Can yoga change the world?

Guayana Páez-Acosta thinks it can help. A sociologist and environmentalist, she has spent her adult life working for social justice and sustainable development in Latin America. And, as a longtime yoga practitioner, she sees yoga as a tool to advance these goals.

In November 2019, Kripalu donors gave Guayana and her work a big boost by funding a Kripalu Scholarship that made it possible for her to attend The Revolution Within: Women’s Week at Kripalu. Guayana was particularly thrilled to practice with Angela Farmer, tapping more fully into her feminine energy.

“The professional world is dominated by male energy,” Guayana says. “It’s goal- and outcome- driven, tight, planned. These are all important, but we need the feminine energy. too. We need to be receptive, open to spontaneity and surprise. We need nurturing collaboration, fluid movements, and creativity.”

Guayana grew up in Venezuela, and is acquainted firsthand with the fallout of socioeconomic and political crises. Many of her family members have joined the wave of five million Venezuelans who have emigrated in the last years. Guayana is a US citizen and has lived here for a dozen years, but she actively works toward a more healthy and sustainable future for her native country.

Three years ago, life changes prompted Guayana to take stock. She left her post at the US office of the Latin American philanthropic foundation Fundación Avina, and after a meditative pause, started her own business, Athena – Lab for Social Change. Her goal was to build bridges linking personal transformation to social change and sustainable development.

In late 2019, Guayana helped convene 30 social activists and human rights defenders from Venezuela for a weeklong training in Colombia. The participants came to learn how to connect more effectively with collaborators and funders. Guayana’s years of yoga practice prompted her to lead an unusual first step in the training: breathwork and movement.

“I didn’t call it yoga,” Guayana recalls. “But by the end of the week, they were all talking about pranayama.”

Guayana’s commitment to yoga as a tool for change agents is rooted in her own practice and experience. Yoga helps activists improve their attention and presence. It enhances awareness of their role in a larger process. It makes them more effective, and brings a higher quality to the social change they intend to bring about. 

“In Spanish, we call this atención y presencia plena”—attention and full presence, Guayana says. “How many of us are afraid of taking on leadership roles? This helps.”           

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, Kripalu Yoga teacher Marion Fischer didn’t think twice about opening her part-time home on the island of Vieques to anyone who needed shelter. Little did she know that her generosity in the moment of crisis would evolve into a lifelong commitment to helping the island heal ... or that Kripalu donors would be helping her.

For six months after the hurricane, several families, along with workers from the National Guard and the Humane Society, stayed at Marion’s house. When Marion got down to the island she found not only physical devastation, but off-the-charts levels of depression and anxiety, especially among kids.

Marion moved to Vieques full-time in the summer of 2019, and thanks to a donor-supported grant from the Jonathan P. Schwartz Teaching for Diversity Fund (Schwartz TFD), she brought Kripalu Yoga with her.

With the support of Kripalu’s generous donors, she started a yoga program in the island’s middle school. She dreams of expanding the program to rest of the schools on the island. She hopes the kids will inspire their parents to try yoga. 

“The principal wanted to steer me to the ‘problem’ kids who ‘really need it,’” Marion recalls. “What she didn’t realize was everyoneneeds it. It’s the best anti-anxiety medicine there is.”

Marion founded a studio, Serenity Point Yoga, on Vieques, and she’d like to start a community yoga program under the island’s 350-year-old ceiba tree, which was presumed to have died after being battered and stripped in the hurricane.

In February 2019, the tree bloomed again.

Kripalu donors’ gifts to Schwartz TFD weren’t responsible for reviving the ancient tree. But they did help Marion’s love and service bloom on Vieques. 

“This is where I’m going to stay,” Marion says. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing this.” 

From September of 2018 to January of 2019, I hit rock bottom. I lost my father to diabetes, failed at a relationship with a woman I dearly loved, moved to a new city, started a new job that required weekly travel, and tried to sell my house from afar. The stress I endured, physically, mentally, and emotionally, compounded and slowly broke me.

My personality changed. I went from spontaneous to apprehensive. Energized to exhausted. Happy to sad. I had trouble thinking and controlling my emotions, and I realize how a few big decisions seemed very uncharacteristic of me. The trauma changed the neuroplasticity of my brain, causing me to develop more negative thought patterns in order to keep me safe. I constantly felt like I lived in a world of crisis, jumped to conclusions, and personalized things. Just not me. Thankfully, I found Maria Sirois' course at Kripalu, Finding Happiness After Loss, and learned how to use positivity to persevere. 

One method we practiced was identifying our six top character strengths, and remembering how to lean on them during the hardest of times. I identified Discipline as one of my six, and I lean on it hard every day. Following my time at Kripalu, I literally looked at myself in the mirror and asked myself if I were strong as I thought. I wasn't. I was weak. So I started a routine of waking up every morning at 5:00 am, running six miles, and banging out weights for an hour. I have done this every day for six months. I haven't felt this good in a long time.

Also, because of my discipline, I created more time in my day to handle life's challenges, and have grown exponentially. My love of running helped me finish my first-ever 26.2-mile race, in the New York City Marathon, raising close to $4,000 for the American Heart Association. I also setup a fund, the Loc Hoang Truong Fellowship, to honor my dad at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

I'm the fittest that I've ever been. I'm excelling at work. My personal life seems in order. But most importantly, Maria taught me the most invaluable lesson of all: self-love. And I love myself even more with each passing sunrise (which I have caught every day). 

Before arriving at Kripalu, I despised my "woe is me" attitude. Today, I embrace my new life mantra: "Try me." So despite the seeming Everest of hardships I endured these past several months, I have come out of my own personal hell as an unbreakable, tenacious, and overflow-of-love badass. I never knew I could feel this fantastic or inspire so many others to keep on fighting. 

Thanks, Maria. You're the best.

I discovered yoga while recuperating from a serious cycling accident that happened more than 15 years ago, but changed my body forever. While I found yoga helpful throughout the recovery process, it wasn’t until I began working with a very talented yoga therapist that all my issues resolved. I was so impressed with the healing power of yoga and yoga therapy that I decided to pursue training—first as a yoga teacher, and now as a yoga therapist in the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy (KSIYT). I want to share this powerful practice with others, and have a way to stay engaged with my community during my retirement years. 

I have led an NIH-funded research program in neuroscience for the last 34 years, while also teaching PhD students and medical students at a major research university. My career as a professional educator helped me to be a good yoga teacher, but what I didn’t anticipate was how my career as a research scientist would help me to make an even greater impact as a yoga therapist. During my KSIYT training, I worked with faculty member Ann Swanson to write a chapter for a textbook for medical students, reviewing the evidence-based literature supporting yoga therapy. It was so exciting to integrate what up until that point had felt like two separate lives—one as a yoga teacher and one as a scientist/medical educator—into one. Through specializing in the science of yoga, I can do both.

The training has also greatly impacted my personal yoga practice. Because of my background, I had approached yoga from a scientific perspective, with a heavy emphasis on biomechanics and polyvagal theory. Even though I had some basic education in yoga philosophy, my personal practice was focused on asana and pranayama. I was much less familiar with the subtle body, the kosha model, and meditative practices. KSIYT faculty member and Integrative Yoga Therapy founder Joseph LePage helped me to begin experiencing the subtle body through his exceptional application of experiential learning methods. This has opened up a wider yoga toolbox for me, which now also includes chanting, mudras, and a variety of meditative practices. 

My experience is also having an enormous impact on my yoga teaching. Since my personal practice was therapeutic, I was already using a lot of therapeutic principles in my teaching, but without an underlying foundation. The KSIYT methodology gave me that foundation. As I incorporated more therapeutic tools into my personal practice, I had the confidence to begin sharing them with my clients, including cancer patients, health professionals, and stroke survivors. Having regular one-on-one meetings (online and in person) with my KSIYT mentor, Marlysa Sullivan, is another invaluable feature of the program.

I recently created Beyond Wellness Aljezur in the Costa Vicentina National Park in the Western Algarve region of Portugal. After I graduate, I plan to deliver yoga therapy services in this beautiful seaside setting intimately connected with nature. I will be one of only two yoga therapists in the entire country certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and I’m so looking forward to introducing these powerful practices in this special part of the world. My Kripalu training has been truly transformative.

My first experience with yoga was in the Marine Corps, when our Wednesday morning physical training was hijacked by a yoga instructor. I hated it. I was strong but inflexible, and stretching was painful. I couldn’t even touch my toes.

Yoga found me again a year later when my physical therapist added it to my therapy regimen during my recovery from a career-altering injury. Once again, I hated every minute, despite the fact that it was effective in helping me regain mobility.

When I got out of the Marine Corps, I was lost, lacking in purpose and suffering from depression. A year later, still trying to fight off depression, I was active at a Brazilian jiu jitsu gym that partnered with a yoga studio. It was during the complimentary yoga clinics that I first fell in love with the physical aspect of the practice. I made it a regular part of my physical training. Gradually, I discovered the spiritual aspects and mental health benefits of yoga.

Since then, I have been on a journey of personal growth, spirituality, and self-awareness. Today, I am a Kripalu Yoga teacher, sharing yoga with youth and seniors at schools, senior centers, community centers, and athletic organizations in underserved communities throughout central Connecticut. My life purpose is to spread the message of hope and healing through yoga.

I’ve always wanted to complete a yoga teacher training to get deeper into my practice. This year was just the right milestone to check this item off my bucket list.

Kripalu was the perfect fit because the program had all the elements of my yoga practice: health-focused, gentle on the body, integrating wellness lifestyle practices and spirituality. What I found in the program not only refined my yoga technique, it also connected me with the happiness that only comes from living in the here and now. It revealed the beauty of being present for myself, and for my amazing fellow students. It was the best way to celebrate my life, surrounded by like-minded people who saw, and got me, just as I am.

One of my favorites aspects of the program is the focus on ahimsa (nonviolence) and self-care. This, on its own, differentiates Kripalu from other programs. Peppered throughout were reminders that self-care was a priority. Another highlight was the community of like-minded people in the class. We came from different backgrounds, experiences, races, genders, and cultures. There was so much diversity of thought and richness in the group. During the four weeks, manifestations of our uniqueness showed up in different forms, yet we remained united by our love of yoga and our respect for one another. Our laughter, our tears, our conversations, and our struggles are precious experiences engraved in my memory. My sangha—our yoga community—is present for me today through small details and daily yoga practices that we all learned together.

The instructors, assistants, staff, and the program are simply top of the line. It is a very well-designed curriculum that truly emphasizes embodying the asanas from the ground up, experiencing depth through pranayama, and focusing on the present. In a matter of four weeks, I went from being nervous about leading a peer through Tadasana (Mountain pose) to leading 60- and 90-minute classes. I felt supported by the entire team, and especially by my peers.

Truth is, I did not want to leave Kripalu. There was so much joy in the whole experience that I wanted to capture it in a small box and store the memories and the feelings in my heart, to be accessible at all times. To my surprise, my return has been smoother than I thought it would be. Those emotions are as alive as they were when I left. That love for yoga, for other humans, for the earth, is stronger than ever. If I had to summarize it all, my Kripalu experience gave me tools to integrate my reality. I can’t wait to continue to witness life as it manifests itself through my next adventures!   

Kripalu truly changed my life. In October 2012, I had the opportunity to participate in a Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training monthlong intensive. I could never have anticipated the degree to which teaching yoga would become not only a new vocation, but also a new way of life. My time at Kripalu allowed me to find the confidence to be authentically myself under all circumstances, which, in turn, invites others to respond in kind.

I continued my learning at the Kripalu “mothership,” completing my 300-hour Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher Training in 2015 and receiving my Ayurvedic Health Counselor Certification in 2016—and I am now pursuing my 1000-hour yoga teacher certification. It has been a blessing to discover how these practices—whether it’s asana, Ayurveda, or simply learning how to breathe through life’s ups and downs—can profoundly improve the quality of life for everyone.

I’m currently a full-time yoga teacher and Ayurvedic practitioner, offering programs and services in southeastern Massachusetts. I have also had the opportunity to give back as a volunteer faculty assistant for both the School of Yoga and the School of Ayurveda. Being trusted to help hold a safe container for the journey of others has been a supremely satisfying blessing.

My journey into the eight limbs of yoga began with meditation. I started meditating in college, and began taking yoga classes in the mid-‘90s as a social activity with my friends. It was an event for us, like going to the theater; we could make a whole day of it. My yoga practice became more serious and dedicated after my knee surgeries in 2000. I tried many modalities to help me to manage my post-surgery pain and lack of mobility (acupuncture, Pilates, physical therapy, weight training), but it was in yoga that I found relief.

After traveling to India and studying yoga there, I decided to enroll in a teacher training. When I started to teach yoga, I found a satisfaction and purpose. Because yoga had done so much for me, helping me with my pain and also elevating my mood and entire outlook on life, I wanted to share with others the healing potential of yoga—and I decided that becoming a yoga therapist would be the best way to fulfill this dream.

In addition, I was very interested in mudras. I had worked for the National Theater of the Deaf when I was in my 20s, and I know sign language. Mudra connected me back to my firsthand knowledge of the expressive power of the hands. My training in yoga nidra also emphasized that there is an enormous amount of the brain that is devoted to the hands. If the hands can relax, the whole body can relax. Ultimately, I chose the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy (KSIYT) because yoga nidra and mudras are part of the curriculum. I had never imagined that there were so many mudras, and that they could be applied to specific conditions.

KSIYT provided me with numerous holistic tools to be an effective yoga therapist within a nurturing, supportive, non-competitive scholastic environment. I was able to grow and be who I am at the same time, without judgment. There was no single idea of how to be a yoga therapist; the training supported multiple perspectives on health and well-being. I loved the format of one- to two-week intensives, where I could dive deeply into material without distraction. The relationships I formed I know will last and continue to develop and bloom throughout the rest of my life.

Today, I work with clients dealing with chronic pain, anxiety, and/or depression. We use journaling, body maps, mudras, pranayama, yoga nidra, and meditation, as well as asana, and together we develop a plan for their personal health and wellness goals. I’ve also created a deck of moon cards that introduce the lunar nityas—goddesses of each phase of the moon. Each card has a mantra, meditation, and journaling prompt. Along with developing my business, I plan to keep making therapeutic tools.

