JUMPING ON THE GROUNDS OF KRIPALU AND A STATUE OF BUDDHA (BELOW)
...still trying to remain in my "bliss bubble" after attending my first-ever yoga retreat. i have been sitting here staring at this blank screen trying to figure out how i could possibly sum up the weekend i experienced, with one of my best friends lauren, at kripalu in stockbridge, massachusetts. it was as yoga has always been to me... magical, eye opening, inspiring, and deeply fulfilling. OM...
"kripalu center for yoga & health is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting the art and science of yoga to produce thriving and health in individuals and society. for more than 30 years, kripalu (kri-PAH-loo) has been teaching skills for optimal living through experiential education for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. it is the largest and most established retreat center for yoga, health, and holistic living in north america. programs at kripalu are led by many of the world’s most accomplished teachers in yoga, self-discovery,
and holistic health and are
designed to provide people with tools they can apply in their daily lives. program topics include wellness, ayurveda, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, relationships, meditation, spiritual practice, professional training, and much more. yoga programs are offered for people at all levels, feature all yoga traditions and styles, and include therapeutic yoga, yogic anatomy, and trainings for teachers. many kripalu programs offer continuing education credits for professionals in fields such as social work, counseling, nursing, and massage and bodywork." -via Kripalu.org
HAVEN CAFE AND BAKERY LENOX, MASS
before arriving at kripalu, lauren and i had lunch at haven cafe and bakery in lenox, mass. this adorable and inviting place run by owner and head chef, shelly williams, is definitely worth the stop if you are ever in the berkshires. she also catered my sister's wedding at stonover farm (a beautiful bed and breakfast) in lenox so i was excited to get another taste of her yummy food. we shared chicken quesadillas and polenta with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and pesto. everything is local and organic and shelly even offers gluten free options... DELICIOUS and healthy too!!!!! so on to why we came to the berkshires....
CHICKEN QUESADILLAS AT HAVEN
POLENTA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, MUSHROOMS, AND PESTO AT HAVEN
KRIPALU is a stunning place, with rolling green hills, beautiful mountains and a lake that provides the most gorgeous eye candy!!! the annex building, where lauren and i stayed, was modern and most importantly environmentally green. it gave us the most perfect resting place when we were not practicing yoga. not only was the annex building beautiful, but the grounds were as well. sculptures, flowers, even bunnies were sighted during our three day weekend :)
lauren and i signed up for yoga evolution with travis eliot. a yoga teacher from santa monica, california. he brings a street vibe to his practice, along with a really chill positive attitude. travis shares his own personal knowledge and holistic views about the different aspects of yoga which truly allow the student to become their own teacher. we learned about...
"kirtan which comes from the yoga path of bhakti (love and devotion). it is the chanting of traditional sanskrit mantras synergized with dynamic melodies. it is the calling, the yearning, the crying to connect with the divine. the beauty is that chanting shows us we are already in this state of "oneness," it's just about dissolving the maya (illusion) of separateness. chanting ignites every life-tron of our being absorbing us into a state of bliss. add the power of chanting within a group setting and ecstasy becomes absolutely boundless!! kirtan is for anyone and everyone regardless of background. It is the universal language of the heart..." -via www.traviseliot.com
TRAVIS PLAYING THE HARMONIUM DURING KIRTAN
we were also asked to set our sankalpa (intention) on what we wanted out of the weekend and of course we did some serious power yoga which helps to rid the body of toxins, open channels, get endorphins going, and deepen the breath...so there was breathing, breathing, and more breathing(pranayama)! along with travis and his beautiful singer kelsey, we chanted to ganesha to help remove obstacles and to shiva the lord of tranformation in hopes to all evolve in some way. on saturday, we did a three hour long dynamic yoga class (which lauren and i swore we would not get through after the two hour class the previous night) but the energy in the room carried and filled us with what we needed to finish. sunday we ended with a relaxing flow of yoga that definitely opened our hearts to allow for an evolution; to help us transform in a positive way and bring this energy back into our lives at home. i have always wanted to become a yoga teacher and this experience definitely rekindled that inside of me!
KELSEY AND TRAVIS RIGHT BEFORE KIRTAN
ADHO MUKHA SVANASANAAKA DOWNWARD FACING DOG
LAUREN & I: OLD FRIENDS ARE THE BEST FRIENDS
GANESHA , A HINDU GOD, CREATES THE FAITH TO REMOVE ALL OBSTACLES
the simple truth is...yoga has always been there for me, keeping me calm in a world that can often be hectic and chaotic. the weekend at kripalu reminded me just how important yoga is to me and how it can not only give me a strong body and mind, but a full heart. it just takes looking inside and staying present. the yogis teach us that everything we could ever want already exists within...all the love, all the creativity, all the grace, all the health....we just have to tap into it! ♥ namaste, nikki
psssss: the gesture namaste represents the belief that there is a DIVINE spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. the gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "nama" means bow, "as" means i, and "te" means you. therefore, namaste literally means "bow me you" or "i bow to you." -via yoga journal
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"kripalu center for yoga & health is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting the art and science of yoga to produce thriving and health in individuals and society. for more than 30 years, kripalu (kri-PAH-loo) has been teaching skills for optimal living through experiential education for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. it is the largest and most established retreat center for yoga, health, and holistic living in north america. programs at kripalu are led by many of the world’s most accomplished teachers in yoga, self-discovery,
