Over the weekend 25 – 27 August we were again privileged to have the wonderful Father joe Pereira from Mumbai for a series of workshop classes.
The classes ranged from quieter restorative and Pranayama sequences to more active asana classes. Strong backbends were a feature of the Sunday Asana sequence with the 81 year old Father Joe leading the way with an intense Urdhva Danurasana demonstration. The Saturday night dinner was well attended and delicious and afforded the opportunity to learn more f the work of Fr. Joe’s Kripa Foundation.
This was Fr Joe’s fourth visit to YYC over the past 8 years. Students came from as far as Adelaide and Canberra to experience his warm and intelligent teaching style.
Informing Father Joe’s message is his fervent daily practice and his experience of the intelligence and compassion of Guruji BKS Iyengar and Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Of whom illuminating anecdotes abound.
We were all warmed by his teaching. In particular, Fr Joe’s depth of understanding of the spiritual aspect of the practice is profound. As a man of faith, he is able to unselfconsciously bring this teaching to the fore. Concepts such as Isvara Pranidhana (surrender to God) flow easily from Fr Joe and and land softly on the heart.
Father Joe has said this may be his last journey to Australia as he seeks to establish the learning centre at the new Kripa Foundation Centre in Goa, India. The centre is dedicated to the treatment of those suffering from addiction and also for the training of those interested in obtaining a Kripa Iyengar Yoga teaching qualification and delivering this teaching to those in need. Search the kripafoundation.org web site for more details. News of Goa residential retreats will be posted in the near future.

If this was in fact Fr. Joe’s last visit here we express our heartfelt gratitude for the love, compassion, yoga and humour he has brought to us over the years.