The Secret Language of the Body

The Secret Language of the Body is a nervous system healing retreat at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, led by author and nervous system medicine practitioner Karden Rabin. It is a three-day immersion in nervous system regulation and body literacy, open to anyone curious about how their body communicates, whether or not they have worked with somatic practices before.

The premise is simple: just beneath awareness, your nervous system is coordinating your heartbeat, your immune response, your stress reactions, even who you are drawn to. This program teaches you to listen to it and to influence it.

What to Expect

The program offers practical training in nervous system regulation, state-shifting, embodied neurolinguistic programming and brain retraining. It also draws on the latest in polyvagal therapeutics and embodied trauma modalities. You will learn techniques for regulation and healing, and you will practice listening to the messages of your nervous system through the felt experience of your body.

The retreat begins on a Wednesday afternoon and ends on Saturday at midday. Check-in opens at 2:00 pm, followed by a Kripalu Yoga class, dinner, and an evening program session of arrival and welcome from 7:30 to 9:00.

Thursday and Friday follow the same rhythm:

- 6:30–7:45 am: Kripalu Yoga class
- 7:30–9:00 am: Silent Breakfast
- 9:00–11:30 am: Program session
- 11:30 am–1:30 pm: Lunch
- 1:30–4:00 pm: Program session
- 4:45–6:00 pm: Kripalu Yoga class
- 5:30–7:30 pm: Dinner
- 7:30–9:00 pm: Program session (listed as Wednesday only in the daily schedule)

On Saturday there is a morning yoga class, silent breakfast and a final program session from 9:00 to 11:30, then lunch and departure. Times may shift, and a schedule is provided at check-in.

About Karden Rabin

Karden Rabin is an author and a world-renowned nervous system medicine practitioner. He is the co-author, with Jennifer Mann, of The Secret Language of the Body: Regulate Your Nervous System, Heal Your Body, Free Your Mind, which is the recommended reading for this program.

The Setting

Kripalu sits in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, near Stockbridge, and its accommodations are intentionally simple, designed to help you unplug and feel grounded. You can choose a private room for solitude, a semi-private room shared with one roommate, or a community-style dorm. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and a luggage room is available if you arrive earlier.

Meals are served three times a day, and breakfast is taken in silence. Access to the Kripalu grounds is part of your stay.

Before You Go

No prior experience with nervous system work or yoga is required. The program is accessible to beginners and offers depth for those with an existing somatic or embodiment practice. It is taught in English and approached in a trauma-informed way.

Your stay includes three daily meals, more than ten daily yoga and movement classes, access to the grounds, the program sessions with Karden Rabin, and your accommodations. Healing Arts sessions, Kripalu Shop purchases and cafe items are available at extra cost.

On departure day, room check-out is at 10:00 am, and you are welcome to remain on campus and take part in workshops until 2:00 pm.