Equity at Kripalu

Dear Community,

There is deep suffering in the world. We believe this is caused by a false sense of separation from self, others, and the natural world, leading us off the path of love. These divisions show up as racial injustice, colonialism leading to environmental degradation, capitalism, in its current form, leading to increasing wealth disparity, and the overall devaluation of people seen as “other”—whether by race, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, nationality, ethnicity, citizenship status, body size, socioeconomic class, or language.

Swami Kripalu, whose teachings form the foundation of the Kripalu methodology, called himself “a pilgrim on the path of love.” He said many times, “Only love can bring unity and remove the separation between all living beings.”

Because division lives in the world, it lives in us, and as a result, shows up at Kripalu. If it continues to go unchecked, all living beings will experience deeper physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering. In order to truly honor the legacy of yoga, our ancestors, the land, and all generations to come, we are responsible for ushering in this deep structural, cultural, and mindset shift.

We see our equity work as an opportunity to expand awareness of how our actions impact one another and how our well-being is interconnected. Because we know this to be true, we know that it will take everyone working together to create the type of personal and systemic shifts that will allow the Kripalu community to be a place of true belonging.

As a community rooted in love and compassion, we see this work as deepening our alignment with our core organizational values. We invite you to join us in a space of inquiry—to open our hearts and minds with curiosity and seek to understand. In this inquiry, we are called to set aside personal agendas for the highest good of all.  

Since the aim of yoga is union, Kripalu joins wholeheartedly with you and other changemakers to dismantle inequity and harm, steward the planet, and prioritize collective well-being and interdependent liberation. Kripalu further commits to creating an equitable organization through continual realignment with the roots of our lineage, ongoing openness to radical learning, and acceptance of dynamic change.

Love and Service, 
Kripalu