The Medicine of Sound Healing and Somatic Breathwork

The Medicine of Sound Healing and Somatic Breathwork is a weekend sound healing and breathwork retreat at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It is led by Kripalu faculty members Jon Orsini and Jess Frey, and it welcomes people at every level, from those new to breathwork and sound medicine to practitioners who want to deepen what they already know.

The weekend brings together two ways of working with the nervous system: the breath and the vibration of sound. Somatic Breathwork is an immersive practice that can support emotional release, nervous system regulation, expanded states of awareness and personal insight. Sound offers a companion pathway, and together they invite closeness with yourself, with others and with life.

What to Expect

Over the weekend you move between Somatic Breathwork, meditation, sound, group dialogue and reflective journaling. You will experience the vibrational effects of crystal bowls, chimes, gongs and song, as a sound bath you receive and as part of the work itself. You will also practice a variety of conscious breathing techniques meant to help you connect with your body's wisdom. Time for sharing with the group supports integration, so what arises in the sessions has room to settle.

The schedule follows a steady rhythm. Check-in begins at 2:00 pm on the opening day, followed by a Kripalu Yoga class, dinner, and a first program session in the evening, from 7:00 to 8:30. On the full day, morning yoga runs from 6:30 to 7:45, then a silent breakfast, then a program session from 9:00 to 11:30. After lunch there is a second session from 1:30 to 4:00, then evening yoga and dinner. On the closing morning, yoga and silent breakfast are followed by a final session from 9:00 to 11:00, and lunch at 11:30 marks the departure. Actual times may vary, and a schedule is provided at check-in.

About Jon Orsini and Jess Frey

Jon Orsini is a member of the Kripalu staff and teaches this program with Jess Frey, who is part of the Kripalu faculty. Together they guide the breathwork, sound and group practices that shape the weekend.

The Setting

Kripalu is a yoga and health center in Stockbridge, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, and your stay includes access to its grounds. Accommodations are intentionally simple and designed to help you unplug. You can choose a private room if you want solitude, or a community dorm if you want connection with fellow participants. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and a luggage room is available if you arrive earlier. Three meals a day are included, with breakfast taken in silence.

Before You Go

Tuition covers the program, and accommodations are required in addition. Your stay includes three nutritious meals a day, ten or more yoga classes over the weekend, the breathwork and sound sessions, meditation and group dialogue, journaling prompts and materials, and use of the grounds. Healing Arts sessions and purchases from the Kripalu Shop and Cafe are extra. The program is offered in English.

Somatic Breathwork is not a substitute for psychotherapy, medical care or mental health treatment, though it can complement work with a therapist or healthcare provider. It is not appropriate if you are pregnant or have cardiovascular problems, including angina or a history of heart attack, uncontrolled high blood pressure, glaucoma, retinal detachment, osteoporosis, a history of seizures or epilepsy, stroke, major psychiatric conditions, recent surgery or an acute infectious illness. If you have any doubt, consult your primary care physician first. Anyone with asthma should bring an inhaler and speak with their physician beforehand.