The Evolving Wisdom of the Body: A Somatic Yoga Retreat

The Evolving Wisdom of the Body is a somatic yoga retreat at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, led by Bobbie Ellis and Karin Weinstein. Over a weekend, it invites you to slow down and listen to what your body has been communicating all along. It suits beginners and seasoned practitioners alike, and anyone curious about a gentler, more attentive way of practicing yoga.

Rather than asking "How do I do this pose?", the weekend begins with another question: "What is my body teaching me in this moment?"

What to Expect

Bobbie Ellis and Karin Weinstein guide an integrated exploration of somatic movement, yoga, breathwork, embodied meditation, restorative practice, and reflective inquiry. The body is treated as a living landscape of sensation, intelligence, and possibility. You learn how habitual patterns of effort can soften into greater ease, how awareness becomes a teacher, and how small shifts in perception can enliven the whole body.

As the practice evolves, participants may find greater freedom and fluidity, deeper trust in the body's innate wisdom, steadier nervous system regulation and emotional resilience, and a more refined awareness of breath, sensation, and subtle movement. The program also points toward renewed curiosity, creativity, and joy, and toward adaptability in each phase of practice.

The weekend begins on Friday afternoon, with check-in from 2:00 pm, a Kripalu Yoga class from 4:45 to 6:00, dinner, and a first program session from 7:30 to 9:00 in the evening.

Saturday and Sunday follow a steady rhythm:

- 6:30 to 7:45 am: Kripalu Yoga class
- 7:30 to 9:00 am: silent breakfast
- 9:00 to 11:30 am: program session
- 11:30 am to 1:30 pm: lunch
- 1:30 to 4:00 pm: program session
- 4:45 to 6:00 pm: Kripalu Yoga class
- 5:30 to 7:30 pm: dinner
- 7:00 to 9:00 pm: program session

On the closing day, the morning yoga class and silent breakfast are followed by a final program session from 9:00 to 11:00, then lunch and departure. Actual times may vary, and the schedule given at check-in has the details and room locations.

About the Teachers

Bobbie Ellis and Karin Weinstein co-lead the weekend as presenters at Kripalu. Their full biographies are available through Kripalu.

The Setting

The retreat takes place on campus at Kripalu in Stockbridge, in the Berkshires region of western Massachusetts. Accommodations are intentionally simple, designed to help you unplug and feel grounded. Options include private rooms for those seeking solitude, shared rooms for two guests, and community-style dormitories that foster connection.

Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and a luggage room is available if you arrive earlier. Three meals are served each day, with vegetarian options available, and breakfast is taken in silence. Kripalu can be contacted about specific dietary needs. On the day of departure, room check-out is at 10:00 am, and you may stay on campus and take part in workshops until 2:00 pm.

Before You Go

All levels are welcome. No prior yoga or somatic experience is necessary, and the teachings are designed to meet participants where they are. The program is offered in English.

Your stay includes accommodations, more than ten daily yoga and movement classes, three nutritious meals a day, and access to the Kripalu grounds and facilities. Healing Arts sessions and purchases from the Kripalu Shop and Cafe are not included and are available separately.