Kripalu is one of the most well-renowned centers for yoga and health in America it is located in the grand Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. The Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health was started in 1966 when Yogi Amrit Desai founded the Yoga Society of Pennsylvania, it was established to teach yoga classes and train teachers. It later evolved into the nonprofit studio that operates as the Kripalu Center today. The emphasis in Kripalu is on proper breath, alignment, coordination of breath and movement, and "honoring the wisdom of the body". You work within the limits of your individual flexibility and strength which makes it accessible to everyone. Students learn to focus on the physical and psychological reactions caused by each posture. This develop stheir awareness of mind, body, emotion and spirit.
1 focuses on learning the postures, proper breathing, and exploring your body's abilities.
2 involves holding the postures for an extended time, developing concentration and awareness of your thoughts and emotions.
3 is like Meditation in motion in which the movement from one posture to another arises unconsciously and spontaneously while you are in a meditative state.
A Kripalu class can be gentle and mellow or quite vigorous. It depends on the teacher. This is not a style where all teachers teach the same such as
bikram yoga. First and foremost, Kripalu is a great style for people with physical limitations and/or wanting a slower, meditative and grounding practice.
