I just returned from a week at Kripalu, a health and yoga retreat center in Stockbridge, MA where I assisted Cyndi Lee teach two Sustainable Yoga programs. We’re a good team and I love helping people understand and adapt their yoga practice.

Kripalu:

Located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, Kripalu is beautiful, green and lush.

In the mornings a low, mysterious fog floats through the trees which then burns off with sparkling sunshine.

Inside the main building, artful posters with meaningful quotes line the walls of the stairways. Buddha sculptures, plants and cozy couches are everywhere. Yoga classes and other workshops take place in the studios all day and evening.

It’s so lovely and dreamy to be there.

The gift shop is well stocked and where I always buy gorgeous note cards, delicious cookies to bring back to my loved ones, and on this retreat, a wow pair of blue velvet, bellbottom yoga pants (on sale!)

Bottom Bunk:

Assistants (like myself last week) are assigned to a dormitory with bunk beds. I knew to arrive early so that I could make sure to get a bottom bunk. Climbing down a ladder in the middle of the night to use a bathroom down the hallway is not fun. Luckily, I got the last bottom bunk available.

Sleep:

Sleeping at Kripalu can be a challenge. This place has a long of history of spiritual practice and the residual energy there is ever present and intense. This can make it hard for me to fall asleep. I managed to sleep well a couple of nights. But it wasn’t surprising that my sleep was challenged and inconsistent.

Morning Routine:

I’d wake up at 6:20 am and put on a baggy jumpsuit, load up my toiletries and head to the Women’s Sauna! There was time for 20 minutes of sauna, 20 minutes to get dry and apply my moisturizers, and 20 minutes to get upstairs and dressed for breakfast.

Breakfast:

Silent breakfast was among my favorite times at Kripalu! Oatmeal with a dollop of coconut yogurt, soaked prunes, walnuts, raspberries (or on a few lucky days – blackberries!) and maple syrup. Mmm!

Tight Schedule:

Initially the schedule seems pretty spacious. The program that I assisted, “Developing a Sustainable Yoga Practice” had two sessions per day: 2.5 hours in the morning and 2.5 hours in the afternoon. Still the schedule seemed very tight. I would arrive into the practice room early for every session to do a few exercises for myself, wipe Cyndi’s and my mat clean, arrange the lighting in the room, and connect with students as they came in. Then in the snap of a finger, it was lunch time.

Every afternoon after lunch there was a walking meditation.

A Delicate Balance:

Finding the right way to support Cyndi and the students wasn’t easy. Since being kind and generous is an inherent value of mine, I did my best to be caring, empathic, understanding, sensing and connecting with the great people in the room. This is part of my identity. Being with Cyndi at Kripalu gave me a golden opportunity to help others.

Heading Home:

It was a beautiful drive through the Berkshires and upstate NY. Being home in my own bed is so good!