Like a lot of people, I had a kind of epiphany the first time I practiced yoga. A friend who teaches invited me to attend one of her classes, and within the first few minutes I knew something meaningful was happening to me—physically and spiritually. I wanted to learn and experience more, and began practicing avidly. I found incredible focus and strength and also incredible calm when I practiced, so I went to as many different studios as I could to learn from as many instructors as possible. And the more I practiced with teachers who inspired me, including a Kripalu Yoga teacher, the more I experienced the effects of practice and the more I wanted to understand yoga. I also became an advocate for yoga, sharing my enthusiasm with friends and family. I truly fell in love with yoga.

Looking to deepen my practice and share my love of yoga with others, I began to research yoga teacher trainings, and found that there are literally hundreds of them. But I was looking for a widely recognized school with a reputation for excellence, as opposed to a studio that also offers teacher training, and I wanted the school to have a long and successful history of teacher training. I wanted training that didn’t just focus on asana but had a holistic approach rooted in a strong lineage and tradition. I wanted to be in an immersive environment, where my focus and attention could be devoted to learning. And I wanted to teach a lineage of yoga that welcomes all practitioners and focuses on self-awareness and self-acceptance. So Kripalu quickly came to the top of the list.

The training gave me everything I was looking for, and more. I had premier, enthusiastic teachers, supported by an institution that has trained yoga teachers for over 40 years. Kripalu’s history informs its excellent program of theoretical and practical lessons, and that gave me a wonderful foundation from which to teach. Plus, the immersive environment allowed me to deeply focus on the training without distractions. And the school attracts like-minded students, so the sense of community and caring with my fellow students was profound. I made what I sincerely know will be lifelong friendships. Best of all, I came out of the program knowing that I can confidently and responsibly share my love of yoga. I already want to learn more, so I’ll continue my education with Kripalu’s 300-hour modules.

Becoming a Kripalu Yoga teacher has deepened my practice profoundly. As a result of my training, I love yoga even more, and I have the tools to share that love.   

Spending a week immersed in nature with the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership was really profound for me. I’m a two-time stroke survivor, I’ve had open-heart surgery, I’ve gone down a very dark road of addiction and I’ve spent the last decade learning how to heal—how to heal myself and also how to bring healing into the world. I’ve been in search of healing tools, exploring different traditions, and this week took that to another level.

I’m the founder and executive director of a center called Toivo in Connecticut, where we bring mind/body practices to prisons, psychiatric hospitals, homeless shelters, and schools, working with police departments to teach stress-mitigation tools, and we realized we weren’t doing a lot in nature. We wanted to do more to support people in connecting with nature and make that part of the healing process, which we have come to learn is very important. We searched for a training that would fit our needs, and this one has completely delivered. I love the balance between lecture and experiential—being in nature, mindful walking. Micah and Mark bring such depth of wisdom and knowledge, and it’s such an honor to learn from both of them.

I’m excited to bring this back to people with addiction, people who are struggling with their mental health, or people just looking for better ways to balance the nervous system and to show up for themselves and for their families. This is going to be a key part of the work we do going forward.

I’d been looking for a program that combined outdoor skills and spirituality, and I found all of that in the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership. When we first started the training, we got hit with a huge storm, so now I feel a lot more prepared physically for crazy, rainy, 30-degree weather. Spiritually, I feel so much more connected to the land, and so much more open. I felt such a strong sense of community in the training, this family-oriented vibe—we knew we were all there working together to do this, and it was a really amazing feeling.

I went to Kripalu with the intention to open my heart space, and by the end of the week I felt so much more connected and able to just be authentic and vulnerable with other people. I want to bring that to other folks who are really searching for themselves and trying to find that authenticity within themselves. In my everyday life, I’m using these skills to be more connected and more receptive to everybody, not just to the land but to other people, too.

Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

I went to Kripalu intending to progress from beginner to intermediate-level yoga. I took the Energy Intensive, taught by Richard Faulds (Shobhan) and Jonathan Foust (Sudhir). That was all I knew as I drove west on I-90 from Boston to Stockbridge. I didn’t even know whether Kripalu served food. Nor did I know that those old stone gates would be the entrance to a whole new world.

At Kripalu, strangers smiled at each other. Vegan food tasted good. I ate breakfast in silence. For the first time in a long time, I felt warm, nurtured, and safe.

Before I knew it, Sunday rolled around. It was time to go home. I knew the program had changed me, but my life at home would continue as before. How could I speak again after having savored silence? How could I go back to non-vegan food after having experienced such boundless energy? How would I explain my Kripalu experience to friends and family? I felt nervous and scared, sure that my life would sweep me away again and bury the progress I had made at Kripalu. Boy, was I wrong!

As always, it was food and family that welcomed me home and softened the transition. My brother made stewed oxtail and pasta for dinner that night. We made guacamole together; I mashed avocados with a fork as he sprinkled in diced onions, garlic, and tomatoes. For dessert, we had tiramisu and panna cotta with burnt sugar. The meal was unlike anything served at Kripalu, and yet so like everything served at Kripalu. Both fed my soul.

Across the table, we laughed and drank wine and talked. My dad and I shared comical looks while my brother and his friend took pokes at each other. The table felt so warm and welcoming, like Kripalu. Like home. Somewhere between pasta and dessert, I realized that my heart was still open, even though I was eating non-vegan food and chatting. The loving, openhearted person I had been at Kripalu was still alive and shining. In fact, it may have always been there.

It takes time to reintegrate the mind and body back into life after a transformation. The process of integrating my “Kripalu self” into the rest of my life will be long and, at times, difficult. But what I discovered here will never fade. I know that now.

My life once again has deadlines. I have meetings to attend and no time to sit and savor every bite of food the way I did at Kripalu. But a few things have changed. I've started practicing silence in the morning and making recipes from the few vegan cookbooks I own. Yoga and meditation feel more important than ever before. And—bonus!— I am less afraid to listen to my family, friends, and coworkers with an open heart and mind.

At the end of the day, we are archives of knowledge and experiences. We—and, by extension, Kripalu—exist beyond those stone gates. Who we are at Kripalu is not separate from who we are at home. If anything, they are now closer together. We only have to look.

—Kristin C., Boston, Massachusetts

We started coming to Kripalu because we are best friends, we live on opposite coasts, and this was a way for us to have sister time for a few days each year, just the two of us. We both have busy lives with our school-aged kids and careers—Megan manages money for clients and Mollie is a full- time artist. We can’t wait to sneak away to the gorgeous scenery, the quiet, the outrageously good food, and the Kripalu Shop (our favorite store!). We love to spend time on personal growth, and we love that we get to experience it together. We’ve done R&R Retreats and programs on sacred chanting, expanding our intuition, and, most recently, Reiki.

We’re both fascinated with energy and energy work, and we decided to take Reiki I and Reiki II with the amazing Libby Barnett. We loved her open, kindhearted approach. Learning about healing power was so life changing, so empowering, and touched us very deeply.  On Mollie’s 40th birthday, with Libby presiding, we became Reiki Masters.

We do Reiki on ourselves every day, and sometimes we do long-distance Reiki on each other. Megan lives with rheumatoid arthritis, and Reiki has fostered her healing. Mollie has found it really centers her and opens her to greater creativity. It’s a way to pay gentle, loving attention to yourself, and to the other people in your life. It’s our daily healing practice, along with meditation. And it’s extra special for us because it’s something we share, connecting us across 3,000 miles.

—Sisters Megan M., San Francisco, California (at left), and Mollie M., New York, New York

I started yoga in college, but I didn’t get serious about my practice until I moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting. I used yoga to stay grounded in the intense, high-energy environment. My parents did yoga teacher training together and started a business in 2013, teaching in substance recovery centers, dementia centers, elderly facilities, and community centers.

This past January, my dad received a very bad cancer diagnosis, and he passed away just two and a half months later. My dad was my best friend. I was lost—I didn’t even know how to still process the diagnosis, let alone the loss and how 2018 was transpiring. A deep desire for healing others stayed in the forefront of my mind, and I knew my purpose was to help my mom with their business and its expansion. Yoga teacher training seemed like the next step and, with no goodbyes, I quickly left New York. I wanted to go the fast route for training by finding an intensive program, and Kripalu just felt like the right place.

Our instructors were Larissa Hall Carlson and Kari Harendorf, and they were both so passionate about their areas of study and specialization. Growing up, I struggled with test-taking because much of the material did not interest me. With Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training, I realized that the material you’re being taught is what makes the difference. With yoga, I knew it was going to directly benefit my life, as well as others’ lives and the new path that I was about to take.

There were moments during the training when I felt very emotional, when my loss hit me in an even deeper way. But I had the tools to get through it—my breath, relaxing my body, quieting my mind, opening my heart, and just being present. I wasn’t sure how much I would want to share with my classmates, but I told them about my dad a week in, and by two weeks, they all felt like family. We developed an indescribable bond being together for 13 hours a day for a month. Before that, I was living in New York City and working 90-plus hours a week, isolating myself and never slowing down. It was a complete breath of clean, fresh air to spend my training in such a healing and serene environment. I was so fortunate to be surrounded by like-minded individuals with incredibly big hearts and return back to community. It was the first time I felt joy since my dad passed.

The first week I was home after graduation, I taught two yoga classes—I just threw myself right into it and my mom really needed the help. Walking into each class, I felt so capable and prepared, ready to teach guided by my heart, and able to feel the energy in the room and adjust for the students and what they needed that day. I felt so confident about teaching right away, and that’s all down to the training I received.

I feel so passionate about spreading peace, kindness, and love, and creating positive change through the practices of yoga and meditation—particularly for people who don’t have the ability or the means to go out and find it on their own. Along with the populations my parents were already teaching, I want to reach out to schools and prisons.

Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training was exactly what I needed during the biggest transition of my life—the greatest thing I could have asked for. Not only did I find a new way to support humanity, I found healing, community, and friends for life.

—Macy C., Mount Laurel, New Jersey

Having completed the 300-hour Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher Training program, I can say without reservation that my Kripalu experience as a whole—and each of the 40 days of the 300-hour training—was profoundly life changing. I made lifelong friends and found true support and sangha (community). The energy of the Kripalu staff, guests, and grounds helps me breathe a little deeper the moment I walk through the front door.

My Kripalu experience and training have helped me become a better teacher. I have been living and working in the Mayan highlands of Guatemala for the past three years, and lately my yoga classes have been filling to capacity and then some. I often turn down private teaching opportunities to help maintain balance in my busy life. I am so grateful for the honor to teach so many students, and for the discipline to take care of myself first. Teaching from the radiance of my own experience is truly possible when I hold each of my own teachers in my heart.

Each week, I offer at least one free yoga and meditation class to my community, in a local art gallery. The room is filled with international volunteers, long-term ex-patriots, and local Guatemalans of all ages. I am so happy to share my love of yoga with such a diverse and inspiring group of people.

I would not have been able to enroll in the training and earn my certification without a Kripalu scholarship, and without the generosity and spirit of giving of all of Kripalu’s donors. I am committed to sharing the fruits of my studies and giving back in any way I can.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for transforming lives and cultivating love, healing, and wellness all around the world.

—Maeve M., Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Before I came to Kripalu, I was stressed out, eating poorly, and not exercising regularly. I was out of sync with life and not tapping my potential. I felt like I was going through the motions, but didn’t know what I needed or how to find it.

My wife suggested going to Kripalu as a vacation. She’d read about it online and liked the holistic approach—and the location. I liked the idea, so we came for the Rejuvenate and Reclaim Life After 40 program.

At Kripalu, things fell into place more than I ever expected. We were a group of professional men and women mostly in the healing professions, but ironically, everyone was in need of some healing. Maria Sirois was the program leader and had a knack for saying the right thing at the right time. Whether she was offering an insight, or listening, or bringing someone back from the brink, she reassured us we were heading in this great direction toward possibility. Somehow, my certifiable midlife crisis was divinely transformed into a midlife adventure.

During the week, I learned I had to accept some things and change other things. I felt good, and it was nice to stand on the mountaintop for a little while and bask in the glow of a newly learned optimism. Evelyn Gonzalez was my first Kripalu Yoga instructor, and after class she told me that I was quite flexible and flowed like a yogi. I was finding that being open to anything was paying off more than I ever imagined. In sharing my parting thoughts with the group, I said, “I usually go on vacation to see something, but this time I went on vacation to be something; to be me, in the moment, one day at a time.”

During the program, we also experimented with healthier ways of eating. And when we got back home, we found that our children were very receptive to trying nuts and different fruits, eating more fish and much less processed food. No more tortilla chips and artificial cheese flavors! It’s amazing how resilient they are. As a family, we eat a lot healthier now. For a few months, there was also a significant upturn in our exercise regimen, which has had its fits and starts. While I’m not yet who I want to be, I’m better than I was before Kripalu.

I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived. What I discovered is that the hardest thing about Kripalu is leaving.

—David S., social worker, Long Valley, New Jersey

It took me a long time to try yoga, because I had the wrong idea about what it was. My friends kept telling me about it, and finally I decided to experience it for myself. I went to class without a change of clothes—I thought we were just going to sit and meditate the whole time. Instead, we started moving right away. After class, I was so sweaty I had to call someone to come bring me clean clothes, and I was so tired that I fell asleep on the bus ride home and missed my stop. But I loved it. I knew this was what I wanted to feel like in my body. So I kept going back, and eventually I signed up for teacher training with the Africa Yoga Project.

For the last five years, I’ve been teaching yoga for kids and teens in the slums of Nairobi, and also teaching prenatal yoga. Two years ago, I started teaching at Faraja Center, a cancer support center for people in treatment and cancer survivors in recovery. I had no idea how to teach people dealing with cancer, so I basically taught a prenatal class. I helped them relax and gave them space to cry, hug, talk. The ones who come back every week tell me the breathing helps them, and that they are able to move more easily because of yoga. Seeing them after class, compared to how they were when they came into the room, melts my heart. Yoga is giving them a moment to forget about the chemo and the expense of treatment, and just laugh and play.

But my lack of training to teach this population has been a challenge, so coming to Kripalu for the Yoga for Cancer Teacher Training with Tari Prinster was a dream come true. The Africa Yoga Project helped me fundraise for the travel costs, and Kripalu gave me a partial scholarship to attend. The training was even more awesome and inspiring than I thought it would be. I’m going to change so much about how I teach my classes at Faraja—the methodology, the sequencing, the length of the class. Tari taught us how important it is to ask about what type and stage of cancer each student is dealing with, and how to address that.

Yoga has changed how I see life. I’ve learned not to judge so quickly. And I love the way my body looks and feels. More and more people in Nairobi are doing yoga now, not just expatriates but also locals. Their doctors are telling them to go to class, because yoga is good for them. It’s good for all of us, because we are all looking for healing.

