Yoga Retreat for Women of Color: Rooted and Reaching

Rooted and Reaching is a weekend yoga retreat for women of color at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Held as a Black History Month celebration, it is led by Maya Breuer, Kiesha Battles and Angela (Dharma) Fears, and it brings together yoga, Ayurveda, meditation and storytelling around reclaiming narratives and honoring the wisdom of those who came before.

All women of color are welcome, whatever their yoga experience.

What to Expect

The weekend is built around the idea that the faith, strength and wisdom we inherit multiplies when we share our stories. Days begin early with sunrise yoga: gentle, revitalizing movement offered both on the mat and in a chair, so every body can take part.

Through the day, program sessions explore lifestyle practices drawn from yoga philosophy and Ayurveda, including wellness routines, self-care and foundational principles for bringing balance into daily life. Another thread is meditation, mantra and mudra: sacred sound and hand gestures used as medicine for the mind, to protect your energy and quiet the thinking mind.

Evenings turn toward community. There is dance and movement meant to celebrate sisterhood, and you are invited to wear something fun and express yourself freely. A Sacred Talking Stick ritual, a traditional circle practice, honors attentive listening, intentional presence and respectful dialogue. Share circles and journaling offer room to speak your truths, heal collectively and pass living legacies forward.

The rhythm is steady. On the opening day, check-in begins at 2:00 pm, followed by a Kripalu Yoga class from 4:45 to 6:00, dinner, and a program session from 7:30 to 9:00. Full days start with a program session from 6:00 to 7:30 am, then silent breakfast, then sessions from 9:00 to 11:30 and again from 1:30 to 4:00, with lunch between them. The closing day has a morning session, silent breakfast, a final session from 9:00 to 11:00, and lunch before departure. Times may shift, and a schedule is provided at check-in.

About the Leaders

Maya Breuer is a yoga teacher and is listed among the Trustees Emeriti at Kripalu.

Kiesha Battles is part of the Kripalu faculty.

Angela (Dharma) Fears joins as a presenter.

The Setting

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health sits in Stockbridge, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Accommodations are intentionally simple, designed to help you unplug and feel grounded. Choose a private room for solitude and personal rest, or a shared, community-style dormitory room if you want connection. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and a luggage room holds bags until then.

Three nutritious meals are served each day, with breakfast taken in silence. You also have access to the Kripalu grounds.

Before You Go

No yoga experience is required, and the retreat is taught in English. Your stay includes overnight accommodation, three daily meals, more than ten yoga classes over the weekend, meditation and mantra sessions, evening dance, the circle practices and talking stick ritual, and use of the grounds and facilities.

Healing Arts sessions, personal therapies, and items from the Kripalu Shop and Cafe are available separately for purchase. On departure day, check-out from your room is at 10:00 am, though you may stay on campus and take part in workshops until 2:00 pm.