My Trip to Kripalu
At long last, I spent a weekend at the famed Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts. From Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon I was in pure bliss. I have heard only rave reviews of this center - from the yoga, to the workshops, the food and the peace. I had to experience it for myself.
A few things I took away from the physical environment:
- The food is phenomenal - but don’t believe my word, experience it for yourself. Locally grown, organic. Meats are served - Kripalu is not 100% vegetarian.
- The rooms are sparse - clean, but sparse. You don’t travel here for the accommodations.
- The yoga is nurturing - We tried vigorous and gentle and I felt very well taken care of in both
- The environment is peaceful - I felt so at peace and at ease with no longing for my cell phone or computer the entire weekend.
- You will not lose all contact with society as you know when you travel out to Kripalu. Cell phones and smoking are permitted in designated areas.
I needed this! The experience was more than I could have hoped for.
My sister was my travel companion and we went for a specific workshop called Yoga Body, Buddha Mind taught by Cindy Lee and David Nichtern of Om Yoga in New York. For me, this was an extension of the mindful meditation workshop I took on Cape Cod this summer. I learned a lot personally and a lot that will help me as a yoga instructor. More on that in a separate post.
You don’t have to take a workshop if you have an interest in visiting Kripalu. They also offer the Retreat and Renewal program which includes your room, meals, yoga classes, afternoon programs on healthy living, use of the fitness room, whirlpool and sauna and evening programs. The best part? Everything is optional once you get there! You can do as much or as little as you’d like. There are hiking trails on the property, a lake, walking labyrinth’s, meditation gardens, and more. There are also plenty of comfortable places to just sit. There is a small gift shop and a cafe that does have wireless internet access.
If a massage, nutritional consultation, personal training session or energy cleanse is of interest, there is a Healing Arts Program and you can treat yourself to even more R&R. These services for an additional cost you can indulge in one of these treats, too.
Everything occurs in one building, and I could literally roll out of bed and go to yoga or the dining hall. I never realized how much time I spend traveling to my yoga classes or how much time I spend preparing dinner, cooking dinner and then cleaning up dinner.
It was, in a way I didn’t imagine, a transformational weekend. Next time I go it will be for the retreat and renewal. I do feel renewed. While most of what I heard about Kripalu was positive - I did hear some concerns over the center being so spiritual, and cult-like. I didn’t sense that at all. Again, if you’re meat eater they offer fish and chicken, coffee is served in the cafe. It’s not a scary place, in fact it’s quite the opposite.
If you have ever been curious, even just a little bit, about Kripalu it’s worth the trip. Before you judge it, try it. The programs are not just about yoga. There is hiking, biking, kayaking, cooking, classes for couples, writers and so much more at this center in the Berkshires. You may even learn that you enjoy some relaxation once in a while. It will feel good to let someone else take care of you!
For more information on Kripalu visit www.kripalu.org.
Ever been? What was your experience?
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