—Carolyne O., yoga teacher, Nairobi, Kenya

The Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership training impacted me physically, emotionally, and mentally. Mentally, it opened my mind to the magic in the forest. I actually teach children in nature, so I see it through their eyes every day, but this program has opened me to the magic, so the power of being able to share that is so much deeper.

Physically, the impact of just being with the trees for that amount of time is incredible. At the end of the week, my stress levels were down, my heart rate had slowed down, and even though I’d been outside in the cold and rain for seven days, I felt healthy, because the trees have chemicals in them that heal.

I didn’t actually expect this to be an emotional experience. I thought that we would learn to be outdoor leaders; I didn’t expect to go on an emotional ride, which was the most incredible, unexpected roller coaster that I can ever remember in my life. I felt loved through it all—not only by the trees, but also by the other students.

It unfolded perfectly, from day one when I got there and felt scared in the forest, to the last day, when I actually led a group myself. There were so many moments of complete awe, from building fire from flint and steel, to taking a rock to the top of a summit and building a cairn with the community that I’d formed, to the moments that I had privately when I was in my sit spot in the morning.

The program was described to me as a way to mindfully approach the forest. I wanted to feel that connection and alignment, and share it with others, and that’s exactly what this training has accomplished for me.

Kripalu was an important healing place for me during the years that I was in treatment for breast cancer and going through a painful divorce. I came to Kripalu for a variety of programs and to rejuvenate. The Kripalu R&R Retreat helped tremendously during stressful times. The yoga, the music, the food, the medical aspects, including healing arts, provided a respite for me. My body needed healing touches after so many surgeries, and the massage therapists and energy workers knew how to be gentle and effective. I also spent time outdoors and felt the sacredness of the land and the healing power of nature.

Comprehensive care was unavailable in Miami, where I was living at the time, and I had to pull my own team together and essentially create my own treatment plan. At Kripalu, I found the inspiration and information I needed to locate an MD in Miami to help me continue on my quest for great health in a more holistic way.

I’m a professional musician, and before I got sick, I had played at Kripalu and other Berkshire venues, with Layne Redmond, Steve Gorn, and KDZ—and of course I soaked up the classical music at Tanglewood! While I was in recovery, I wasn’t able to play a lot. On my most recent visit to Kripalu, I was so happy to play some kirtan evenings again. During that stay, I also thought about my dream to create a music recording for women going through chemotherapy, which I’ve since recorded.

The people at Kripalu have impacted me so positively and aided in my recovery. Every teacher gave me the opportunity to learn in a safe and supportive setting. There is an energy, intention, and welcoming spirit that emanates from everyone—the people at the Front Desk, program directors, teachers, volunteers, administrators, staff, and, of course, the other guests. Thanks to the advice of a nurse named Marge who I met at lunch, I limped into my first yoga class in a year.

I know I’m not the only person in the world who has gone through the challenges of disease, divorce, grief, and suffering. It’s important that there is this place where people can go to heal and grow during times of challenge.

For me, the focus is now on the return of health, music, happiness, and purpose. I’m fortunate to be healthy enough to travel and create again. I’m getting out and enjoying meeting new people.

—Vicki R., professional violinist, Great Barrington, Massachusetts 

Healing the Scars of War with the Power of Yoga

As I reflect on my life's journey, I realize that the thing that has helped me most in overcoming depression and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been the practice of yoga and meditation. I joined the US Armed Forces in 1976 and was honorably discharged four years later. While overseas, I encountered situations that left me with physical and emotional scars, causing deep emotional and psychological pain over the years.

After an “end of my rope” visit to a VA Hospital, where I was diagnosed with PTSD, I found myself on the yoga mat as part of my self-imposed long-term treatment. After taking a few classes, for the first time in many years, I felt I was doing something that helped me focus on what was going on inside, where the suffering, fear, and anger remained stagnant. Over time, yoga helped me to address each aspect of my fears, anxieties, and anger, as well as feelings of insecurity and passive-aggressive behaviors. I began to feel the joys in life once more.

I will never forget my first Kripalu Yoga class. The instructor spoke of exploring feelings and sensations, and moving the body in mindful ways. It was those classes that brought me to Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training in 2015, with the support of a Kripalu scholarship. As I dove deeply into the teaching methods, I experienced immediate benefits, like being in tune with my mind-body awareness and connection. I realized right away that I would be able to help others who were also experiencing the feelings of disconnection that I had inside. 

My experience at Kripalu was very positive, though sometimes intense and challenging. It allowed me to notice when and where I needed support, and how to find it, explore it, and incorporate it into my daily practice. That became one of the most important and positive lessons I learned while there. The relationships between the teachers and the students were full of joy, compassion, respect, patience, and understanding, which I continue to practice as the foundation of every student-teacher relationship.

I recently started a Kripalu Yoga class in Bloomfield, Connecticut, the very place where I took my first Kripalu Yoga class. I've also joined the teaching staff of Newington Yoga Center, where my students will include military veterans. I believe that they will find Kripalu Yoga particularly effective because of its mindful and gentle nature. Since completing teacher training, I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the practice of yoga, and I’m excited and grateful to share this powerful healing practice with others. My passion is yoga, and my love is to teach it to students in all communities.

As a veteran with a PTSD diagnosis, I know what it’s like to carry trauma in the body. Yoga has become my greatest strength and teacher. Through the study of yoga, I've leaned to understand how awareness and practice guide the changes we seek. I plan to return to Kripalu as soon as possible for advanced training, as I work toward becoming a better student, teacher, and human being.

—Michael R., Kripalu Yoga teacher and Kripalu Scholarship recipient, Bloomfield, Connecticut

The experience at Kripalu changed my life. I had been looking for something to pamper myself with for my birthday, and a friend recommended Kripalu. I was in real need of relaxation—my daughter was going through adolescence, my partner was having back problems, and we were facing financial challenges.

Over the years, I had taken a yoga class here or there but I didn’t have a practice. At Kripalu, I started with gentle yoga. I enjoyed how the teachers talked and what they said, and I so enjoyed the gentleness and slowness, which was not typical for me. At one point, we did Happy Baby pose. Rocking back and forth was such a joyous feeling. I found myself crying, releasing all the stress. It’s so rare to have the space to be in your body and your breath and have everything be right just the way it is.

The whole atmosphere at Kripalu was very accepting, loving, and nurturing. The food was so healthy and made with such care. It made me think about what I eat, and how. I also took a workshop about setting intentions for your life, which focused on thinking from the inside. I think people spend so much time rushing around, trying to cover up our emotions, because we’re afraid to see what comes up. I relate to that. Kripalu gave me that chance to relax and just feel.

Before Kripalu, the demands of my daughter, partner, and everything in life took over. As a result of my time there, I now create space and time for my inner life. I pay more attention to what I need to take care of myself. I go to yoga at least once a week—and I do yoga poses at various times throughout the day. I try to take the self-loving approach from the yoga mat into the world. I even transformed a room in my house into a place for yoga and meditative writing. I made it a happy, calm room in a shade of yellow.

A friend had recommended Kripalu to me, and I recommended Kripalu to my sister, who needed a spiritual retreat and relief from stress. Her experience changed her life, too! I think it’s so important that we have a place to go when we want to check in with our hearts and souls and remember who we really are and how we want to live.

—Tzivia G., writer, Northampton, Massachusetts

I first came to Kripalu in 1982—we were three Latinas from the Bronx going on an adventure! I was going through a bittersweet time in my life, having recently married and battling an eating disorder I’d had for many years. I was tired and fatigued a lot of the time.

Since then, I’ve been back so many times—I’ve taken programs, I got certified as a yoga teacher, and I served as a volunteer. Kripalu helped bring me through many transitions: when my mom passed away after battling cancer, before birthing my first child, when purchasing my first home. The yoga practice allowed the concerns and stresses to surface so that I could come to terms with them. Sometimes I’d be in a particular asana, feeling angry and wanting to run, but I would stay present and tune in to my breath.

Yoga changed my life. It helped me get past physical limitations that had previously defined me and do things I never dreamed I could do, including pursuing a long-held dream of attending art school. While standing in front of the blank canvas, I sometimes start out anxious or frightened, and not sure how to proceed. Then I remember that the breath connects me to the present moment, and I can mindfully pick up the brush and apply the first stroke.

I currently teach yoga at three different hospitals to nurses, administrators, and physicians. Having been a nurse many years ago, I see beauty in returning to this setting in a different capacity. My hope in teaching yoga to this often stressed-out population is primarily to help them pay attention to long-ignored signals from the body, mind, and heart. When they come back to the class feeling better physically and calmer emotionally, it reminds me over and over why I do this rewarding work. Yoga continues to help me believe in myself and to work past my imagined limitations.

At Kripalu, it’s not only about a particular posture and how flexible I am on a particular day; it’s about what I’m experiencing physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually, on and off the mat. Yoga plants a seed, and it germinates into a deep appreciation of the self. When I am more compassionate, loving, open, and honest with myself, this branches out and touches all those around me. They, in turn, pass it on.

—Joyce B., yoga teacher, Montclair, New Jersey

I came to Kripalu because I wanted to lose weight, but I didn’t want a diet—I wanted a lifestyle change. I wanted to feel better about myself and be more active. I thought I was eating right: reduced-calorie and low-fat items, along with diet sodas. But the truth is that I was hungry, tired, and experiencing brain fog. I was getting older and starting to see relatives with major health issues. Reading Kripalu’s catalog, I was attracted to the Kripalu Approach to Diet: An Integrative Weight Loss Program.

I arrived hoping to lose 10 pounds, and I’ve lost 28 pounds slowly over the last year! When people ask me how I lost 28 pounds, I tell them that what’s worked for me was just changing small things every day. Just make simple changes that make you feel better, and you’re more likely to make better choices. My whole mind-set has become more positive. Having this success makes me want to do more.

I eat differently. I eat more whole foods and include healthy fats in my diet. I’ve discovered that if you eat the right combination of things and approach eating mindfully, you don’t need to count calories. I used to skip breakfast, but now I know it’s important to fire up my metabolism for the rest of the day. All of these things seem like simple changes now, and they were easy.

The program made so much sense. It gave me the framework and support to go home and do it on my own. I learned to take care of myself ahead of time, whether it’s taking dried fruit and almonds in the car or keeping healthy frozen foods in the freezer. I didn’t like to cook before, but I’m learning.

The guidance and positive support I found at Kripalu was exactly what I needed. It turns out that I’m a secret athlete! Two years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined liking spinning classes, skiing, and running a 5K to benefit a children’s shelter. Being at the race line with 500 people of all shapes and sizes and fitness levels was so inspirational.

I feel like there is this new fire in me. I came to Kripalu because I needed to get out of my rut and routine. It was not about a crash diet, it was about becoming a whole person.

—Tracy E., veterinarian, Granger, Indiana 

The Kripalu Approach to Diet program has led to very important changes in my life. In a very short time, I’ve turned my health around and lost 20 pounds (so far).

I’m 53 years old, and before coming to the weight-loss program at Kripalu, my health had gradually been getting worse. I think it was the effects of menopause, the lack of really good self-care, and the stresses of life. Plus, I’d recently moved from Connecticut to Maine and started my own law practice. My cholesterol and blood pressure were creeping up. I also had microscopic colitis and was taking antacids five days a week for heartburn. I ate fairly well, not horrible, but not great. I exercised a bit, although I couldn’t ski anymore. At one point last winter, I finally realized that I couldn’t lie to myself anymore about my health—I had to do something!

That was before. Now, my blood pressure is down, I’m not snoring anymore, and I almost never have to use antacids. But, most important, I feel marvelous. Healthier. I have much more energy, and I’m dealing with stress better. I let go of a lot of expectations around work, places I was pushing myself too hard. And guess what? Clients are coming anyway! Eating well and exercising are definitely helping with the stress.

The week of healthy eating at Kripalu set me up for success. I was able to eat whole foods—really good, delicious foods—and not feel deprived. (Before Kripalu, I’d never had quinoa. And I learned how to cook kale and chard, which I never ate before because I didn’t know what to do with them.) I’ve made big food changes—no potato chips and no soda! When I came home, I cleaned out the house of all processed foods. I also bought a summer share at a CSA farm.

What I really like is that the basis of the program is: How can you be healthier? The program and its amazing faculty provide the tools. It’s basically if you eat better, move more, and practice self-acceptance, you’ll feel great, and guess what, you’ll lose weight too! Plus the science underlying it all makes so much sense.

I plan to return to Kripalu to stay connected with these changes—for boosters and to support more new habits that I can sustain. I came back for a healthy cooking program and have been doing yoga every day since.

—Marsha L., attorney, Arundel, Maine 

At 57 years old, this is the first time in 30 years of dieting that I’ve kept the weight off! When I saw Kripalu’s The Kripalu Approach to Diet: An Integrative Weight-Loss Program, I knew it was what I needed. Since my 30s, I’d dieted and put the weight back on again and again. I’d also gained a lot of weight since my breast cancer diagnosis 10 years ago. During treatments, I used food to comfort me. I didn’t know how heavy I’d gotten because I avoided the scale. I’d taken yoga for years, and it made me feel better the more I practiced, but as I was getting heavier, it was getting harder to do the poses.

The Kripalu faculty said, “You can’t go on a diet; you just have to change your diet.” My experience proves it. I don’t crave pasta and bread anymore, and I now have a rice cooker so that I can have all my grains cooked for days ahead. I experiment with new recipes. I eat fruits and vegetables that are alkaline, and a lot of apples. And if I really want something special, I’ll have an apple with almond butter on it. I’ve had no problem implementing these changes—it was really easy.

Since the program at Kripalu last year, I’ve lost 40 pounds. I had a small relapse when a friend got sick and eventually died, but I regrouped and got back on track, which I’d never done before. In addition to feeling lighter, my yoga poses are so much more comfortable. After a year, I came back to Kripalu for a refresher to help me get started on losing another 40.

During that trip, the one-on-one nutrition session really helped me. I’ve been vegetarian for many years and thought I knew how to eat, since I already ate whole, organic foods. The nutritionist, John Bagnulo, looked at what I ate and asked me if I could make some small changes. After four days following his recommendations, I felt a thousand times better. And the food at Kripalu is terrific. I ate the right foods for my body, and I felt satisfied. I was never desperately waiting for the next meal. I also practiced mindful eating and eating more slowly, which made a huge difference.

