KRIPALU REVIEW
escaping the city never felt so good
New York has been buzzing and I hope you have been enjoying all the great vibes. This Sunday, June 21, is the longest day of the year; the Summer Solstice. There are lots of events happening to celebrate the Solstice, so be sure to check out your local studio’s programming! I will be leading 108 Sun Salutations at Heatwise’s Park Slope location (this class is not heated), and I would love to see you there. Link to sign up is HERE.
KRIPALU REVIEW
This week, my sister and I drove 3 hours north to Kripalu, a yoga and wellness retreat center in Stockbridge, MA. We chose to do the R&R experience which includes your stay, 3 meals a day, and a generous schedule of activity offerings. They have midweek rates and a variety of rooming options that can make the experience pretty affordable (our midweek 2 night stay cost about $400 each).
When we arrived to the center, our first thought was, are we back at college? .. (or yoga sleepaway camp!) But once we settled in, we immediately felt relaxed and at ease.
On our first day, we took an afternoon moderate yoga class with Asif and an evening guided body scan with Jess. Both lessons were open to all levels and offered lots of modifications and variations. Some practioners were in arm balances and inversions and some were in chairs.
The next morning we did a guided kayak with Rachel which opened with meditiation and breathing. After everyone was in the water safely, we did ~ 20 minutes of social silence while kayaking to enjoy the sounds of nature. We spotted the local bald eagle which has a bustling nest across the lake. We kayaked past Tanglewood’s beach, and a boys camp. The lake at Kripalu is quiet and peaceful; we saw some retreaters sitting by the water and meditating, we saw some swimming.
After Kayaking we took Yoga Dance with Jurian. The daily lunchtime Yoga Dance classes are a well-known Kripalu tradition which we couldn’t resist. For an hour each day, retreaters gather to let loose. Disco, samba, boogie, spins, 2 step, cartwheel, ballet, breaking .. you name it, we did it. Some dances are led (meaning you follow the instructor’s moves) but most of the session was joyful improv.
That afternoon we did a creative collage lesson with Jess. She started by leading us through a meditiation and a talk about intentions, and then we were instructed to make a mess and not hold back. We took another yoga class with Asif and played with Bird of Paradise pose.
On our last morning, I took a 90 minute restorative yoga class with Susannah, focused on heart opening. It felt like the perfect way to close my time at Kripalu.
We appreciated how they scheduled the activites so you would never feel rushed getting from one to the next. Each activity was thoughtfully planned.
The food at Kripalu is well prepared, healthy, and plentiful! I found the menu especially creative too. Some of my personal highlights were salmon with pinneaple, asparagus soup, chicken with apricots, and a kiwi hibiscus drink. You will not find sugary snacks or salty treats at Kripalu, but you can easily drive into town if you are a fiend like us.
After vacation and I am usually exhausted from travel or packing in too many activites, but Kripalu left me feeling rested and restored. Kripalu is not a 5 star resort, but the facilities are clean and cozy. I will be back and highly reccomend this retreat center, espcially for New Yorkers looking for an easy escape.
