Spring Ayurveda Yoga Retreat

The Spring Ayurveda Yoga Retreat is a week-long yoga retreat at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. It is led by Erin Casperson, lead faculty and director of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda, and Kripalu faculty member Susan Wrba. It suits anyone who wants to refresh their yoga, meditation and pranayama practice with the turning of the season, and it welcomes all levels of experience.

What to Expect

The retreat draws on Ayurveda to show how spring is present in the body, mind and senses. After a dark, heavy winter, the practices aim to bring lightness. They also increase circulation, which counters the sedentary habits of colder months, and stoke the inner fire that supports digestion. The asana, meditation and pranayama are invigorating, cleansing and dynamic, yet accessible.

Over the week you will:

- tune into the shifts of the season with curiosity
- adopt self-care routines, including oil self-massage, to support your yoga practice
- learn the Ayurvedic theory behind seasonal yoga practice
- spend time on the Kripalu land, in reciprocity with the five elements
- integrate what you learn through journaling, reflection and connection

The aim is to send you home with a renewed sense of rhythm, inspiration, and tools for making empowered choices that keep your internal sense of equilibrium steady through the year.

The days follow a steady rhythm. Kripalu Yoga class runs from 6:30 to 7:45 am, followed by a silent breakfast. Program sessions run from 9:00 to 11:30 am and again from 1:30 to 4:00 pm, with lunch between them. A second Kripalu Yoga class begins at 4:45 pm, and dinner is served from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. On opening day, check-in begins at 2:00 pm, with yoga at 4:45, dinner, and a first program session from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. On the closing day, morning yoga and silent breakfast are followed by a final session from 9:30 to 11:30 am, then lunch and departure. Times may vary, and the schedule given at check-in has the details and room locations.

About Erin Casperson and Susan Wrba

Erin Casperson is lead faculty at Kripalu and director of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda. She brings that Ayurvedic grounding to the retreat's seasonal teachings.

Susan Wrba is a member of the Kripalu faculty and co-leads the program, guiding the practices and theory alongside Erin.

The Setting

Kripalu sits in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, and much of this program is spent outdoors on the grounds. Accommodations are intentionally simple, designed to help you unplug and feel grounded. Private rooms suit those seeking solitude, and shared community-style dorm rooms suit those who value connection with other participants. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and a luggage room holds bags until then. Three meals a day are served, with breakfast taken in silence.

Before You Go

All levels of yoga experience are welcome, and the program is taught in English. Tuition covers more than ten yoga classes daily, three nutritious meals a day, access to the Kripalu grounds, and program instruction and materials. Accommodation is chosen separately, with options at different prices. Healing Arts Ayurvedic treatments, purchases from the Kripalu Shop and Cafe, and transportation are not included.

Bring clothing suited to self-massage with oil, such as a tank top, shorts, or a shirt or pants that roll up. Also pack outdoor clothing and shoes, as the temperature in the Berkshires varies. On the day of departure, check-out is at 10:00 am, and you may stay on campus and join workshops until 2:00 pm.