I come back from Kripalu such a happy person, at peace with things.

—Anne H., artist and art gallery owner, Prince Edward County, Ontario

I’m in my late 70s and have been coming to Kripalu for more than 30 years. My first visit, I came for an R&R Retreat by myself. My life at the time was very busy and stressful. I had been devastated by a divorce, I was working hard running my own travel agency, and my daughter and I were having some problems. I was trying to be all things to all people. Because of the stress, I hadn’t been paying attention to what I was eating, and as a result I’d developed high blood pressure and was taking medication for it.

I had heard about Kripalu and thought I would give it a try. I reserved a room overlooking the lake. The visit completely revived me—Kripalu was exactly what I needed. I felt no pressure; I could participate or just be quiet. I spent some time alone, and it was also easy to meet people and talk with them. I loved the massages and healthy food. I went to meditation classes and yoga classes. I went walking on the trails. And I danced with no inhibitions in the noon class!

Driving home afterwards, I noticed that everything looked so different. There was such quiet and calm inside me. I felt very motivated to keep eating healthfully, and I didn’t want to continue to take pills for the high blood pressure. I went to a nutritionist and within six weeks, I got off the medication and haven’t been on anything since.

I’ve come back to Kripalu many, many times—by myself and with my family, including my wonderful second husband. My three adult children have been many times, as well as my grandchildren. My daughter-in-law completed the Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training and became a yoga teacher and a life coach.

Kripalu has always helped me to relieve stress. It gives me a chance to be with like-minded people and to spend time alone with myself as well. I still feel that quiet and calm inside me every time I return from spending time there.

—Bobbe E., travel agent, Stamford, Connecticut 

I came to The Kripalu Approach to Diet: An Integrative Weight-Loss Program to address my own lifelong issues with food and weight, as well as to bring new ideas and energy to my work as an occupational therapist with students with significant physical, learning, and behavioral disabilities.

I learned so much from the wonderful faculty. I now have the tools to make small, but lasting changes. Here are the top 10 results from the tools they sent me home with:

1. Husband lost 40 pounds!
2. Then he invested in Emeril Stainless cookware for more great food!
3. I am pleased with my own gradual weight loss (15 pounds so far) … slow and steady.
4. Labor Day whole-foods BBQ—my family polished off all the veggies.
5. Family admits to liking tofu. Thanks, Tofu Scramble!
6. Dog loves one-mile uphill climb every night.
7. Daughter shares recipes with high school friends.
8. Found a nice yoga class at the JCC, free with my membership.
9. If recipes were human, the Quinoa Avocado Salad would be the poster child for Kripalu IWL. I can’t have enough copies of it.
10. I feel everyone can have a yoga practice.

The program has also influenced my work life at a school for adolescents with disabilities. I had the courage to bring our most behaviorally challenging, 300-pound student to the yoga mat. He enjoyed using the singing bowl and was more cooperative than I have ever witnessed. We developed a walking program for our plus-size students and will incorporate outdoor gardening and composting projects, including a worm bin. One class prepared Avocado Quinoa Salad (of course!) and served it to the rest of the school. They loved those limes! We have identified a need to reach the parents and bring them the kinds of resources IWL provides, and are looking for funding.

I received a scholarship from Kripalu to attend the program, and I like to tell people that the generosity and support that Kripalu provided me is now benefiting not only me but my family and my students. It is a gift well used and greatly appreciated.

—Lauren M., senior occupational therapist, Staten Island, New York 

I didn’t expect a transformational experience at Kripalu. I thought that it would be good food, good yoga, and good fun. But my week there wound up being a cumulative “wow.”

I came for a fitness program at a time when I was undergoing a number of personal and professional stresses. I felt unhealthy, wounded, and at odds with my body. I was barely taking care of myself. I wanted to remove myself from my normal routine and environment, and find health, ease, and inspiration.

The faculty were so inspiring—their enthusiasm, compassion, radiant life force, and energy. I wanted that kind of radiant health for myself.

The first day of the program, we went kayaking. On the lake, we stopped at a watery meadow of lily pads, where we all did a floating meditation and just listened to the sounds. It was lovely. We did a bike trip another day. Years before, I had broken my collarbone in a bike accident and was reluctant ever to ride again. It was incredibly liberating to be whooshing down the hills of Lenox on a bike, as my fear left me.

Kripalu has changed how I think about health. For most of my life, my view of “health” had revolved around what clothes I could fit into or how many miles I could run. My view is so much more expansive now—it includes how I nourish my body and mind with things like food, yoga, and meditation. I pay more attention to my state of mind now, and I’m more conscious of all that I’m grateful for.

I’ve also made a lot of changes in what and how our family eats, even though we ate pretty well before. I’ve come to see food in a different way: there’s nourishment to be had in choosing it, preparing it, eating it. Kripalu has helped me enter into what you might call a“slow living” approach to food and to life. It’s not about shoveling it in and getting on to the next thing; it’s about being mindful, appreciative. Sometimes we need reminding that anything is possible. I used to be a high-achieving, hard-charging person in my career. If my old colleagues were to read this, they would probably think I’ve gone off the deep end. Maybe I have, since now I do live more deeply. It’s so opposite from how I lived before. These days, when something stressful happens, I literally find myself reaching for my yoga mat!

—Elizabeth H., full-time parent, Cherry Valley, New York 

Coming to Kripalu catalyzed a healing journey for me. I first came for two nights of R&R Retreat after finding a catalog in the local health-food store. Since it was fall, all of the leaves were on fire with color. The grounds are so beautiful and I felt open to different ways of being. On Sunday, I walked to the beach and then to the labyrinth, and the walk itself taught me about life not being about the destination, but about the walk down and back. Another day, I walked up to Monk’s Pond, and got lost! I kept walking towards the sunlight, and when I finally got myself out of the woods, I realized this experience was like life. It may take you a long time to find your way, but you eventually get there.

I love the food at Kripalu. I believe if you love your body, you should put good food in it. The dishes are so tasty, with the different combos of vegetables, according to the season. There is something for everybody, so many choices, and everything is nourishing. I’m just now able to say “no” to food when I don’t want it. What I learned at Kripalu helped me listen to my body. It is very empowering to give myself what I need.

I also now have a regular yoga practice, a class I go to which is part of my food co-op. I’ve learned to do something for my spine every day, like a couple of Cat/Cows. Even if I practice five minutes a day, it gives me benefits.

Before Kripalu, I could be defensive with others. Now, I am more willing to listen. It’s very subtle, but I notice it, even if others don’t.

I feel like things are working better because I’ve been making these small changes.

—Socorro C., parenting educator, New York, New York 

One year ago, I completed my first triathlon—100 lbs overweight! I’ve had a lifelong dysfunctional relationship with food and thought that if I just exercised enough, I wouldn’t have to examine or fix that relationship. Then I read about the Kripalu Approach to Diet program in the Kripalu catalog, and I enrolled in the next available session.

The staff at Kripalu met me right where I was. No one treated me like an “obese woman,” and there was no shame or guilt. That is rare and so different from any weight loss experience I have ever had. Each morning at Kripalu, I was welcomed and held as a soul, not just a body. I got to begin anew each day. I was the first one downstairs for the morning walks, and I took a yoga class every day. Taking Kripalu YogaDance® was pivotal for shifting me into a person who lived inside my body.

The food at Kripalu was fantastic. I was introduced to new foods—like beans—and began to understand that this new way with food was going to be a practice rather than an instant fix. I eat so many more flavors now, and having the guidelines for healthy eating makes it easy to improvise and branch out on my own. I do not feel deprived in the least. My family has taken to my new lifestyle in ways I find breathtaking. My eight-year-old daughter now claims a brussels sprouts and tofu dish as her favorite food, and my six-year-old son loves hummus.

Since Kripalu, I’ve lost 70 pounds. I have a whole new wardrobe, and I can bike 20 miles and it doesn’t hurt! I’m training for three more triathlons, and yoga is keeping me limber for the training season. I swim, run, and bike twice a week for 45 minutes to an hour each day. I now know what is going to satisfy me, rather than stuff me. My body and I have found the nutrition that pleases both my stomach and my soul.

I now meditate and journal every morning. I believe these are as important to my progression and maintenance plan as everything else. It helps me to be more present and make better choices throughout the day. I’ll also re-read quotes from the faculty, like “To get radical results, you need to make radical changes.”

More important, though, is that I don’t go to bed at night feeling guilty about what I’ve eaten during the day. This lack of guilt is the biggest change—and it’s priceless.

—Amy S., web communications manager, Adams, Massachusetts

I’ve lived in the Berkshires for 18 years and am originally from New Jersey. I have my master’s in education and have been studying the Italian language for many years. I also play the piano. In my younger days, I was on the track team, performed as a dancer in plays, and loved ice skating. I have an athletic spirit.

Like Ted Kennedy, Jr., I developed cancer and lost my leg. Then, when my daughter left for college, I had some free time and a void in my life. I also suffered from insomnia. I had done a little yoga over the years, but my first “real” experience of yoga was in February of 2000.

I’d had lunch at Kripalu and remembered how good the food was, so I decided to see what they had to offer with yoga. From then on, there was no looking back. I discovered the BKC (Berkshire Kripalu Community) for people who live within 50 miles of Kripalu. Now I can enjoy some of the guest activities like yoga, Kripalu YogaDance®, and the sauna and hot tub.

I took gentle yoga for about a year, and went on to moderate yoga, modifying postures. I even tried hot vigorous yoga. As I get older, I realize it’s important to take better care of myself. I am more high maintenance as I age. I am appreciative of the benefits received with Kripalu Yoga and committing to a lifestyle change.

I have osteoporosis, but my back is 11 percent stronger since yoga. I’m getting more disciplined and committed to walking. My quality of sleep has been much better. My muscle tone and energy are better, and I’m able to get through things I couldn’t before my yoga practice.

I’m grateful to be alive. I feel spiritually centered, and I’m hoping to continue with all of this. I like to finish what I start. If my story can motivate someone to action and doing yoga, that’s great! I’m happy when I can impel or spur someone on. My entire well-being has been affected by yoga and Kripalu. I’m thankful for a place like Kripalu.

Namaste.

—Patrice F., painter, reading specialist, and former high school teacher, West Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Kripalu came along at just the right time. After three years on disability for a long-term condition, I simply didn’t have the means to buy things or go away on retreat, and I was focused on rebuilding my physical strength. Because of the generosity of a Kripalu scholarship, I had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be here.

Coming to Kripalu helped me feel a part of the world again. When I walked into the lobby with that incredible view of the lake and mountains, I was speechless. The Kripalu staff were peacefully attentive.

Before Kripalu, I had never tried yoga. Now, I practice beginner yoga three to four times a week, with programs I download and can take with me anywhere. My 3-year-old grandson practices Tree pose right along with me. Yoga has given me great flexibility, loosened muscle tension, and profoundly helped with my chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. The breathing exercises are healing in ways I had never dreamed. My breathing capacity is better now than ever before.

I feel different in the world. I used to be drained from taking care of myself. Now I go places I’ve never been, and I’m present to experience everything, even if it’s just a smile at the right time. I also still walk and practice dance.

I’d lost myself, and now I’m back. And it didn’t take months of workshops! I just listened with my heart, and it opened my eyes again to the importance of finding my place in the world.

—Laurel M., hospitality employee, Dudley, Massachusetts

In the spring of 2010, I needed a change. I had divorced three years prior and had since lost energy and gained weight. I didn’t feel good, and I wasn’t having any fun. I was accomplished business-wise but not happy with my personal life.

When I read about Kripalu’s Rejuvenate and Reclaim Life After 40 program, I thought it was written just for me. It talked about making significant changes in your life and about moving on. My kids are in high school; when I thought about them going off to college, I got scared at the prospect of not having them to “hide behind,” scared about living more for myself.

The program was comprehensive, challenging, diverse, and interesting. Most of all, it was nurturing and safe, which helped me to take risks. I had never done yoga before Kripalu; I loved the Gentle Yoga, especially the last 20 minutes. It felt so good, being able to close my eyes, put the blanket over me, and simply appreciate the moment. I’m quite sure that I’ve never done anything so overtly self-nurturing in my life. And, even believing I couldn’t dance, I tried the noon Kripalu YogaDance® class. It was a blast! I went every day.

On the last day of our session, after learning so much, our leader, Maria Sirois, looked at us and said, “I want you to only do a couple of things after you leave. Don’t try and do it all.” Of course I already had a comprehensive to-do list, but I gave myself permission, maybe for the first time in my life, to do just a little; one step in a healthy-for-good direction was enough. For me, being very driven and competitive, it was incredibly liberating—and it worked!

One of the changes I made came as a result of nutritionist John Bagnulo’s talk on superfoods, which led me to come up with what I call the “Anti-Diet Diet.” Instead of denial and deprivation, I have begun introducing all these great, healthy foods into my diet and, by default, I’ve eliminated most of the less healthy choices. As a result, in addition to losing weight, I’ve been able to get off medication for both high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Kripalu has shown me how to relax and get back in touch with myself. The encouragement, support of staff, the tools (yoga, meditation, nutrition, etc.) and surroundings, the people—it’s a beautiful combination. When I talk about going back to Kripalu, my kids embrace it. They know it’s good for everybody when I’m taking care of myself.

—John L., CEO of MetroPool, Pawling, New York

The self-reflective environment at Kripalu is conducive to teaching you valuable lessons about yourself. But it’s also an amazing experience to share with someone else. The first time I came to Kripalu, I brought my boyfriend, Mike. He’d only done yoga once, but he had gotten a glimpse of its potential to improve his well-being and was eager to learn more. He embraced learning more about his body and his breath as we spent a rejuvenating weekend together eating well, practicing yoga, and enjoying the peace. We were happy to find that Kripalu emphasizes a balanced approach to wellness, not just yoga. I remember the two of us being out on the lake, kayaking, and participating in what we called a floating meditation. It was just beautiful, with the quiet mental space that we cultivated together out on the water.

That weekend inspired us to begin a regular yoga practice together. We found a studio near our house in Boston and made an effort to take weekly classes, making room in our lives for a healthful and rewarding routine. Going to yoga as a couple gave us the extra motivation we needed to keep up a regular practice. We also decided we would like to continue going to Kripalu for R&R retreats when we could fit it into our schedules.

A few days into our next stay, we were relaxed and centered, and decided to hike a nearby mountain. Once we got to the peak, Mike dropped down on one knee and proposed. Even though I secretly suspected that he might pop the question—he kept patting his pants pocket as we climbed—it was still overwhelming and so emotional to hear him ask me.

