Couples Yoga

By John Dunbar 8 July 2008 06:38:00

 

Couples yoga

Yoga is all about understanding.  For the past five weeks I have been in the Maldives training yoga teachers at the Anantara resort.  The experience has been wonderful.  I have a total of 15 students in my classes - 8 in the morning and 7 in the afternoon. 

Together we are a mix of 7 different nationalities (Egyptian, Maldivian, Thai, Philippine, Italian, Australian and Canadian).  Maybe it's the mix of people, but for some reason we really have a lot of fun in the classes.  Two of the students have been partners for almost two years now.  They met working at the resort.  Khun She, a tall, Northern Thai lady with delicate Chinese features, and Khalaf, a muscular Egyptian man resembling a modern day pharaoh.  The relationship between these two is one of beauty.  Together they embody what I believe is a true illustration of love between partners.  The love they display to each other seems so pure and unconditional.  Whenever Khun She looks at Khalaf, it seems that they both melt in a wave of love.

So when they came to me this week and asked if they could teach their final exam class together, I immediately agreed for it really seemed quite unnatural that they would do it on their own.

Yesterday they taught their final exam class together as a couple.  Khun She led the class with her gentle voice while Khalaf demonstrated the postures. The class was wonderful.  I was so proud of them when they finished; both for their accomplishment in completing the course and also for pioneering the idea of teaching as a couple.  One nice advantage of the two teachers was Khun She could move among the guests and gently adjust and guide them through the asanas.  If a guest was ever confused about a posture they only had to look at Khalaf's at the front of the class. 

As a testament to Khun She's gentle voice three guests drifted off into a peaceful sleep during final relaxation.  Throughout the class the two would glance at each other and their faces would light up with such delight. 

I hope you will one day have the opportunity to share yoga with your partner.  It is a wonderful feeling to walk out of a yoga class together feeling peace and serenity from the experience.

 

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