in appearance". I, needless to say, meant the British definition) and dedicated yoga studio in Eagle, Colorado took the idea seriously. Late last year she chatted with me about the idea of having classes on relationships once a month for 6 months beginning January 2011. She said "You just write up the material and conduct the classes and I'll get the people". And get the people she did. Barely 3-weeks after giving birth to a baby girl, Kelly, her husband, baby Lily and 6 other couples gathered in the studio to join me for our first class in cyberspace.
Thanks to Skype and high speed internet, our first of six relationship classes was on the way. Our first class focused on three points. The first acknowledging the fact that relationships take work. In fact, they take a lot of work. To “settle down” with your partner is a statement that should not be taken literally. Consistent striving in a relationship helps it to grow and bind the individuals.
The second and most important point was something my guru stressed on strongly to all couples. "Resolve all your differences before going to bed at night" he would say. We talked about this and looked at ways on how to identify whether something is a problem and ways to resolve it before going to bed at night.
The last point for this class was about making appointments with your partner. “Time Out” suggests you make an appointment with your partner, be it a few hours, half a day or an entire day at least once a week. Remember relationships take work and we need to invest time in it in order for it to flourish. No cell phones, no friends, no pets. Just the two of you. And most importantly stick to the appointment.
Thank you Kelly and all those that attended for helping make this a reality. I look forward to seeing you all again in cyberspace next month. Till then, hope you are all working on the exercises handed out during the first class. :)