I got down on one knee to join him and said “yes.” Mike told me afterward that he decided to propose during our Kripalu trip because we always feel so different after a retreat. Instead of the hustle and bustle of normal life, we are more quiet, more open. At Kripalu, we create more time for each other, which helps us feel more connected.

Now Kripalu is even more special to us than it was before, because we associate it with that weekend. It offers us a shared language about yoga and health. On our ride home, we process with each other what we learned on that trip, and what we are taking away. The lessons we learn—about breathing, stress relief, techniques for living a whole, balanced life—we take home together.

—Kristen S. and Mike K., Ethiopia

Yoga gives me feelings of peace and a vital energy flow, and it is soothing for people who are hurting and looking for something to help them heal. My beautiful three-year-old granddaughter likes to do yoga with me. Her favorite pose is Downward Dog.

I first came to Kripalu in 2007 at a particularly difficult period in my life. I took a professional training program that I thought would be beneficial to me and to the people I worked with. The training was insightful, and I came away feeling very different.

While attending the program, I got to participate in yoga and meditation classes, and I knew, “Ah! This is what I’ve been looking for!” Yoga and meditation have opened me up to different aspects of myself and expanded the person I am. I discovered that I could use yoga and meditation for myself, to heal and stay grounded, and as an addition to my tool kit for my therapy practice. I’ve been practicing ever since.

I took a second professional program in January 2008 with a world-renowned trauma therapist. I learned how yoga can help to re-channel trauma in the brain. Yoga is an important link in working with people, even children who have been traumatized, helping them process the effects of trauma. In my therapy practice, I do some simple moves with my clients to introduce them to the benefits of yoga. I suggest trying a yoga DVD or attending a class. Even when my clients practice yoga and meditation inconsistently, it still helps them process their loss, eliminate negativity, grow, and get things into perspective.

The professional level of workshops at Kripalu is outstanding. They increase my knowledge, teach me skills, and add to my continuing education.

At Kripalu, I enjoy being near the water and walking around the grounds. And I love the food! Nutrition is important to me, and Kripalu supports that. When I get the monthly e-mail newsletter, I always look at the recipes. When the catalog arrives, I look at the recommended books for various courses.

I’m more relaxed, peaceful, and open to new things than I have ever been. And I’m very hopeful now about my life and the future.

—Joyce T., therapist, Dalton, Massachusetts

I work in intensive care, and it’s intense.

A few years ago, I had terrible sleeping and eating patterns and was caught up in the distractions, stressors, and pressures of life. I knew that I needed to stop the subtle downward spiral or my health would definitely get worse in the future.

I came across a Kripalu write-up while traveling in the Middle East, where I was beginning to discover the role of nutrition in healing and take an integrated mind-body-spirit approach to my health and my life. I eventually came for an R&R retreat, which inspired me to come back for the The Mindful Table: A Kripalu Nutrition and Cooking Immersion.

The program was excellent. The teachers were truly amazing—passionate, inspiring, engaging, and genuine. They walk their talk. They emphasized the importance of trusting your body and listening to its wisdom, and really encouraged me to continue to follow my own unique path. Through the lectures and cooking sessions, I began to have more respect for the earth, the environment, the farmers, soil, plants, and animals that supply the food. I learned the value of a daily nutritional breakfast and snacks, how to choose healthful and nutrient-dense whole foods and the best ways to cook them.

From the ridiculously delicious food and yoga, to the grounds, trails, lake, and people, I’d be hard pressed to think of a safer and more nurturing environment. I spent an extra week after the nutrition course in R&R and took Kripalu Yoga classes every day. I find Kripalu Yoga a compassionate, accepting kind of yoga. During those two weeks, I discovered a deeper patience with the questions in my life and developed more faith that the answers would come in their own time.

By the time I left, I was excited about life again. Since then, I went down to part-time at work and I rarely work night shifts anymore. I’ve rallied a group of friends to start getting together for regular cooking nights where we can share food, recipes, and company—and I’m finally enrolled in college part-time for a diploma in holistic nutritional consulting. I also make time to reflect, practice yoga, get out in nature, and exercise regularly. I found a great little yoga studio down the street from me, and some of my coworkers asked me to teach them, so I’m now sharing my yoga with them.

I had hopes that my time at Kripalu would help me find the space to recharge my batteries, regain my perspective, help me to learn and grow, and reignite my passions. And it did. I feel well.

—Carrie Ann B., respiratory therapist and holistic nutrition consultant, Vancouver, British Columbia

I live only two hours from Kripalu, but in my 10-plus years of living in Massachusetts, I had yet to visit. Then, after a long New England winter and a family trip to Disney World, I was ready for a quiet break. A friend and I decided to come for an R&R Retreat.

Before I had children, I attended yoga classes three or four times a week at a hot-yoga studio near my office in Boston. Making time for myself was easier then, and guilt-free. Now, with two young children to take care of, making time for myself not only seems like a challenge but an indulgence. As a mother and a woman, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily routines of caring for my family, making sure everyone else is happy. This yoga retreat was about taking time for me again.

Walking in the door to Kripalu, I felt completely at ease. The space was inviting and open, the people friendly and warm. The beauty of an R&R weekend was that our schedule was completely up to us. There were no demands or expectations on me or my time. I could focus on taking care of myself for two whole days!

My friend and I took yoga classes at 6:30 am, noon, and 5:15 pm. In between vigorous and moderate vinyasa classes, I escaped into my book, relaxed with a Vitamin C facial, and sank into cozy reclining chairs that looked out upon the beautiful Berkshire mountains. As a recent vegetarian, I was especially looking forward to the food. While I would probably say that anything I don’t have to make myself is wonderful, the food at Kripalu really is as delicious as it is healthy.

Since the R&R Retreat at Kripalu, I have made a point to carve out more time for yoga, and more time for me. To spend an hour and a half doing yoga and not feeling guilty about it (or thinking I should be doing something else) was a welcome change.

I hope to return yearly to Kripalu, for some hiking and to see more of the beautiful grounds. Having the opportunity (and luxury, really) to be in a space that allows us to breathe freely and to detox from whatever we need detoxing from, whether it be a relationship, an anxious mind, or a long, dark winter, is an extraordinary thing.

After my Kripalu experience, I felt rested and still. This feeling of peaceful mindfulness stayed with me long after my brief visit. It makes me a better, more mindful mother and a more aware, whole person.

—Chrisanne D., mother and writer, Westford, Massachusetts

I was born in Iran. The political landscape there was not something I agreed with or felt I could change. I came to the United States to go to school. I’ve met many nice people here, but after 9/11, for some people, anyone of Middle Eastern origin represented the face of the enemy. I had many unpleasant experiences. Without knowing my beliefs, people would hate me just from looking at my face or seeing my last name.

At Kripalu, I heard comments from the teachers like, “Thank yourself for being here.” There was the utmost care and compassion for yourself. That’s what I needed to heal myself, the utmost compassion. Also, having compassion for the people who hated me for things I had no responsibility for. I learned to take the seat of the observer, instead of taking the seat of the judge and saying this is right or wrong.

Before Kripalu, any kind of yoga I tried had been bittersweet. There were so many things I couldn’t do. I thought, maybe my body is not made for it. When I came to Kripalu I could see that it’s about doing what’s good for your body. I learned there is no perfect Downward Dog. I began seeing yoga as a way to grow, and it’s okay if I never have a perfect pose.

I wanted to immerse myself in the experience of leading the yogic life. I was teaching college physics at the time, and I was also going through a divorce. I was really seeking a break. I came back to Kripalu for 16 months through the volunteer program. After being a volunteer, I did a monthlong Yoga Teacher Training. I want to teach special-needs groups, people who are going through hard emotional times. I want to bring love and self-love to the people I teach. Even in the most hostile environment, there is an unlimited source of divine love. There is a spring inside every one of us that can sustain us.

Now I realize that suffering is part of life. I read in the Bhagavad Gita that the master adopts an attitude of friendship toward everything: toward happiness and toward sadness. I learned it’s my attachment to the outcome that makes the suffering seem so huge. These are my new ways of thinking. This is a great gift.

I heard in many Kripalu Yoga classes the phrase, “Close your eyes and come home.” I learned from practicing Kripalu Yoga to start at my inner home. There’s a home everywhere you go. That simple idea of coming home is just beautiful.

—Azadeh T., yoga teacher, La Jolla, California 

My sister and I are closer than we could have imagined. She moved in with me five years ago for just a few months and, happily, she never left. We goof around together and share all of life’s ups and downs.

My sister had been to Kripalu several times. She’d always come home with pictures, shared her profound experiences, and encouraged me: “You should go, let’s go together.” Finally I said okay. We’re in our early fifties and wanted to change a few things: lose some weight, eat healthier, and use more positive practices and positive thinking.

Kripalu is the perfect setting to discover all these things. It’s like taking a cleansing yoga breath when you get there. When I first looked at the menu, though, I told my sister, “I’m going to starve.” But I found that the food was amazing: the spinach salad, the cheesecake, the broccoli salad with cashews and raisins. I went home and bought all the ingredients for the salads and now I make them all the time.

I walked the labyrinth and was deeply moved by the experience. The evening concert was uplifting. I also did positional therapy with Lee Albert. I’m a nurse and, with the work I do, there’s a lot of lifting and pulling. I was developing arthritis in my hands and pains in my neck. Lee was amazing. I have been doing the exercises he taught me and continue to feel relief.

I did a workshop about envisioning your life. My sister and I were looking for a new apartment at the time. We’d been searching for a year and it just wasn’t happening. The workshop leader had us discuss something we want in our life as if it exists now, and my sister and I talked about our perfect new apartment. And when we got back home, a place opened up with a small balcony from which we can see the sunset!

I’m nervous about moving out of a place I’ve lived in for 13 years, but Kripalu has encouraged me to open up to new experiences, to move into the unknown with more ease.

It was quite an experience, those three days. It was a blessing. My sister said it was her favorite time at Kripalu, too, because I was there to share it with her.

Once we get settled into the new apartment, we’ll be back.

—Cynthia B., critical-care registered nurse, Brooklyn, New York

Seven years ago, when I hit my mid-30s, the weight really started to pile on. Last spring, in addition to being overweight, I was stressed from a hectic work schedule and dealing with the loss of two grandparents and my mom’s failing health. It all snowballed and brought me to the lowest point of my whole life. So when I saw that The Kripalu Approach to Diet: An Integrative Weight-Loss Program started on my birthday, I decided it was the perfect present I could give myself.

I’d dabbled in yoga and tried all kinds of diets, with varying amounts of success. But I’d never been to a retreat center, and I was nervous: Would I be the biggest woman in the room? Would I feel like the last kid chosen on the playground? But I said to myself, “Relax. Just go and see what it’s like.” After that, my heart was really open to it, and when I got there it was so easy. Everybody was so welcoming and exuded a sense of peace. It had been so long since I had felt anything like that, and I immediately felt safe. With great relief, I found that the program wasn’t all serious, but filled with lighthearted moments and truly compassionate people. I wound up sharing things with the group I never thought I would.

The teachers’ approach resonated with me from the start. They never told me what I wasn’t supposed to eat, but told me all the things I could eat. They were gentle and straightforward—with no gimmicks—and that felt very respectful. Being there for five days let me practice eating in this new way, while trying yoga classes and learning how to take care of my body. With a nutritionist, I created an eating and exercise plan that I’ve followed ever since.

Ten months later, I’ve lost 58 pounds and it feels wonderful. I have about 15 pounds left to lose, and I keep at it. I don’t count calories, but cut out processed food, eat 8–10 servings of vegetables a day, and watch my portions. I stopped dabbling in yoga and delved into it. I meditate. My body, and my whole being, took to this lifestyle change so readily, and the weight has come off so easily, I know I need to treat myself this way for the rest of my life. It feels so natural to change to a Kripalu way of eating and living that on days when I don’t get to eat well and exercise, my body longs for it. The biggest change is one I never saw coming: I don’t crave chocolate anymore; I crave yoga.

—Janine D., Boston, Massachusetts

I knew about Kripalu, and people had been telling me, “You should take yourself there for a weekend.” Finally, I came for a weekend of R&R Retreat. It was so great to walk around in yoga clothes and flip-flops, and everyone is there for the same reasons: to energize, to commune. I’d get up in the morning and walk to the 6:30 yoga class with my mat. I loved the yoga classes; I loved the healthy, egoless environment, the staff, the food, and the grounds. That weekend quelled my fears. It gave me optimism about my future.

As a children’s librarian, my main goal is to infuse children with the joy of reading and to inspire them to become lifelong readers. I see what yoga does for me and how it stills my mind, and I see the issues with literacy and learning disabilities that many children face. I thought, there has to be a way to bring children to yoga to cope with all the distractions in their lives, to help them to slow down and absorb. So, I recently mailed in my application to do the 200-hour Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training!

If you had asked me a few years ago if I’d ever consider being a yoga teacher, I’d have said, “What?!” I was fast and driven and unforgiving of myself. My whole life, I’d been very athletic. If I was stressed, I’d pound it out: I’d go for a run or play tennis and exhaust myself. Now when I feel my mind spinning, I can slow it down. I can do it through meditation or yoga, or I can go on the jetty where I live and look at the majestic Hudson River and that calms and centers me.

I’ve gone to Kripalu three times now. As soon as I turn into the driveway I feel this relaxation; it’s an immediate emotional response. When I check in and they say, “Welcome back, Ilene,” I feel such relief. I feel like I’m doing something so wonderful for myself.

—Ilene G., head of children’s services, Irvington Public Library, Peekskill, New York

I first came to Kripalu a few years back to earn my yoga teacher training certification. Then last year, when I was 23, I took the program Quarter-Life Calling: Creating an Extraordinary Life in Your 20s, taught by life coach and yoga teacher Coby Kozlowski. It really resonated with me: I’d recently graduated from college, where I’d majored in psychology and had begun to develop an interest in alternatives to standard mental-health options. I hoped to eventually work with people to help them make lifestyle changes before resorting to taking medication. Through Coby’s program, I realized that I had an interest in becoming a life coach, and enrolled in her Souluna Life Coach certification program.

