A visit to Kripalu
- a yoga retreat center located in Lenox, MA - is a treat
for the body and spirit. Both are nurtured in a very
welcoming, peaceful atmosphere. Yoga was the main attraction
for me, but Kripalu is a full-blown retreat center and offers
much more than just yoga. I was lucky enough to go last
week for 6 nights and stay in a private room with a view
of Lake Mahkeenac, still covered in snow. It is a beautiful
country spot - blue mountains behind the now white lake,
grand trees lining the long driveways. The maples along
the road have been tapped for sap. On our morning walk,
my friend and I would check the buckets - many already full.
(It takes 40 gallons of sap to boil down to one lovely gallon
of maple syrup.)
Kripalu offers yoga, and workshops
on breathing, meditating, massage, qigong (visualization
and meditative movement), and much more, at least
twice a day, as well as Kripalu DansKinetics (free form
dancing to drums) at least once a day. There are also many
special programs covering various aspects of yoga, movement,
chanting, bodywork and relationships. The facility also
has whirlpools and saunas, a fitness room, a health center
for various types of massage and body treatments, and facials.
The food is hearty vegetarian. They put tofu through its
paces! And on Saturday night, they cut lose and serve dessert.
I missed it, arriving on Sunday and leaving on Saturday,
but my friend had sent me off with a tin of homemade chocolate-dipped
biscotti! (Visit the Kripalu
website for more info about programs and facilities,
or to request a catalog.)
Kripalu is a place to clean out
and open up: to be alone or meet friends or interesting
strangers.
One meets a wide range of people here, somewhat more women
than men, drawn to the yoga, the peace, or the energy of
the place. I met a plumber with his wife from Connecticut
attending a couples retreat; a business woman on R&R happy
to leave her "suit energy" behind; an Irish computer systems
engineer who came on the recommendation of his Providence
friends; an antique store owner from NYC; an Indian woman
studying bodywork; a local botanist illustrator going to
divinity school; and a drifter. And my friend who joined
me later is a nurse.
"Early
to bed, early to rise and your girl goes out with other
guys," flitted through my head as I hit the snooze button
to silence the 5:30 a.m. alarm. Hmm, yoga in half an hour,
but only a few steps down the hall and no coffee ritual
to slow me down anyway.
In the beginning of my stay, while I did manage to get to
the 6 a.m. yoga class (7 a.m. classes are also mercifully
offered on weekends, so you can sleep in!) and make it to
the silent breakfast, I slept a lot. I would read in my
room for a bit, nap luxuriously, attend a workshop maybe,
nap again, then rise for lunch (I never miss a meal unless
I am sick). More reading or browsing through the gift shop,
another nap, then "hot vigorous yoga" at 4:15
p.m. before dinner. Temperature is jacked up to 95-100 degrees
to help us attain sweaty flexibility and concentration (hard
to think of anything else in such heat and effort). The
first time I experienced this class last December, I thought,
"My God, this is awful! Why am I here? I'm going to
pass out!" But you get over this fierce, initial resistance
and I actually liked what the heat did to my body in yoga
poses.
My first visit to Kripalu was between Christmas and New
Year's. I came alone and never left the premises. It was
a time of introversion: journal writing, meditating, letter
writing, and reading. This time, having a friend come along
was a very different, but equally enjoyable, experience.
Now I had a meal companion, walking companion, whirlpool
companion. We became much closer friends, with the intimacy
process speeded up from so much propinquity and Kripalu
energy!
So when my friend joined me two days after I arrived, the
desultory pace I had established definitely picked up. To
my somnolent routine, we added walks after breakfast where
we explored the signs of Spring - gushing brooks and green
patches of lawn; many tea times; and trips to the whirlpool
and sauna after dinner we also indulged in massages.
Heaven! 
We took a trip to Juice 'n Java in neighboring Lee and drank
wonderful cappuccino in large French cups. (Caffeine is
conspicuously absent from Kripalu, but you can bring your
own.) This was heaven "over the wall." We learned this expression
at Zinc, the up-scale bar/restaurant in Lenox where we indulged
in a couple glasses of wine on our last night. (By the way,
alcohol is not allowed on the premises.) "Oh, you are 'over
the wall'" our bartended stated matter-of-factly when we
told him we were from Kripalu. (The term applies to Canyon
Ranchers, too!) At least we had remembered to take off our
nametags this time; we had sported them the whole time we
were enjoying our cappuccino and did't notice until we got
back in the car!
One of the workshops we took advantage of was on meditation.
Our teacher was a hoot, an older ample-bodied woman dressed
in purple jersey and a wonderful, knowing smile. She had
to inform us that "bliss is not the bottom line." Rather,
meditation is a way to become more mindful and aware. As
we sat laughing, but a little deflated - who doesn't want
a fistful of bliss? - she then advised us that when we are
bombarded with thoughts during the meditation process, "just
don't invite them in for tea!" We also tried walking
meditation, but we slowed down to a point where I ended
up at the window, staring vacantly into a puddle in the
parking lot. I think I will stick to stationary meditation!
We still made it to yoga class twice
a day religiously. When I was initially explaining the different
yoga classes to my friend (gentle, moderate, intermediate,
vigorous) I said "modest" instead of "moderate,"
to which she retorted, "Oh, so you mean I can’t wear
my thong?"
All in all, a wonderful time. I returned home refreshed
and flexible as hell. I recommend the adventure.
The view from my window.
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