We recommend Richard Faulds' Kripalu Yoga: A Guide to Practice On and Off the Mat

Kripalu Yoga is a style of yoga that has developed over the last 30 years largely in the northeastern United States.

Yogi Amrit Desai, from Gujarat state in India, moved to Pennsylvania in the hippie heyday and attracted a large following. He founded the Kripalu Ashram, later renamed the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health after scandal forced him to leave. You can read more about the history of the movement in Stephen Cope’s wonderful book, Yoga and the Quest for the True Self.

The ashram, and now the center, is named for Yogi Desai’s guru, Swami Kripalu, who spent his last years at the ashram. Swami Kripalu was a sahaj kundalini practitioner, and spent more than a decade in complete silence. A scholar, seeker, and master teacher, Swami Kriplau is still highly revered among thousands of Indian and Western followers for his loving presence and insightful lectures.

The original Kripalu Yoga practice in the ashram was kundalini-oriented. The charismatic Yogi Desai would awaken the kundalini energy of his followers through a look or touch (a practice called shaktipat), and they would then enter a flow of spontaneous flow of yoga poses or movements.

Since Desai’s departure, Kripalu Yoga has gravitated more and more toward mainstream hatha yoga asana practice, with heavy emphasis of Raja and tantric philosophy and Western psychology.

In many ways, Kripalu Yoga is a perfect yoga practice for Westerners – it’s traditional in many ways in that yoga is seen as a spiritual as well as physical practice. Yet it is also modern, eclectic, and most importantly, mainstream.

The practice and teachings of Kripalu Yoga are largely live-and-let live. Picture-perfect asanas are not the goal of practice. As far as asanas go, practitioners are encouraged to find the best alignment for their own bodies to maximize the flow of breath and corresponding life force, called prana.

Students are encouraged to learn the basics of physical alignment in asanas, then to move past the “stage one” experience of yoga to a deeper experiential understanding of mindfulness, energy, and awakening of union with source.

Kripalu Yoga evolved from a Shaivite (Shiva-following) tradition in India, but now students are encouraged to find their own definition of Source and divinity. For that reason, many Christians feel right at home making Kripalu Yoga not only their physical exercise, but also a part of their devotional practice. Other practitioners connect with a more transcendental understanding. All views are embraced.

Many more traditional yoga styles insist on vegetarianism, but this is not the case with Kripalu Yoga. Again, practitioners are encouraged to find the best diet for their own constitution. Many practitioners become vegetarian of their own accord, while others feel that meat is necessary for their particular constitution.

So What Is Kripalu Yoga Practice Like?

What you’re likely to encounter in a Kripalu practice session will be something like this:

1. Centering – the yoga facilitator will set the context of the practice.
2. Pranayama – yogic breathing techniques.
3. Pratapana – meditative movements to warm up the body.
4. Asana – the poses. Depending on the teacher and the class, these could be gentle or very challenging, either holding or flowing through poses.
5. Meditation – usually a simple seated meditation on the breath, but sometimes a “prana meditation” of allowing the body to move freely with the energy cultivated during the practice.
6. Relaxation – often guided.
7. Closing OM

Not all Kripalu Yoga classes will contain these elements, and they may occur in a different order than listed above. Often there is soft music played during class, but some teachers choose against it.

To find out more about the practice of Kripalu Yoga, read Richard Faulds’ Kripalu Yoga: A Guide to Practice On and Off the Mat.

We recommend the Jade Harmony non-slip yoga mat.

Do your hands and feet sweat enough that you slide on your mat in poses like downward facing dog? If so, you might consider getting a non-slip yoga mat.

One day I had a massage and went straight to yoga class. I slid all over my mat like a greased pig due to the massage oil on my hands and feet. I slide enough on my yoga mat as it is, especially in challenging classes where I tend to sweat a lot.

After class, the person next to me let me try out her mat. No skid! It was a Jade Harmony. At that point I wasn’t ready to plunk down $50 for a new mat, so I kept using my old one.

A few months later I went up to Kripalu for a week of Ashtanga with Manju Jois. Talk about serious sweat! I was sliding all over my mat, and without massage oil. I went to the shop after the first day and bought a Jade Harmony.

You might find cheaper, off-brand varieties of these products at discount yoga shops like Yoga Accessories. For yoga mats, look for natural, open-cell materials rather than closed-cell. Closed cell foam, when wet, will cause you to slide.