Life coaching isn’t about giving advice. It’s about helping people embrace their values, make conscious choices, and remove obstacles they may be creating for themselves. Coaches do this by asking questions and assigning tasks that reveal a person’s innermost values and then challenging their long-held beliefs. As a yoga teacher, I’d always tried to guide my students toward living more holistic lives—that is, not leaving the yoga in the yoga studio, but taking it with them throughout their day. Life coaching was the natural next step. My training program represents all ages—I’m the youngest, and I’ve got classmates in their fifties. People want to know how I can possibly have a coaching perspective. They think, “How can you coach when you’re so young?” But the point isn’t to guide clients based on what’s worked for me, or on experiences I’ve had. It’s about helping people recognize what they’re meant to learn. In that sense, I serve as their mirror.

Coby teaches us to stop dreaming of a day far in the future when things will be great. Instead, figure out what you can do to make that vision a reality now. Life coaching is somewhat instinctive, but not always easy; it often requires people to make major mindset changes. But I’ve already had some successes. One woman I work with as part of my training was losing touch with things she had been passionate about. She couldn’t figure out why. I helped show her how to dream again, and then how to make those dreams tangible. Already she’s taken some important steps toward finding happiness, and that’s amazingly gratifying to see.

And I’ve learned so much about myself, too. I’ve learned to quiet the gremlin—that voice in the back of my head that limits me and holds me back. Already, I dream bigger and see more possibilities and find other ways of doing things and showing up. Ultimately, I’m hoping to combine yoga and life coaching to offer clients a new perspective for looking at their own lives. I want to help people become observant, to consider other ways of being, and, above all, to make conscious decisions.

—Mackenzie W., Pittsford, New York

Although I had lived with lupus for 12 years, I was healthy and strong. I could run a half marathon, had earned a black belt in kickboxing, and was taking frequent yoga classes to complement my running. But then—out of the blue—I became very sick. My skin and eyes turned yellow and I could hardly get out of bed, let alone run. For some reason, I stopped being able to tolerate meat. My rheumatologist told me that my liver was suffering from the immunosuppressant drug I’d been taking for years.

A few months later, a friend asked me to join her at Kripalu for an R&R retreat. I had read about Ayurveda—an ancient practice designed to restore your body’s balance—and I was curious to learn more. So I booked a consultation with an Ayurvedic practitioner. Our session helped me see my body in a new light. Unlike my Western doctors who only focused on one part of my body—like my gastroenterologist and rheumatologist—she saw my body as a whole.

She taught me a few simple strategies to feel better that were easy and didn’t cost a fortune, like adding coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon to my diet. She assessed my dosha and determined that I needed more warm, moist food, such as cooked vegetables. She advised me to keep clear of raw foods, which came as a surprise.

Since I’ve come home, I’ve made small changes that have left me feeling physically and mentally better. The achy feeling in my joints has lessened, and my tummy is a little happier. I was motivated to set up a space at home to do yoga and I try to spend time on the mat every day. Mentally, I’m better equipped to deal with the stress of living with a chronic disease. For a long time, I was intensely frustrated by not being able to run. I’ve been practicing meditation and now, instead of fixating on the things my body cannot do, I focus on the beautiful abilities I do have.

My retreat didn’t just inspire me to live a healthful lifestyle; it also gave me the tools I needed to attain it. I look forward to returning so I can learn more Ayurvedic techniques and open my eyes to more ways to live my life to the fullest.

—Darlene R., Ontario, Canada

I was already living in the Berkshires when Kripalu came to Lenox in the 1980s. I was doing yoga at the time but I wasn’t committed to it. Through my experience at Kripalu, I made that commitment. Then, organically, one thing led to another.

When I was growing up, I was called a klutz, so I never danced. I’d go to a wedding and everyone would be dancing, but I’d sit and watch. When Kripalu started, they offered DansKinetics classes, now called Kripalu YogaDance®. I’d peek into the room where everyone was dancing, and part of me wanted to go inside, but I was hesitant. The teachers would invite me in, and I would go to the corner and watch. Then they’d encourage me to join in. Slowly but surely, I began to dance. They really give you permission to come from where you are at that moment, and no one is judging you. There are a lot of teachers, but Megha Nancy Buttenheim was the one who really called me out of myself. I’m not a klutz anymore; now I’m a dancer. Every time I see Megha, I thank her for giving me the gift of dance.

It really is amazing; Kripalu came to town and brought me the gifts of dance, yoga, health. Over the years I’ve taken many programs at Kripalu. I treat myself about once a year. It’s an opportunity to go deeper. I’m 70 years old now and I’m healthy and full of energy. I really feel that’s a gift from my yoga. It’s a spiritual practice that connects me with a deep place inside myself.

—Sultana C., semiretired designer and buyer, Lenox, Massachusetts

I came across Kripalu in a sort of roundabout way. I’ve always been pretty in touch with how I’m feeling, but I’m constantly asking questions of myself and seeking ways to be a better person. I was introduced to Kripalu through my interest in taking a drumming program but, as I began to page through the catalog, I came upon all these other programs that spoke to me. I signed up for five at once, all aimed at personal improvement. I figured: Anything that helps me gain a little clarity about myself, I’m down for.

As a 22-year-old football and soccer player, I might not seem like the average Kripalu enthusiast. I work in building maintenance—painting, gardening, small repairs. I got into yoga near the end of high school, when I was striving for a career in the pros and it became clear that stretching was essential to keeping my body in the best shape it could be.

But everyone wants better relationships, too, and what I’ve learned at Kripalu has already helped me be a better person to my friends and family. Kripalu gives me a safe place to explore my feelings. I always go without any expectations, just knowing that I’m going to have a mini-vacation that’s personally enriching. When I get out of the car, my whole mood changes. I know that I’m at a joyful, organic spot and about to get in some yoga, do some dancing around, and learn something new. I take care of myself, eat well, and put my e-mail and cell phone aside. It’s like a reset for me.

At home, I don’t always get to go to yoga classes, but I find myself incorporating aspects of yoga into my life, like alignment and awareness. Just the other afternoon, I had this realization that, although I’ve really only been attending yoga for two years, I’ve actually been practicing my whole life. There I was, standing at the top of this crab apple tree, pruning. I was balancing on two branches, sort of like in Warrior pose. It hit me: I’ve been in this posture my whole life, whether I was climbing trees as a kid or helping my dad landscape. Even when I’m not at Kripalu, I’ve learned I can always go back to that place in my head, that feeling I have when I’m there.

—Mario M., Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

I first heard about Kripalu at my yoga studio. It was discussed by teachers and students in reverential tones. They said the food was incredible and the setting was breathtaking. I was intrigued about a place where yoga was a central daily component, and where mindful living was practiced. By the time I visited Kripalu, my yoga practice had bloomed and I had moved beyond simply exploring yoga to a deeper journey of self-discovery. At Kripalu, I was able to get close enough to myself to learn what I really needed. (I also found out everyone was right about the food!)

I’ve now done several programs; each has brought me that much closer to the person I would like to be. To make some nutritional changes, I recently attended The Mindful Table: A Kripalu Nutrition and Cooking Immersion. The world-class staff shared the latest in nutritional information, making it totally relevant to my life by showing me how to effectively integrate their ideas.

We all think we know how to breathe—and then we discover yoga. Well, I thought I knew how to eat, until I took this program. The teachers presented simple and practical nutritional knowledge over the week, and expert cooking demonstrations brought it all together. There weren’t any tricks or special equipment; with a decent knife and a cutting board, I could improve my health.

Their lessons allowed me to completely revamp the food I eat, the way I cook it, the tools I use to prepare it, and the ways I buy it. Learning about anti-inflammatory foods and spices in particular has significantly reduced the arthritis pain I’ve felt for decades, despite cortisone injections and heavy-duty narcotics. I entered the program with a vague hope of “feeling better” and maybe losing some weight. What I gained was a whole new relationship with food—along with improved energy, strength, and mental clarity.

My personal story is still evolving. My yoga practice continues to call me to the mat, I continue to eat healthfully, and, without really trying, 30 pounds have disappeared. And after years of careless eating and a somewhat sedentary lifestyle, I’ve reversed my steadily increasing blood pressure and cholesterol. To say that my life is changed would be an enormous understatement, and I can’t overstate my gratitude for that moment when I heard the word “Kripalu.”

—Arthur G., Sudbury, Massachusetts

Our Summer 2020 catalog cover models, Nathan and Brett, practice yoga separately and together, and find it contributes to better communication and makes them more playful and daring as a couple. Their shared interest in yoga has opened up new shared experiences, and given them tools for self-care that they use in their work at a residential community for adults recovering from mental health challenges. “I find myself practicing more physical grounding exercises and bringing my attention back to my breath and the present moment, and sharing these skills with the people I work with,” says Nathan. 

Between them, they’ve been to Kripalu half a dozen times over the last couple of years, and love the opportunity to unplug from everyday routines and cultivate their interest in yoga and mind-body practices. “I’ve developed a greater openness to new and unknown parts of myself,” says Brett. “Each time I visit Kripalu, I walk away with an excitement to continue shifting the way I see myself in the world.” 

When I moved to America at age 20, I hadn’t heard of yoga. The first few years I lived in Connecticut passed by so quickly I don’t even remember them, probably because I was working 16 hours a day, every day.

I was quite used to a breakneck schedule, and, in fact, thrived on it. Growing up in Sumy, Ukraine, my whole life was about racking up accomplishments and meeting one goal after the other. During high school, I had classes from 7:00 am until midnight, and I often worked night shifts to help my mother buy food for me and my sister.

The first time I went to a yoga class, I absolutely hated it. Slow down? Relax and breathe? I didn’t get it. So I read a book about yoga to understand what it was all about, and decided to give it another chance. Three classes later, a session with a Kripalu-trained teacher changed my life. As I was driving home, I realized I was actually relaxed and smiling. I felt calm in my mind and my body, which I hadn’t felt for a very long time, if ever.

As I began to practice yoga every day, I realized that I was either in constant go-go-go mode or burn-out mode, when I’d totally crash and be unable to get out of bed. Yoga helped me understand that there’s another way to live. Having studied psychology, I thought I knew myself inside and out, but yoga opened a totally new way to understand myself—one that has nothing to do with who I thought I was.

I wanted to learn as much as I could, and my heart was set on Kripalu’s monthlong yoga teacher training. I loved that Kripalu’s approach is centered on inquiry, since I’m curious to learn everything I can. I applied for a Diversity Scholarship and got one that let me attend the training. The day I walked into Kripalu, I thought, I want to spend my life here! My face hurt from grinning. That month, I didn’t learn yoga; I lived yoga. I was surrounded by people who thought the same way I thought, ate fabulous food, and talked and practiced yoga 24/7.

Training changed my world. The breathing techniques connected me to my thoughts, which connected me to my soul. I am never still, but I grew to love Savasana. To me, yoga is about grounding, about being in a particular moment, wherever you are. This is still a new concept for me, since I’ve always rushed through the moment, through the day, and through the months. My new goal is one that I’ll work on forever: appreciating the “now.” Otherwise, life flies past and you never know where your place in it is. I want my place to be right here, right now.

—Kateryna S., Rocky Hill, Connecticut

Three years ago, I went on vacation and suffered a horrible bout of food poisoning that left me with a relentless and debilitating intestinal problem. I was lethargic, I gained weight, and I had to go to the bathroom constantly. I went from doctor to doctor looking for a solution, to no avail. I tried removing foods from my diet, then adding foods. Nothing made a difference.

A girlfriend of mine suggested I visit Kripalu. Living in the Berkshires, I had driven by the center countless times, but had never stopped in. Finally, I decided to give it a shot, and booked an Ayurveda-based program with John Douillard about detox and weight loss.

I turned off my phone, said goodbye to my family, and freed myself of all the daily things I’d become accustomed to doing. As soon as I walked in the door, a warm, cozy feeling came over me.

Taking a step back from normal life gave me an opportunity to clearly assess how I was feeling. My daughter was three years old and I was in a constant frenetic state. I felt like I needed to do 20 things at once. I was eating breakfast in the car, listening to the news on TV while checking my phone, eating takeout, staying up late, running to and from social events. I was never fully in the moment.

The program taught me to approach these kinds of routine tasks differently, especially eating. I learned how to eat mindfully and to completely relax before enjoying a meal. I became educated about eating with the seasons, a concept that made total sense to me. The medical information I learned about how the body processes food left me confident in my ability to make meaningful changes to my diet. Most of all, I learned how to truly listen to my body.

I recommend Kripalu to everyone I know. Go and see how much better you can feel. Reset your body. You owe it to yourself.

—Lauren Z., Pittsfield, Massachusetts

I came to Kripalu with my New York City–based hip-hop and spoken-word group, ReadNex Poetry Squad. We were all in serious need of a rest. That year, our group had done more than 200 shows, performances, and workshops, spending nine months of the year on the road. To put it bluntly, we were beat.

Much of our work is done with at-risk urban youth: We travel to schools and teach kids about youth empowerment. We introduce them to the concept of using performance art as a form of personal expression. But as rewarding as community work is, it can also become physically and emotionally exhausting if you don’t give yourself a chance to rest.

I got the idea to bring the ReadNex Poetry Squad to Kripalu after my fiancée visited a few times for retreats. After each visit, she came home regenerated and rejuvenated. That’s what we needed, I thought. For us to be able to continue giving back to the community, we had to take time to focus on our own spiritual development.

We were lucky to receive a Diversity Scholarship from Kripalu to attend a program, on Kundalini Yoga and expressive arts; without it, there is no way we would have been able to make the trip. We spent the mornings doing yoga. After lunch, we did a range of expressive arts, like painting or guided meditative dance. At night, we did another yoga session. A number of people in our group had never done yoga before but found the instruction easy to follow while still feeling challenged.

The program offered us a special opportunity to reverse roles: The type of activities we had been doing with the youth, we now got to experience firsthand. Whether it was dancing, singing, writing, or painting, we got to dig deep and express our feelings in a safe space.

The environment at Kripalu is unique. We were surrounded by people who had come together for the same purpose: to seek a meditative space where we could relax and slow down. Everyone in my group felt at ease and comfortable. Perhaps most importantly, the trip served as a powerful reminder that as much as we are invested in helping and changing the community, we must look inward, too.

—Decora S., New York, New York

My motto is “Don’t wait to expire!” Age has never meant anything to me, and at 88, I’m proof that it’s never too late to learn something new. Five years ago, I was inspired to learn how to dance the tango, and now I perform it regularly with my 76-year-old partner. And at age 84, I picked up yoga, since I knew it would help me maintain the balance, core strength, and elasticity I need to continue dancing.

