Slow Yoga and Qigong: Relax and Restore in the New Year

This New Year's yoga retreat at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, brings together slow yoga, qigong, meditation and yoga nidra over four days. It is made for anyone who wants to begin the year rested rather than resolved, and no prior yoga or qigong experience is needed. Kripalu legacy faculty Ken Nelson, qigong teacher John Haggerty and author and facilitator Lesli Lang lead the program.

What to Expect

The retreat is built around a gentle path back to balance. Qigong sequences support posture, balance, stamina and vitality. Yin and restorative yoga ease chronic tension in the spine, hips and low back. Beginner-friendly meditation practices build calm, and yoga nidra offers deep rest and nervous system renewal. The aim is to move with more ease, stability and freedom, with a calm mind and an open heart. Weather permitting, some practice may take place outdoors.

The days keep a steady rhythm. Arrival day begins with check-in at 2:00 pm, followed by a Kripalu Yoga class from 4:45 to 6:00, dinner, and an opening program session from 7:30 to 9:00 in the evening.

On the full days, a short program session at 7:00 am comes before a silent breakfast. The main morning session runs from 9:00 to 11:30, and lunch follows. The afternoon session runs from 1:30 to 4:00, with a Kripalu Yoga class at 4:45 and dinner after that.

On the final morning there is a Kripalu Yoga class at 6:30, silent breakfast, a program session from 9:00 to 11:00, and lunch before departure. Times can shift, and the schedule given at check-in has the details and room locations.

About Ken Nelson

Ken Nelson is Kripalu legacy faculty and a leader of mind-body practices. He is one of the three teachers guiding this retreat.

About John Haggerty

John Haggerty is a martial artist and qigong teacher. He guides the qigong practice that runs through the program.

About Lesli Lang

Lesli Lang is an author and facilitator who co-leads the retreat alongside Ken Nelson and John Haggerty.

The Setting

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health sits in Stockbridge, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Accommodations are intentionally simple, meant to help you unplug and feel grounded. You can choose a private room if you want solitude, or a community-style dorm if you prefer connection. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and a luggage room holds your bags until then.

Three nutritious meals a day are served, with breakfast taken in silence. Your stay includes access to the Kripalu grounds.

Before You Go

All levels are welcome, and every practice is accessible and gently paced. The program is taught in English.

Your stay includes more than ten daily yoga and movement classes, three meals a day, access to the grounds and facilities, and your room. Healing Arts sessions, purchases from the Kripalu Shop and Cafe, and private instruction or consultations are not included.

Check-out on the last day is at 10:00 am. You are welcome to stay on campus and take part in workshops until 2:00 pm.