The Attraction Academy: Class is Now in Session!

Flirting and attraction go hand in hand I suppose: you find yourself attracted to that certain someone and then try to get his or her attention, often with mixed results. I read somewhere that men are supposed to be attracted by a woman's looks and women by a man's earning power, although I've never quite figured out how a woman can subconsciously know what a man's earning power is while she's flirting. I've been married so long I don't remember if I flirted with my wife or vice-versa. I DO know that back then I was so broke I could hardly afford a cup of coffee much less a date. (So much for the "women-are-attracted-by-earning-power" theory). So who the heck knows what caught my wife's attention.

Which I guess leads me to wonder just WHAT is attractive in the first place. An article on ScienceDaily.com proclaimed that a recent study showed that women look for men who are less attractive than themselves. That's a little arrogant if you ask me. If men are attracted to an attractive woman, and that women displays interest only if the guy is less attractive than she is than I think there are a couple of ego issues to work out before heading down the alter.

Yep, flirtation and attraction. I wouldn't go as far as saying flirting is a lost art - but I'm convinced it belongs in a class by itself. It takes two to flirt -- the sender and the receiver. These days everything is so darn politically correct I guess the roles and methods of flirting are more confusing than Hilary Clinton's political agenda. That's why the Attraction Academy exists -- to encourage people to look each other in the eye and feel the sense of connection that comes when you're having fun and making eye contact.

The Attraction Academy is the brainchild of Peta Heskell who actually coined the name "Flirt Coach" and developed (and patented) the concept of "Flirt Coaching" about 10 years ago. Peta founded the UK Flirting Academy in 1998 and that concept was so popular that the natural offshoot of the school just HAD to be the Attraction Academy which kicked off in 2003 and has been happily helping men and women ever since.

The Attraction Academy ranks right up there with the "Kissing School" and "Laughter Classes" and who the heck knows what else. To her credit, Peta believes that flirting is "...being who you are, loving yourself, giving out the glow and wanting to connect with other people in a positive and happy way..." According to her website, the best flirts do it (flirting) with everyone and that flirting is not just for sex but can be used to help you be more successful in every area of your life.

That may be true, but I work with 5 grown men and I'm telling you there is no way on God's green earth that I'm gonna flirt with these guys.

But I digress.

Peta has been running "Attraction Weekends" in the UK, the US and Europe for the last five years. By her own accord, the courses and coaching are designed to "...enhance self-esteem and generate confidence by giving people a strong sense of self and unique personal power which helps you develop a positive interaction with others, and stirs the d deepest passions insideas to what's possible..."

Now what the heck does THAT mean? All this new-age stuff just confuses the heck out of me. Why doesn't this woman just tell me what I'm going to get for my $400.00 dollars?

According to Attractionacademy.com, Peta says in some ways the label "flirting" has been deceptive because, "...I don't teach flirting in the traditional "winking"' and "hair flicking" sense. It doesn't work if the foundations are wobbly nothing will work..." Peta starts with the foundations and build upwards and outwards. "Flirting" and "'Attraction" are great containers in which to do the work I truly love - deep personal evolution..."

Here we go again. Is it me or is someone playing a lute in the background?

Well all kidding aside, the Attraction Academy must be on to something or it wouldn't be as popular as it is. Although it's kind of sad to think of how crowded the earth is -- heck we practically live elbow to elbow -- yet as individuals we are so afraid of dealing with each other face-to-face. Breaking the ice is one of the most traumatic experiences people can apparently endure.

For that reason, Petra teaches important communication, self-inspiring and motivational skills that collectively get men and women from point "A" to point "B". The "Attraction Academy" breaks down its "curriculum" with one-on-one sessions (specifically 3 initial one-on-one sessions that facilitate and individual's personal and best way of "being") coupled with an "attraction weekend" with the option of long-term mentoring thrown in for good measure (and for an extra couple hundred bucks).

According to her website, these weekends focus specifically on interaction with other people. Day 1 is about interaction with yourself and day 2 focuses on interaction with others, body language signals and communication and how to attract what is right for you.

I know one thing -- beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I would also hope that flirting never ends just because you're married.

Let me re-phrase that. I would hope that flirting with your husband/wife never ends with marriage.

Hopefully Petra teaches that in her classes as well.