We will be gone for a few months. We’ll be scouting locations for future retreats for our clients in Knoxville and beyond. I’d also like to lead a month-long yoga teacher training in Mexico at some point.

So far we have 30 retreat centers, resorts, bed-and-breakfasts, haciendas, and jungle camps to visit. We’ll write a Mexico yoga travel guidebook, and will also take lots of photos to share. We will also be posting videos to YouTube.

We’re very excited. But no worries, we will also offer several yoga classes and workshops in Knoxville before we go!

This site will be re-purposed, but until then, stay tuned for Knoxville area summer yoga classes with Bari Kyle and David Morgan.

We will teach a beginner yoga series, as well as gentle and challenging yoga classes a couple of evenings per week at the West Knoxville Friends Meeting off Chert Pit Rd. We may also teach in area parks through the summer, and hold workshops at studios in Knoxville and beyond.

In September, we are off to write a Mexico yoga retreat guidebook.

If you have gift certificates, please use them by May 30 as there will be no refunds.

The About page will have contact details for your favorite teachers.

Thank you for your support over the last year.

Pam in triangle pose

Pam is a cancer survivor, and yoga played a significant part of her recovery. According to her website: “My dreams are to reach people on a deep level and to help them transform their bodies and their lives. My desire is to continue on my own spiritual and healing journey while helping others step into their own power.”

Sivananda Yoga is a style of hatha yoga that includes 12 basic asanas (yoga poses), pranayama, and relaxation. The 12 poses are a great starting point for people developing a personal practice. Beginners are very welcome, as are advanced practitioners.

The cost of the workshop is $18 for non-members and $16 for members. Please pay below by PayPal (bring your receipt) or RSVP to reserve a space.

Thank you!

Please choose:

Non-member $18.00 Member $16.00

David Morgan will lead a strong vinyasa sequence that focuses on arm balances such as crane, twisted crane, one-legged crane, side crow, koundinyasana 1, koundinyasana 2, ekapadagalavasana, peacock, upward peacock, cock, upward cock, and astavacrasana (it’s unlikely we’ll get to all of these, so send in your requests!). Bari Kyle will provide loving, hands-on and energetic assists.

The class will conclude with 30 minutes of traditional hatha yoga pranayama, meditation, and relaxation.

Arm balances are a great way to build core and upper body strength, but the main benefits are the boosts to your confidence, concentration, and balance.
Arm balances are also a great deal of fun. This workshop will emphasize experimentation rather than perfectionism. Come prepared to have a good time!

David Morgan is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher who has led more than 1,000 yoga workshops, classes and retreats. His teaching is characterized by adaptive, creative flows tailored to his students’ needs and abilities. David weaves yoga influences from Ashtanga Vinyasa, Satyananda, Sivananda, and OSHO Dynamic Kundalini into the Kripalu Yoga practice of nonjudgmental self-awareness.

Bari Kyle attended teacher training in Zuda Yoga, a hot vinyasa style of yoga that emphasizes one-on-one connection to students in poses. Bari is a karma yogini who teaches and assists just for the love of it. And you will love her assists!

This 1-hour, 45-minute workshop is offered by donation. The suggested donation is $15-$25, but there are no minimum or maximum amounts.

This workshop is suitable for athletic intermediate-to-advanced beginners and those with more experience.

Bari will lead a lively vinyasa sequence while David and friends play djembe and other drums. Healing didgeridoo during final relaxation.

This yoga workshop is offered by donation, $10-$15 suggested, but there is no minimum or maximum amount. Please pay as you are able.

Drummers may attend at no charge. Please bring your own instruments!

This class is offered by donation, $10 suggested, but there is no minimum or maximum amount. Please pay as you are able.

We will meet on a flat bit of ground above the greenway that’s located between the road to the parking lot and the smoke stack. An old staircase will take you there. Please bring your own props!

Stretch your hips to increase your flexibility and range of motion!

Patty comes back to Knoxville from Los Angeles, she has been practicing yoga for over a decade and is an ongoing student of asana (poses) and philosophy.

Specializing in Restorative Yoga and long, slow yin style postures, Patty works with all bodies, from individuals dealing with injury and chronic disease to world class athletes.

Her classes emphasize deep stretching and core strength, allowing the body to find balance, equanimity and radiant good health.

Please join us!

The cost is $20 for non-members, $15 for members.

Please register online and bring your receipt to the workshop:

Please select:

Non-member $20.00 Member $15.00