Kripalu Yoga
Kripalu Yoga is grounded in self-compassion and non-judgement, focusing on transformation through self-awareness and inner wisdom..
A tradition accessible to anyone, Kripalu Yoga empowers you to trust your inner wisdom through compassionate self-awareness, leading to transformation and integration of body, mind, and spirit. Physical postures, breath work, meditation, and specific Kripalu techniques are explored with a sense of benevolent curiosity. Continued practice of these techniques can open up more balance and ease in day-to-day interactions with yourself and others. In this way, what’s practiced on the mat flows into everyday life off the mat.
how it’s different…
Kripalu Yoga is a non-competitive, individualized Hatha Yoga practice. While physical health is highly regarded, psychological and spiritual transformation centered around compassionate, non-judgmental self-awareness are at the heart of Kripalu Yoga. Emphasis is placed on developing meditation and pranayama (breathing practices) and integrating them into asana (posture) practice. Students are invited to practice the variation of a posture most appropriate for them in any given moment; therefore, a student’s expression of a form won’t look the same as another student’s and itself will vary from day to day.
how it’s taught…
Kripalu Yoga is taught in three stages. The first stage focuses on movement connected to the breath with short hold times in postures. In the second stage, practitioners explore their emotional and mental patterns through movement coupled with meditation and longer hold times. Stage three is a “meditation in motion” with movements spontaneously arising in response to inner awareness.
In practical terms, each class has six components: centering, pranayama, warm-ups, asana, meditation, and Savasana (integration and relaxation). To foster inward reflection, classes are taught without music except for Savasana at the end. Postures are guided from gentle to more intense variations with props suggested along the way. I teach Kripalu Yoga at a slower, more deliberate pace to facilitate inner awareness and, ultimately, the integration of body, mind, and spirit. Class intensity can vary from gentle to intermediate to vigorous depending on the fitness level of students. A slow vinyasa (flow) style is also incorporated at times.