Lessons from a Weekend of Yoga and Love
This past weekend, I was blessed to attend a yoga retreat in Vancouver led by Father Joe Pereira. At 83, Father Joe embodies the integration of faith and yoga. A devoted student of both B.K.S. Iyengar and Mother Teresa, and the founder of the Kripa Foundation in India, his life’s work has been to bridge spirituality, healing, and love.
“Every asana is a prayer.” – Father Joe Pereira
He reminds us that when the body is calmed, the mind follows. And in his opening remarks, he offered the profound truth:
“Life is love, and the fruit of Iyengar Yoga is love.” – Father Joe Pereira
As I sat with these words, what came to me was that attention, love, and devotion transform the simplest acts into offerings of the heart.
The Breath as Prayer
Father Joe spoke of the breath as feminine, the tender, sustaining energy of life. When we force the breath or hold it unnaturally, we practice in a rajasic (restless, fiery) manner. But when we allow the breath to flow freely, it becomes an expression of surrender and grace.
Don’t be discouraged if the practice feels hard or imperfect. You are not your limitations. Sadhana—daily practice—is not about striving, but about returning again and again to love.
“Sadhana is love.” – Father Joe Pereira
Spirituality: The Wisdom of the Body
As Father Joe reminded us:
“Our brain is wired to God. Spirituality is not religion. It is the wisdom of the body.” – Father Joe Pereira
Through yoga, we come to know ourselves through the body. This is where we discover remembered wellness—what Father Joe calls the faith factor. Deep down, we find that we are all right.
Mother Teresa looked after the poorest of the poor. Iyengar, too, cared for the poorest of the poor in health. Both understood that healing begins in love.
B.K.S. Iyengar once adapted an entire class to teach a single student who needed it. He loved unconditionally. His work was a blend of science and faith.
“I always remember Guruji’s love for me.” – Father Joe Pereira
Christ, the Supreme Yogi
Father Joe once wrote:
“Christ is my supreme yogi.” – Father Joe Pereira
Yoga and faith both point us toward the same truth: all that is outside of you is also within you.
Jesus said: “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me” (Matthew 25:40). And in Psalm 27:4, we hear: “To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”
In both yoga and faith, the invitation is the same: to abide in love, to find rest, to return to wholeness.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
The Way of Love
“It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into what you do.” – Mother Teresa
“Do not do too many things, but put attention into what you do.” – B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga reminds us of this each time we step onto the mat.
Gandhi echoed the same truth:
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Through yoga, through faith, through service, we come to remember that love is both the path and the fruit.
Perseverance and Encountering the Self
There are obstacles, of course. Stress and boredom can pull us away from life. Discouragement can set in. Yet the teachings remind us to persevere: Do not give up.
“When a wise man points his finger at the moon, the fool becomes distracted by the finger.” – Proverb
The practice of yoga, like faith, is about looking beyond the surface to the deeper reality:
“Know thyself.”
When we have this encounter with ourselves, when we persevere through the practice, we come back to love.
“Do your own sadhana, and whatever isn’t appropriate will drop away.” – Father Joe Pereira
A Hymn for Reflection
As I reflected on Father Joe’s teachings, I found myself drawn to the hymn Abide With Me, especially these lines:
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
These words remind us of impermanence and of the eternal presence that sustains us. Yoga, prayer, and love bring us into contact with that abiding source within.
Returning Home
It had been many years since I attended such an intimate retreat. The pandemic, travel, and shifting rhythms of life had taken me elsewhere. Yet being in this workshop reminded me that the heart of yoga is not just movement—it is communion with love, with self, and with spirit.
I left the weekend with layers of lessons I will continue to unpack: gratitude for the teachings, for the space to reflect, and for the chance to carry these inspirations back into the studio.
As I return to teaching, I carry this forward with joy. I warmly invite you to join our community—to step onto the mat, to breathe, to discover, and to remember that at your core, you are whole.
As Father Joe states, “Yoga is not a work out, it is a work in” — it is a journey of self-discovery, compassion, and abiding love.
✨ See you on the mat.
