It is Swami Kripalvananda (Kripalu) (1913-1981) for whom Kripalu Yoga, the yoga of compassion is named.  He was a highly renowned master of Kundalini Yoga as well as a moving speaker, prolific writer, and talented musician.  It was his disciple however, Yogi Amrit Desai (1936 - ) who is truly responsible for the development of what is now known as Kripalu Yoga. 

In 1970, after having come to America and founded the Yoga Society of Pennsylvania, in Sumneytown, Yogi Desai had an experience of spontaneous movement through yoga postures that led him to develop a more modern school of Yoga , one that reflects a synthesis of traditional approaches.  "Kripalu Yoga incorporates into one system the physical and purification practices of Hatha Yoga; the mental disciplines of Raja Yoga; the prana awakening principles of Kundalini Yoga; the devotion of Bhakti Yoga; and the emphasis on service of Karma Yoga.  Kripalu Yoga is more than a special practice on the mat; Kripalu Yoga is a holistic lifestyle in which the principles of Yoga are applied off the mat in daily life.  The key to the practice of Kripalu Yoga lies in understanding prana as a link between body, mind, and spirit.  The regular practice of Kripalu Yoga will result in the awakening of prana, which allows the deeper aspects of Yoga and meditation to manifest spontaneously and effortlessly.”  __Kripalu Yoga Fellowship

In 1975, the Yoga Society of Pennsylvania became the Kripalu Fellowship and Yogi Desai expanded his yoga center to a second location at Summit Station, not far from Sumneytown in southeastern Pennsylvania .  In 1977, Swami Kripalu came to visit at Summit Station and spent four years there teaching and practicing intense yoga and meditation.  In 1981, Swami Kripalu returned to India where he soon entered mahasamadhi, the final liberation of a great master.

While he was with us he talked about the purpose of Yoga. He said, "The purpose of Yoga is the attainment of happiness, peace and bliss. The meaning of Yoga is the union of individual consciousness with Shiva consciousness, with God. Yoga is the meeting of the drop and the ocean. The ultimate result of all Yoga is pruity of mind and body."

He also taught us that the central purpose of yoga is to increase one’s ability to thrive in life—one where we are thoroughly engaged in being more alive as a human being. In Kripalu Yoga, the cultivation of witness consciousness and atonement to Prana (energy) leads to self-love, connection with Source, and deep personal transformation. As an integrated practice on and off the mat, Kripalu Yoga becomes a catalyst for physical healing, psychological and emotional development, and spiritual awakening.

Kripalu Yoga places a great emphasis on the mechanics of yoga - proper breath and alignment - as well as in the inner, spiritual dimensions of yogic practice. Students are encouraged to honor "the wisdom of the body" and to work according to the limits of their individual flexibility and strength.

By 1983, The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health was founded in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts in Lenox. As the largest amd most reputable yoga center in the United States, Kripalu Center has offered professional training in the schools of Yoga, Massage, and Ayurveda for over 30 years. It continues to offer experiential workshops, daily yoga, meditation and movement classes, nutritious natural foods, a lakefront beach, walking and hiking trails, comfortable accommodations, plus evening entertainment programs. Visit www.kripalu.org for more information.