Inside a Kripalu Outdoor Retreat: Where Nature is the Medicine

What sets a Kripalu outdoor retreat apart is the way it invites you to slow down, attune to your senses, and connect with the living lan scape as an active partner in your practice.

For starters, we often begin by sharing a story about the land. Learning even a little about the deeper history of a place helps orient us and invites a greater sense of appreciation and depth as we take in our surroundings.

We also incorporate gentle mindful movement before we set out on a walk, paddle, or archery experience. This helps us arrive fully in our bodies and awaken our senses. From there, we bring attention to the breath—our constant bridge to the natural world—which supports the regulation of our nervous system and invites a calm yet alert awareness.

Our time on the land always includes intentional periods of silence. In these quiet moments we can be together in community while also connecting more intimately with the elements around us and tuning in to our inner experience. Our outdoor guides offer simple invitations to explore the senses: feeling the texture of tree bark, inhaling the aroma of crushed pine needles, listening closely to birdsong or the wind.

We typically include a period of nature meditation, often referred to as “sit spot,” where you find a comfortable place to settle and simply observe the subtle ripples of life moving through the landscape.

All of our outings conclude with a group sharing practice known as council. One person speaks at a time, everyone has an opportunity to share, and together we listen for the wisdom that emerges from the circle.

Ultimately, these experiences invite us into a process of remembering—remembering that we are part of this world, that nature is our original habitat as human beings, and that the earth is continuously offering the miraculous to those who pause long enough to notice.