What is Kripalu Yoga?
Kripalu Yoga is a type of Hatha Yoga. The technical focus of Kripalu Yoga is on breathwork or pranayama, internal focus, meditation, and relaxation. The goal of Kripalu Yoga is to create a state of quietness in your mind. In this state, it will be easier for you to perceive the nature of reality.
Kripalu Yoga was founded by Amrit Desai and the organization was originally called the Yoga Society of Pennsylvania. He named it Kripalu Yoga in homage to his guru Swami Kripalvananda. The organization started out as a more conservative yogic approach with yogis and yoginis taking vows of celibacy. However, scandal upon scandal struck. First it was revealed that Desai was taking a salary of at least $350,000 and then he confessed to having sexual intercourse with his followers. He resigned. Kripalu later changed from a religious order to a not-for-profit.
Today the organization operates out of Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Kripalu Yoga is not so much a distinct branch of Yoga in the way that Hatha Yoga is different from Raja Yoga, but rather, it is one man’s (or his lineage’s) take on Hatha Yoga.
Kripalu is a gentle hatha yoga practice with a compassionate approach and emphasis on meditation, physical healing and spiritual transformation that overflows from the yoga mat into daily life. Over time, students are taught to observe their thoughts without judging and to accept and love themselves as they are.
The name Kripalu is associated both with a style of hatha yoga and a yoga and wellness center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Both were founded by yoga guru Amrit Desai, who came to the United States from India in 1960. Kripalu was named for Desai’s teacher, Sri Kripalvananda, a Kundalini yoga master.
There are Kripalu classes that students learn to find their own levels of practice on any given day by looking inward. The classes begin with Pranayama exercises and then gentle stretches and then is followed by asana practice and ending with a final relaxation.
In ending, yoga teachers say namaste, but Kripalu yoga, teachers say jai bhagwan. They both have the same technical meaning, but namaste is Sanskrit and jai bhagwan is Hindi.
