Kripalu Gentle Yoga Teacher Training

The Kripalu Gentle Yoga Teacher Training is a 40-hour advanced yoga teacher training for people who already teach and want to refine how they guide accessible, inclusive classes. It is led by Legacy Kripalu faculty member Rudy Peirce and takes place on campus at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, as a six-day residential program in the Kripalu Yoga tradition.

What to Expect

The training builds on the skills developed in a 200-hour certification. Guiding Gentle Yoga well asks for a further level of refinement, and this program is designed as that next step. You explore essential options for Gentle Yoga postures: well-supported shapes, breath cues for every movement, thorough and clear body cues, concrete language that helps students avoid pain and injury, and ways props and options can feel encouraging rather than remedial.

You also practice guiding movement at the pace of the breath, offering students a meditative experience that connects body, mind and spirit. The week closes with a plan for reaching people who are interested and inspired, and who want a yoga that works for their body.

The days follow a steady residential rhythm. Sunday begins with check-in from 2:00 pm, a Kripalu Yoga class, dinner, and an evening program session from 7:00 to 9:00. Monday through Wednesday, sessions run from 6:30 to 8:00 am, then again from 9:00 to 11:45 am and 1:30 to 6:00 pm, with a silent breakfast and lunch and dinner between them. Thursday and Friday open with a Kripalu Yoga class at 6:30 am. Thursday carries a full day of study, and Friday has a final session from 9:00 to 11:00 before lunch and departure.

About Rudy Peirce

Rudy Peirce is Legacy Kripalu faculty and leads this advanced training in Gentle Yoga for teachers.

The Setting

The program is held at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Six nights of on-campus accommodation are part of the training, in standard dorm-style housing at Kripalu. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm on arrival day, and a luggage room is available if you arrive earlier. Three meals a day are served, with breakfast taken in silence, and you have access to the Kripalu grounds throughout your stay.

On the last day, room check-out is at 10:00 am. You may remain on campus and take part in workshops until 2:00 pm. Actual times may vary, so the schedule provided at check-in is the one to follow for details and room locations.

Before You Go

This is an advanced-level program taught in English. Participants need one of the following: current enrollment in the Kripalu School of Yoga 300-hour training, or any 200-hour Yoga Alliance registered teacher training. A 200-hour Yoga Alliance certificate must be presented before the start date. Without one, the student is unenrolled, minus a processing fee.

The training includes 40 hours of instruction with Rudy Peirce, three meals a day, access to the grounds, and a training manual. Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training is Yoga Alliance approved, which makes this a useful step for teachers building their credentials.

Expect an immersive schedule, with days that often begin around 6:30 am and run into the evening. Kripalu also offers limited scholarships and payment plans for many of its Schools programs, and applying early is recommended because funds are competitive.