Marla Meenakshi Joy first traveled to India in 1988 to study meditation and the philosophy of the Vedas with Swami Shyam, as well as other learned scholars in the Himalayas. She is a Certified Meditation and Yoga Philosophy teacher from the International Meditation Institute in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, Himalayas, and, along with her studies with her Pranayama teacher Sri Sudhir Tiwari, has also completed an “Advanced Pranayama” training with Sri O.P. Tiwari from the Kaivalyadhama Institute in Pune, India.
She has been teaching in teacher training programs since 1999 across Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia, as both a teacher of Philosophy and Sanskrit, Chanting and Meditation, Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga, and Restorative Yoga. She is the previous co-owner of Downward Dog Yoga Centre.
A practicing Shiatsu therapist since 1993, and teaching Mysore (Self-Practice) around the globe, Meenakshi has a healing and informative touch. Since 2015, she has been studying her newest passion of classical Indian dance (Odissi) with esteemed teachers both in India and Canada, and has performed at some festivals in both countries as well.
As a celebrated singer and songwriter, she also leads Kirtan (call-and-response chanting) with her band SWAHA, with inspired musical compositions with her partner/keyboardist, Ron Reid. She has produced four CDs of Sanskrit chanting entitled “Prayer’s”, “Salutations”, “Vishnu’s Dream”, “Bolo!”, “Shanti Pulse, and their newest CD “Gone Beyond”.