I have Kripalu to thank for challenging me and encouraging me to stick with yoga. I made my first visit with my sister, who was 91 at the time. We loved that it was near Tanglewood, where we’d gone as children every summer with our parents. The ambience was magnificent, and it was incredible to have everything at our fingertips. Kripalu’s variety of offerings is tremendous, and there’s something for everyone: I saw very young kids and older people doing yoga, meditation, and all kinds of spirituality practices.

As a ballet dancer when I was younger, I learned to enjoy the challenges of working hard at something, which I apply to yoga. I’m usually the oldest one in my yoga class, and I often hear, “If Phyllis can do it, anyone can.”

I like how older people can take yoga and progress at their own speed. Look at me: I have arthritis in my spine but I can do a full backbend. Your body is like an engine, and if you don’t run the engine, it gives out. Listen to your body—it tells you everything.

Today, I never leave my house without doing yoga first. My body remembers the movements, even better than my brain does. I do full splits on both sides every day. I love Triangle—it’s a beautiful pose. And I always do Pigeon.

It’s unusual for someone in their eighties to be so active. But I think these things are always dormant in your body, and at a certain time, your body gives birth to them. I have no idea where my desire for tango and yoga came from, but it’s here—and the journey has been marvelous.

I’m close to 90 and every morning, I face a challenge: My back is sore, a hip is tight. But I don’t think about that. It’s the journey that matters. Still, I really want to be able to do a handstand and full Lotus. One day, I’ll get there.

—Phyllis S., Los Angeles, California

Back in 2002, I believed I was “Master of the Universe,” trading and earning millions on Wall Street. On April 11 of that year, I had a doctor’s appointment before work, to check out some strange symptoms I’d been having—my right pinky finger kept twitching, and I had a weird overall body stiffness. The doctor diagnosed me bluntly: Parkinson’s. Later that day, I told my boss, and he let me go.

I was taking lots and lots of pills, trying to distract myself by buying a jet boat and getting into boating, but not really living my whole life. Then I read about the Rejuvenate and Reclaim Life After 40 program at Kripalu, and I decided to go. I never sleep more than two hours together in a night but, that first night, I put my head on the pillow, and woke up seven hours later. The next day, we were sitting in a circle, taking turns describing our situations. It came around to me, and I just burst out crying. I didn’t expect it, I didn’t know where it came from. When they let me go from my hotshot job—nothing. When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s—nothing. But here I was, sobbing. I didn’t realize how much grief was inside me. It felt good to let it go.

When I came back to Kripalu for the Wellness Retreat for People with Parkinson’s and Their Care Partners, cocreated by Kripalu and the National Parkinson Foundation, I learned ways to approach the disease that most people don’t know about—particularly through nutrition and yoga. When I was in my twenties, I used to do yoga—just a few basic positions, but I’d come out of it feeling so tranquil and comfortable. It was a skill set I’d completely forgotten about, but at Kripalu it all came back to me. Now I do yoga and qigong at home to help me relax. I’ve stopped drinking. I’m eating lots of salads!

Parkinson’s has made me focus on the quality of life, and being happy. I want to give back, too. I’m looking into how I can get involved in supporting Vietnam vets who were exposed to Agent Orange. I’m even thinking about taking yoga teacher training at Kripalu, so I can introduce yoga to people with Parkinson’s. Kripalu is the thread of happiness that runs through my life.

—Randy S., Armonk, New York

As a veteran police lieutenant living in Philadelphia, I’m not your typical yogi. About a decade ago, while looking to add stretching to my exercise routine, I discovered Bikram Yoga. I quickly found that incorporating yoga into my life made me feel radically different—less worried, more grounded. Even doing a 20-minute routine before work left me feeling at peace with myself and better able to handle people with grace. I also found that yoga helped dissipate the low-level anxiety I’d lived with for so long.

Yoga soon took on a central role in my life, and, five years ago, I decided to become a teacher so I could share what I’d learned with others. I’d been teaching in Philadelphia for about a year when I flipped through the Kripalu catalog and was intrigued by a program with Shiva Rea. It seemed to have an element of flow to it that I hadn’t experienced in other classes I’d taken.

Her program was my first opportunity to take yoga all day long, and the experience was supernatural. When I came out of the class the next day, I felt like I was flying. It was as if someone had unleashed a sense of joy in my body; I felt so light and exhilarated. I couldn’t believe I could feel that good. I thought to myself, “I need to learn how to bring this feeling into my teaching.”

Shiva opened up the fluidity of yoga for me. I’d been trained in classical poses but her instruction helped me connect with the sensuality and naturalness of the movements. Since the program, I’ve been trying to incorporate that philosophy into my own teaching.

Now I’m not only passing on the lessons I learned to my yoga students, but I’m also extolling the benefits of yoga to my fellow policemen. I’ve even had the opportunity to present yoga as a stress-reduction exercise at police conferences. I truly believe anyone who gives themselves the chance to see what yoga is about can get something positive out of it.

I’ll never forget the sense of elation I found at Kripalu or what it was like to be around people focused on wellness and serenity. I’m grateful I had the chance to take a break from my life, given the work I do, and just be with myself. Now that I know it’s possible to feel that good, it’s my goal to recreate that feeling in myself every day, and introduce others to this exquisite joy.

—John W., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I was with my younger daughter, Carolyn, when I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. I had a bad flu; then I developed back pain and a tremor in my left hand that would not go away. I saw several doctors before going to a neurologist. When he said, “I think you have a mild case of Parkinson’s,” my daughter nearly fell off her chair. But I was grateful to learn it was something I could deal with. The neurologist was so positive; he explained that I was in a good position because it was late-onset Parkinson’s and there are great drugs to treat it.

Right away, Carolyn got on the Internet and said, “Mom, Kripalu has a weeklong program for people recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s and their care partners. Do you want to go?” I said, “Yes, if my daughters come with me.”

I had been to Kripalu 11 years earlier with my daughter, Elizabeth, before she underwent her seventh surgery for a bullet wound that had grazed her vocal cords and had taken out her voice. We spent the weekend doing yoga, attending group sharing sessions, meditating, and becoming centered. The surgery she had after our stay was successful and gave her a voice. She credits her time at Kripalu for her healing, as do I. So I signed up to return to Kripalu for the Parkinson’s program last fall.

The medical experts were so accessible. They made themselves part of the group, participating in our daily discussions and yoga and dance classes. I was able to ask a neurologist about a specific medication that had been recommended to me. I was resisting taking it because I was feeling healthy. But he told me that I’d feel younger if I took it. When I got home, I started it, and he was right—I feel 10 years younger. The improvement is amazing, and I lost my fear of the medication.

In the program, I gained a better understanding and acceptance of my symptoms. I learned adaptations, and I no longer struggle with buttons and zippers because I gave myself permission to buy pants with elastic waistlines. Kripalu YogaDance® was the most fun of all, and the teacher had me moving across the floor in a way that was exhilarating. Since then, I’ve found ways to stay active with exercise that I enjoy. I now take three movement classes a week and do light resistance training at the gym.

Being at Kripalu was a transformational experience. And it was helpful for my daughters to participate in breakout sessions for care partners to address their own concerns. And we all took advantage of the wonderful Healing Arts massages and facials. Kripalu, for our family, is a healing, restorative place.

—Emily S., Evanston, Illinoi

I found myself in my mid-50s a total workaholic, overweight, completely unhealthy, lacking in energy and motivation, and suffering from degenerating joints. After MRIs on both knees indicated that I had arthritis, I decided to go to Kripalu. It was a decision that changed my life.

I had first visited Kripalu in the ‘90s, and since then, I’ve returned eight times. With each visit, my stay has lengthened, and each time, my life has changed for the better. I recently went back for The Kripalu Approach to Diet: An Integrative Weight-Loss Program. It reinforced and solidified what I had learned during other Kripalu programs, and I was able to move deeper into healthful food preparation, deeper into my yoga and meditation practice, and deeper into my happiness.

And how it was taught made sense to me: The instructors put the program together in such a way that it wasn’t overwhelming and I could take the information home. Their warmth and support was unparalleled, and their approach so sensible. When I started doing things differently—paying attention and living more consciously—everything changed!

These days, I feel great. My knees work and my back doesn’t ache. I walk taller and my digestive system is in good order. And I’ve lost 35 pounds! I can do things like ride a bike, play tennis, and hike—activities I thought I was done with forever. I have more energy and confidence. Life is good.

Kripalu has been a cornerstone for me, a sanctuary, and a vacation all together. In finding Kripalu, I found a place of peace.

—Lin W., Vieques, Puerto Rico

A few years ago, I hit a critical crossroad. I was unhappy at my job and had decided to resign, but felt stuck about what to pursue next. On one hand, I had an idea for a new business—a yoga management company. Many of my friends were amazingly talented yoga teachers, but they struggled to manage the business side of their ventures. Because of my background in marketing and PR, I was often asked to help, and I sensed a need for the type of managerial and consulting skills I could offer. My second option was to pursue what I went to university for—intercultural communications—and get a job at the State Department.

Both options were tempting. Should I be an ambassador, traveling the world, or did I want to take a leap of faith and launch a company that would help spread the practice of yoga? I felt paralyzed with indecision. Flipping through the Kripalu catalog, I realized I needed to get out of town and clear my head. I’d been living in New York City for a year without once leaving the urban jungle. Perhaps a trip would help me find the clarity I needed.

It was the middle of March when I arrived at Kripalu for an R&R Retreat. Growing up in Texas, I had never seen frozen water before. As I looked at the lake, the leaves and twigs suspended in ice, I was overcome with a sensation of utter peace. The city drifted away. I was reminded how quickly, and how powerfully, the reset button can take effect.

Over the next few days, I gave myself time and space to reflect inward. I did yoga and hung out in my room, took naps, and let myself be still. I didn’t expect to get an answer. But I got one. By the time I left, I was 100 percent clear that I wanted to dedicate my life to spreading the practice of yoga. I wanted to help people feel as healed and whole as I did, sitting on the bus on the way back to the city.

Two months later, I launched YAMA Talent, the first-ever management company for yoga teachers. When I look back now, two years later, it seems a little destined. At that time, I couldn’t see what was in front of me. Kripalu helped me realize that the answer was already inside of me, waiting to be released. I just needed to be still to find it.

—Ava T., New York, New York

As a college graduation present, I was offered the chance to attend the Quarter-Life Calling program with Coby Kozlowski at Kripalu. There is no word to describe the experience except transformative.

The program was focused on finding a life of passion in your twenties. The group, composed of young people, took part in different exercises designed to push us outside of our comfort zones. We were encouraged to explore uncharted areas of ourselves. During the most intense exercise, we paired up and stood 10 feet away from each other. We approached our partner, got really close, and yelled in his or her face for about 20 seconds. Then we switched roles. Different things came out for different people. Afterward, we hugged for what seemed like an eternity. I felt an incredible emotional release.

During another empowering exercise, we sat with our eyes closed and raised our arms with our fingers extended toward the ceiling. We didn’t know how long we were going to do this. After 15 minutes, when we were finally told to release, I had intense bodily feelings that really took me out of my head.

The program was deeply emotional, perfect for what I was ready for at that time. I felt powerful and filled with gratitude. I left Kripalu crying in appreciation for the magic of being alive and was inspired to pursue more self-exploration and practice. A lot of my ideas started to come together and I became clear about what I wanted to do.

After a year in graduate school pursuing a degree in exercise and sport science, I came back to Kripalu for yoga teacher training. I was grateful that my college allowed this training to serve as an internship. I think that the benefits of yoga and the mind/body connection are becoming more recognized in the West. I currently teach tennis, and I had ideas about combining yoga, tennis, and sports psychology into a business.

The training really opened me up to looking at yoga differently. I know now that it’s so much more than just doing asanas. The yoga philosophy is now embedded in me, and I know that the skills I’ve learned, such as conscious communication and reflective listening, will be helpful in all of my endeavors. I feel lucky to be a young person who has been exposed to such powerful tools to help me conduct myself with awareness and direction. I feel well prepared for life.

—Josh W., Hermon, Maine

I’ve lost weight many times, but I’ve never been able to keep it off. But last summer, I was at a point where I knew I had to get in better shape, so I enrolled in The Kripalu Approach to Diet: An Integrative Weight-Loss Program.

I had no idea what to expect, but I felt completely welcomed and accepted. I approached the program as a class, and our homework was to practice what we were learning. Aruni suggested we consider yoga, meditation, and journaling, among other things. She encouraged us to try new and different things, so I meditated and wrote in my journal—and I continue to practice both every day. They have made a huge difference for me, and I’m grateful that I was willing to try something new.

I knew that when I got home after the five days at Kripalu, I’d have to deal with life’s challenges differently. The six weeks of online support, and especially the weekly phone calls with faculty and students, were enormously helpful in reinforcing the need to practice.

My most eye-opening discovery that came from the program was that it isn’t really a weight thing for me. What I learned was that I’ve never let myself feel my feelings—I used food to suppress them. Through the program, I learned that “the best way out is always through,” and that sums it up for me. Before Kripalu, I didn’t know there was a way out. When I got upset, I would eat. Now, I take a deep breath and look at what’s happening and acknowledge my feelings. When I choose to have food that I know I need to limit, I practice enjoying what I have and not judging myself for having it. My goal is to feel light and free—today, tomorrow, and into the future.

In order to make serious changes in my life, I had to invest in myself, and give myself the opportunity to get some new tools and, most importantly, to use them. I soaked it all in like a sponge. “Practice” is the word that encapsulates my Kripalu experience. You take a deep breath, ease into it, and do that over and over, and, eventually, change occurs.

—Sharon S., Ellicott, Maryland

Why am I here? That question surfaced insistently over the 18 years I worked in corporate America. The job—in a fast-paced, straitlaced environment—was fundamentally at odds with my personal values. I couldn’t avoid asking myself the big questions: What was I doing to benefit the world? What was I doing for myself?

In 2005, I went to Kripalu for a program on food and its addictive qualities. Immediately, I was impacted by the peacefulness and the serenity of the environment. I felt like I fit in. It served as a stark contrast to my job at a pharmaceutical company. Instead of health being defined by popping a pill, Kripalu stressed the importance of both emotional and physical well-being.

Over the next few years, every time I faced a crossroads, when I felt that I had a choice to make, I would find myself at Kripalu. It’s the place I go to get my head on straight, and the atmosphere where I feel most inspired.

