The Art of Devotional Yoga Practice:
Practicing from the Heart
with Ron Reid and Marla Meenakshi Joy
May 7 – 9, 2027
AYP is happy to welcome back their inspirational teachers! The theme of the weekend will be around the Bhagavad Gita. Join us for weekend of yoga practice while cultivating devotion, chanting, and satsang…all flowing in one stream towards awakening the connection with the Divine within!
Program
FRIDAY, MAY 7th
19:00 – 20:30 Kirtan & Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita
Come and enjoy diving into this beautiful and timeless text that encourages us to unfold the knowledge within of how to live fully, act with integrity, surrender the result, and stay rooted in Inner Truth! Woven with chants from Swaha (Meenakshi and Ron Reid) to guide us into bliss! (Swaha has composed over 5 cd’s, and multiple singles)
SATURDAY, MAY 8th
10:00 – 12:00 Flowing Shanti Pulse Practice: Cultivating Bhakti and a sense of a Higher Power
We will begin with a short talk about devotion in Bhagavad Gita. Bhakti (devotion) is the path of offering your heart, actions, and life to something greater than yourself. It’s not about ritual or belief—it’s about love, trust, and surrender.
Flowing into Shanti Pulse: A rhythmic breathing and asana flow, set to a 1.5 hour track by Swaha called “Shanti Pulse”. We will explore the rhythm of Ujjayi breath and let it carry us through our asana practice ending in a shavasana lullaby chant.
13:30 – 16:00 Arm Balances: Vasishtasana & Vishwamitrasana & How to become the Non-Doer
Bhagavad Gita lecture: How to become the Non-doer in our practice and life. Non-doership in asana means you’re not “forcing” the pose from ego or control—you’re allowing the body to move as an expression of breath, awareness, and intelligence already happening
within you.
We will then flow into: Birds of a Feather: With these two incredible arm balances, Vasishtasana & Vishwamitrasana (which are Rishi’s, or sages). We will dive into ways to find stability in the wrists and shoulders, and open and strengthen what is needed to prepare ourselves for our journey into the mystical world of these two enlightened saints!
SUNDAY, MAY 9th
10:00 – 12:00 Back Bending: Cultivating a Courageous Heart
Bhagavad Gita: An exploration of how to stay steady, open, and true in the face of challenge. Drawing from the Gita’s teachings, we look at acting with courage without hardening the heart—A reminder that real strength isn’t force—it’s the willingness to show up fully, follow your dharma, and stay rooted in inner truth, no matter what arises.
We will then flow into radiant heart: The art of back bending. In order to liberate our energy in backbends, we first need to discover ways of working that allow us to find balance through the whole body. This requires stabilizing and strengthening in some areas and extending and opening other areas. We will be exploring some of the poses from 2nd and 3rd Series, as they contain all of the components necessary for developing both deeper and more balanced backbends. This can also lead us to the exploration of dropping back and standing up!!
13:30 – 16:00 Hip Opening: Cultivating the Highest Qualities in Ourselves
Bhagavad Gita: Cultivating the Highest Qualities in Ourselves:
What are the highest qualities of a true devotee and devoted yogi?—not what you believe, but how you live. How can we cultivate being steady, kind, humble, free from jealousy, not easily disturbed, and rooted in inner peace—and become someone who treats all beings with compassion and remains balanced in both success and difficulty.
Flowing into: Roots and Release:
We will close our weekend with a fluid, grounding journey that begins with mindful HIP-OPENING to release tension, build stability, and create space in the hips and lower spine…then gently transition into Restorative postures for a deep nervous system reset, creating space in the body and inner stillness.
Teachers
About Ron Reid
His approach is inspired, informed and non-dogmatic, and has been teaching for over 30 years, travelling the world for Teacher Trainings, Intensives, Retreat, and more.
He composes and plays with his partner Meenakshi and their band SWAHA.
About Marla Meenakshi Joy
Marla spent years in the Himalayas studying meditation, Sanskrit and yoga philosophy. For the last 30 years she has been an International Teacher Trainer in Ashtanga and Vinyasa, Sanskrit, Chanting, Meditation, Pranayama, Yoga philosophy & Restorative yoga, and also celebrates with song with her band SWAHA, and has over 5 CD’s currently recorded. www.templeoflight.love www.swaha.ca
Price
Normal price (from February 1, 2027) Entire Workshop: 250€
Friday Kirtan Only: 25€
Single Sessions: 60€
Register
An admin fee of 30 euros will be deducted for cancellations made more than 21 days before the workshop.
Only half of the sum paid will be returned 8 to 20 days before the workshop.
Sum paid is non-refundable 7 days before the workshop.
Refunds are processed based on the date we receive your RIB/IBAN, which determines the amount refunded per our policy.
We don’t accept transferring of a paid reservation to another person after 2 weeks before the workshop.
We advise to those coming from out of Paris to purchase travel insurance as travel issues will not change this policy. Medical issues will also not change this policy.
As the teacher is confirming their presence and is guaranteed the amount of people who are attending 21 days before, we ask for your understanding of this policy.