Yoga: Kripalu Yoga

Founder: Swami Kripalvananda/Amrit Desai

At the age of 15, Amrit Desai met his guru, Swami Kripalvananda, in the town of Halol in India. Desai's destiny was to bring this yoga to the west.
Kripalu utilizes deep, rhythmic breathing (ujjayi) and specific postures to create an inner consciousness. The results are a sense of peace and deep relaxation, which continues to energize the body throughout the day. Physically, it increases flexibility while toning muscles. It also releases chronic tension, improves circulation, energizes, and refreshes. Mentally, it calms restless thoughts, cultivates concentration, gains insight and confidence, and opens itself to self-awareness. Spiritually, it connects the mind and body, honors inner wisdom, and invites deep stillness.

It encourages you to access your own body's wisdom by how your body moves through the postures. Classes can range from gentle to vigorous. It is important to keep in mind that Kripalu Yoga is not how you can transform your body into amorphous shapes but capturing the calmness and energy that you stir through the poses. At all times, respect your body and notice changes.

Kripalu Yoga focuses on the mind-body. The goal of traditional yoga is to bring a practitioner to the highest spiritual state called self-realization. The goal of Kripalu Yoga is to develop a healthy and strong body, an open and caring heart, and a peaceful and clear mind. All along the way, Kripalu Yoga recognizes that we are born divine and are inherently capable of accessing our spiritual
nature. In Kripalu Yoga, the journey is just as important as the goal. Instead it relies on the guidance of the postures and breath-work to guide each one on its journey. It also depends on the intuitiveness of the student to pass beyond all limitation both held by the body and mind.