In 2010, I was diagnosed with gastrointestinal issues and decided to take the Detox for Health and Healing program. I learned a huge amount about organic food, how to make sound nutritional decisions, the importance of eating local, and much more. I was already cutting down on animal products, but I decided to go completely vegan. The problem was what to feed my family. I found inspiration at Kripalu. The vegan options I ate there were amazing. I bought a few Kripalu cookbooks and jumped in with questions like, How do you cook tofu? Tempeh? Can I make seitan from scratch? There was a lot of trial and error.

My body felt better, but more change was necessary. During another visit to Kripalu, I had an epiphany. I couldn’t continue to live the way I was living and be true to myself. I needed to leave my job. My company had just decided to restructure and I had the opportunity to take a severance package.

I took the leap and opened a small vegan restaurant with my husband. I’m not expecting to make a lot of money. I just want to share with others the wonderful food that I’ve learned how to make, and add positivity to my environment. I’m so thankful for Kripalu for providing a space where I could discover what was truly important to me.

—Kate S., Mystic, Connecticut

I came to Kripalu at the age of 42 to attend the Rejuvenate and Reclaim Life After 40 program with Maria Sirois. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

After the dissolution of my 15-year marriage, I was living a pretty simple life with no set goals, and definitely not much concern for my health. Having been an independent painting contractor for more than 16 years, my mind and body ached: the former from underuse, the latter from overuse. I had grown to strongly dislike my job. Aside from kayaking and hiking, I just didn’t know how to take care of myself properly.

Then I became reacquainted with an old friend from high school who was living in New Hampshire. Over the course of many months of communication, we fell in love. We visited one another a few times, and, eventually, she and her two children moved to central Virginia to join me and my two children, and we were married. My wife, a yoga instructor and Phoenix Rising yoga therapist, had been at Kripalu before and found the information about the Rejuvenate program.

In the weeks leading up to the program, I grew increasingly nervous. A weeklong retreat to focus on myself and my well-being was far outside my comfort zone. I sent an e-mail to Maria to voice my concerns—she called and totally put me at ease about making this journey.

The Rejuvenate program is brilliantly designed. I witnessed an openness, honesty, and warmth that I’d never experienced before. Some of the most valuable lessons I learned from Maria were about happiness, and cultivating the tools to pursue the things that truly make us happy. What I took away from this week goes beyond words. I learned how to walk in my own footsteps, and was given the encouragement to do so. I learned to respect my mind and body and to work harder to take care of both. I learned to love myself.

Thanks to this program, I’ve decided to leave my painting career behind and enroll in a life-coaching school—I want to help others the way that I was helped by those at Kripalu. I wish that everyone over 40 could attend this program with these truly inspirational and knowledgeable people. I look forward to visiting Kripalu again soon; there’s a magic there that’s hard to describe, but very easy to embrace.

—Daren S., Charlottesville, Virginia

Driving out to Kripalu, I found myself swinging off the Mass. Pike to order a chocolate shake at McDonald’s. I rarely indulge my sweet tooth in such a reckless fashion, yet I had a misconceived notion that Kripalu fare would amount to bland platefuls of kale, tasteless tofu cubes, and little else. It was an act of rebellion. The shake would be my last supper.

I could not have been more wrong about Kripalu food. I knew this one bite into the Vegetable Bolognese my first night at dinner. Over the course of a week, I feasted on healthful whole foods and, to my amazement, never felt deprived. At breakfast, I traded in coffee for Moroccan Mint Tea and replaced sugary baked goods with oatmeal and fresh juice. At lunch, I gobbled down more greens than a rabbit. Thanks to the bountiful salad bar, I concocted a new type of salad each day and never got bored. Dishes like Lemony Lentil Dahl fulfilled my love of ethnic food. And, lo and behold, one day I sampled kale and cauliflower with mustard seeds and went back for seconds.

After slipping into some unhealthful eating habits at home—namely consuming too much sweet and starchy comfort food—the Kripalu menu reminded me that fresh whole food, when done right, can be delicious and never dreary.

Within Kripalu’s thoughtful environment, I also learned how to eat mindfully, for the first time in my life. I ate slowly, savored each bite, and gave a silent thanks to the farmers and cooks who made my meal possible. As a result, I felt fuller faster and the food tasted even better.

Beyond my happy taste buds, I realized that I felt better. At first, I had a few mild headaches from giving up coffee. Yet, within a few days, I started to feel more buoyant. My body was revving up—sans caffeine! My digestion, which can be finicky, started to work like a well-oiled machine. I also felt different at night. As someone who suffers from mild fibromyalgia, I find restful sleep elusive. Yet I was clocking seven or eight hours a night and waking up refreshed.

My week taught me that food is fuel. Kripalu nutritionist Annie B. Kay reinforced this idea by stressing the importance of eating nutrient-dense whole foods packed with vitamins and minerals. Annie also addressed my dietary demon: sugar. Not only is sugar addictive, it creates an inflammatory reaction in the body—hardly ideal for someone with fibromyalgia.

Of course, on the dessert nights at Kripalu, I indulged. And I’m glad I did. I learned that a healthful slice of pumpkin bread is a thousand times more satisfying than a fast-food shake.

And who knew? I actually like kale.

—Rachel S., Somerville, Massachusetts

I first came to Kripalu in the late 1980s. A coworker who knew that I did yoga told me that his wife went to Kripalu, so he thought I might also like it. I booked an R&R Retreat and had a life-changing experience from just one Kripalu Yoga class. The retreat part was just being at Kripalu, with its wonderful lake and walking trails. The renewal part was what I got from the yoga class, which left me thinking, “I have got to come back to this place.” I felt like this was where I could find my true self, and it was so peaceful. So I made coming to Kripalu a regular part of my life.

One summer, when I was 52, I came to a program for women in midlife. I met so many wonderful women who were going through the same issues as I was, such as menopause. It was encouraging to hear their stories, to which I could relate. One of the women lived in Florida and was the caregiver for her mother, and at the time, I was also the caregiver for my aging mother. When I went on vacation to Florida with my mother, we visited with my new friend and the two moms hit it off as well.

In 1993, at age 55, I married for the third time. For a divorcee, it’s not unusual to bring emotional baggage to a new relationship. While reading the Kripalu catalog, I saw a program about deepening your love. My husband is not a “yoga person” but agreed to attend with me. The program was powerful, and it helped each of us to recognize our needs and desires. My husband still talks about what he gained from it.

During my earlier visits to Kripalu, I had noticed that there were very few people of color among the guests there. So when, in the mid-1990s, I saw that Kripalu was offering a yoga retreat for women of color, I was thrilled and immediately signed up. Nearly 100 women of color came to this program and, while some of us were already doing yoga, many were not. Over that weekend, our teacher, Maya Breuer, taught us how to integrate yoga into our daily lives, how to eat more healthfully, and how to take care of ourselves so that we could take care of others. She also taught us how to manage stress in new ways, and how to relax and rejuvenate our bodies, minds, and spirits. We danced, and it was joyous to be together to tell our stories and bond with one another. I’m now 73 and I make the Yoga Retreat for Women of Color program a regular part of my life. As soon as I leave, I start making plans to attend the next one.

—Yvonne B., Stockbridge, Georgia

Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training opened me up in ways I never expected. It was not only a potent process of growing physically stronger and more flexible, it also gave me a touchstone for how to be and where to return to. Yoga offers me a place of deep healing and a way to sustain a grounded life. It has taught me how to ride the waves, whether rough or gentle.

Because yoga helped me so much, I knew it could also help populations like those I’d worked with when I was an advocate for families raising children with special needs. Many live at subsistence level, with chronic stress, isolation, anxiety, depression, and physical challenges. So I went back to Kripalu to attend trauma-sensitive yoga (TSY) teacher training with Bessel van der Kolk, David Emerson, and Jenn Turner, and then to earn my 500-Hour Kripalu certification. In 2014, I became a certified TSY facilitator through a long-term mentorship with David. 

With the help of Teaching for Diversity grants from Kripalu, I created a TSY class for women veterans and a separate men’s group. Today, along with teaching Kripalu Yoga classes and TSY to private students and small groups, I facilitate TSY for women in treatment for addiction and the effects of complex trauma at two residential facilities in central Maine. I’ve also provided TSY classes to direct-care staff of domestic violence and sexual assault agencies, lawyers, and Veteran's Administration staff.

TSY emphasizes regulation of emotions and helps build tolerance to sensation. Feeling is the most difficult part of the practice, because the body of a traumatized person is the site of injury and, typically, shame. Feeling vulnerable is frightening. As students practice over time, they engage more confidently with yoga and work toward becoming compassionate witnesses to their own process. Seeing a young woman in a deep depression lifting off the ground into Crow, because she wants to, because it makes her feel powerful—that’s why I do this work.

—Beth J., yoga teacher, Hallowell, Maine

My anxiety can be triggered quite unexpectedly. Even while at Kripalu, immersed in a weekend of relaxation, whole foods, gentle yoga, and inspired learning, I discovered that my anxious feelings could surface. Yet I am so thankful to Kripalu for cultivating in me the insight I needed to experience my anxiety differently during one particular weekend—and every day since.

On that Sunday morning at Kripalu, one of my fellow program participants joyfully exclaimed, “It’s snowing! How beautiful!” We all turned to look out the windows of the Elmview Room, and saw swirling flakes falling toward the ground. While my classmates gleefully observed this first precious snowfall of the season, I sat fretting in the corner. It was virtually impossible for me to join them in their enthusiastic awe of the natural beauty of the Berkshires. I was too panicked.

My heart raced as I replayed in my mind the drama of the winter before: snowed-in during powerful, icy storms; struggling the day after to travel on the frozen roads in my little Volkswagen. My mind segued into fears of what I would face in the hours ahead, when I left Kripalu for the drive home to Connecticut. I imagined my car sliding on treacherous, icy roads, and getting stuck on the side of the Mass Pike with no one to help me.

I was feeling the onset of full-blown, worst-case blizzard anxiety.

From my yoga mat, I craned my neck to see if the snow was sticking. The others craned their necks as well, but they were clearly marveling at the beauty of the snowflakes cascading down against the backdrop of fall foliage.

But, even as I sat feeling panicked, the teachings of Kripalu Yoga that I had absorbed during the weekend—particularly the practice of Self-Observation Without Judgment—offered me another way to view this experience as it was happening. In the throes of that moment, I chose to embrace and internalize this teaching. Allowing and even inviting a shift in my awareness, I became a compassionate witness to the unfolding scene and to my state of being.

I took a few deep, mindful breaths, which helped me create some space around my anxiety. I could then hold it at a slight distance and observe its negative effects. I wondered how many other times I might have let anxious thinking diminish everyday experiences that could otherwise have been imbued with joy and peace. With this change in perspective came an overriding sense of knowing and calm. I am so grateful to Kripalu for showing me this different way of responding to anxiety.

—Jennifer K., nonprofit director, Wallingford, Connecticut

I’m 56 years old and I’ve been a doctor for 18 years. I love taking care of people, but you can get burned out. I finally decided to make some time for self-care because my health was creeping in not very positive directions, with hypertension and prediabetes. I needed to lose some weight. I’d lost 20 pounds the year before, but it had starting sneaking back on.

The Kripalu Approach to Healthy Weight, (formerly called The Kripalu Approach to Diet: An Integrative Weight-Loss Program) helped me make real lifestyle changes. I’m cooking more, doing yoga twice a week, walking on the treadmill, and doing core training twice a week. I am also now able to leave work stress at work and enjoy myself when I’m home. It’s actually been relatively easy. And it all makes perfect sense from a medical perspective.

I was so impressed with everything that I learned at Kripalu that I came back for another program. I am especially interested in the dietary aspects of healing. Everyone has to eat, so let’s focus them on getting healthy through their food! What I’m learning at Kripalu is not only working for me, it’s making me a better doctor. Now when my patients leave, instead of a prescription, I often give them a card from the local health food store with some specific recommendations. One man had a particularly embarrassing syndrome and hadn’t spoken to anyone in the office during the years he’s been coming. He came in last week, and he was like a new person. He was chitchatting with everyone. He looked so much healthier and happier, and his symptoms are improving—all this mainly through dietary changes. We have to face the facts. Our health-care system is imploding. There’s an increase in medicines, paperwork, and insurance challenges, and still people are not healing. I want to find other ways to treat people, to empower them to help themselves. And to do that, I need to walk my talk.

—Linda W., medical doctor specializing in internal medicine, Marinette, Wisconsin

After six months of intensive chemotherapy for Stage IV non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, I was depleted and weak. Having been off work for six months, I decided an extended stay at Kripalu would offer fresh mountain air, a nutritious diet to rebuild my body, and daily yoga to regain my strength. I was granted a scholarship for Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training, which I vowed to repay. I packed my mat, and off I went.

Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training was the highlight of my life. The methodology at Kripalu truly makes you a teacher!

A year ago, I offered a yoga nidra experience at the university where I teach, and ended the session with a quote from Richard C. Miller: “Whenever we are serving another, we are serving our Selves, and whenever we are serving our Self, we are serving all others.” This became my practice, and inspired me to apply to the Kripalu School of Ayurveda.

Thinking about the scholarship given to me several years ago, and having since repaid the funds allotted to me so someone else could benefit, I felt inspired to create a fundraiser for the Kripalu School of Ayurveda Scholarship Fund. I invited local and national yoga teachers, vendors, and retailers to donate presents. The response was humbling. Instead of a raffle, everyone would get a gift for their donations.

I challenged my fellow students to match my $1,000 donation by donating $20 in exchange for one of the donated items. If the goal was met, another thousand would be included. One student was inspired to donate $1,000, sending the total to $4,000. Then we challenged the Board of Directors to match the funds for a total of $8,000. This grass-roots effort raised enough money to offer four scholarships to those whom might not otherwise be able to attend the Foundations of Ayurveda program.

Now, my health is great! I’m at the nine-year anniversary mark, and cancer-free. Kripalu is my medicine. I continue to be inspired by the faculty, curriculum, and my fellow students.

—Mike E., yoga teacher, St. Louis, Missouri

The Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership training was flawlessly prepared, even though it was the first run-through, and the curriculum wasn’t like a schoolbook learning at all. Mark and Micah and the entire team held this sense of being, which is the being you are when you’re in the woods—taking our natural place here, instead of thinking our natural place is inside a big brick building or a car.

I never knew what mindfulness was, technically, so it was wonderful for me to be affirmed in some of my skills and knowledge, but also to see it expanded and extrapolated and offered in so many different ways. I’ve been able to go deeper into my connection with the earth, and it has lifted my spirit and given me perspective. This program was a gift.