Father Joe's Moose Jaw Retreat 2012
For Thanksgiving weekend, many yoga students came from across Canada to the "Forest" in Moose Jaw to be able to practice and soak up Father Joe' teaching. Retreating into the quietude and the nature gave us a chance to slow down and to tune in.
Father Joe asked us not to "work out", but rather to "work in" and guided us to move beyond our left brain mind and to experience the "Cloud of the Unknowing." Throughout the retreat we were asked to let go of our ego and our masculine side which wants to "play God", force and control everything. Instead were were asked to honour and respect our feminine side which has the infinite capacity to receive and to "Let God." and to access the COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS through our inner knowing and intuition.
Father told us that gratitude is the best attitude as a yogi. Father constantly asked us and challenged us become steady and relaxed without losing our connecting to our heart and the earth, even when the poses became difficult. It was amazing to experience our connection to the 5 elements in our bodies and the universe through Father's guidance.
We all felt so blessed to be able to spend 5 half days with such a beautiful guide and master. Over the 5 days, by the Grace of Father Joe and God we moved toward and met with the Antaryamin or the "inner controller" through spending the day practicing asana, pranayama, praying and meditating.
The teachings and compassion of Guruji and Mother Theresa flowed through Father Joe, each day we were gifted a song from "The Singing Priest and on Saturday we were also blessed to receive a Thanksgiving Mass, it is always a beautiful experience feeling the love and connection emanating through Father from "His Supreme Yogi, Jesus."
On the final two days many people did things they never thought possible and moved from the known to the unknown through the instrument of our bodies. God made things happen when we let our self limiting self go!
During the Final Session Father Joe looked out the window of the "Blue Room" and pointed out to us all our brother and sister (white tailed deer) had come to wish us a happy thanksgiving and hopped back into the forrest.
I am always amazed at Father Joe's vitality, he told us he has "banished the word tired from his vocabulary" and he has miraculous capacity to access each one of us at our core. Each person I talked to seemed to have the same feeling as I, that Father Joe spoke directly to our souls.
I know I can speak for the others at the retreat when I say, We are all truly thankful for Father Joe and His Joy of Loving, Joy of Living and Joy of Serving.
I know that we are supposed to stay "Present" as yogis, but we are already looking forward to HIS retreat in 2013!
With Love and Gratitude
Ryan
Article and Photographs submitted by
Ryan Leier.
Moose Jaw
