Waking Up and Healing Up: Experiencing Effortless Mindfulness and IFS

This weekend meditation retreat at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, brings together Effortless Mindfulness and Internal Family Systems (IFS). It is led by Loch Kelly and Paige Kelly, and it is open to people who want to heal their hurt parts and live from a compassionate, authentic Self, whether they come from a meditation background, a therapy background, or neither.

Loch and Paige offer an original synthesis of IFS parts work and the non-dual tools of Effortless Mindfulness. The program looks at why meditators can stay stuck even after glimpses of awakening, and how inner work with parts can help awareness show up in daily life.

What to Expect

The retreat runs from an evening arrival through a midday departure on the third day. Practice is hands-on rather than lecture-only. Participants do Effortless Mindfulness glimpse exercises, work in dyads, and watch an IFS sculpt, a live demonstration that gives the inner world an external form.

Among the themes the program addresses:

- How IFS can be a missing link for meditators who want to live awake in the world
- How Effortless Mindfulness opens access to IFS healing
- How to shift out of the ego manager and into Self
- How to tell subtle-body empathy from compassionate Self, and so avoid burnout
- How to recognize traps such as spiritual bypass, psychological underpass, intellectual overpass and meditative cul-de-sacs
- How to meet shadow parts and inner critics with the understanding that there are no bad parts
- How people drawn to psychedelics or flow states can find integration

The aim is practical: ways to move out of a chattering, parts-based view and into Self leadership while walking, talking, creating and relating.

The daily rhythm is steady. Kripalu Yoga class is held at 6:30 am and again at 4:45 pm, with silent breakfast from 7:30 am. Program sessions run 9:00 to 11:30 am, 1:30 to 4:00 pm and 7:30 to 9:00 pm on the full day. The opening day starts with check-in at 2:00 pm, yoga, dinner and an evening session. On the closing day, the morning session ends at 11:00 am, followed by lunch and departure.

About Loch Kelly

Loch Kelly, M.Div., LCSW, is an award-winning author, meditation teacher and psychotherapist, and the founder of the non-profit Effortless Mindfulness Institute. He is also the creator of the Mindful Glimpses app. His teaching joins ancient wisdom practices, neuroscience and contemporary psychology, with the aim of relieving suffering at its root. He has co-taught and collaborated with Richard Schwartz, creator of Internal Family Systems. Effortless Mindfulness, also called nondual mindfulness, can be practiced with eyes open and invites awareness of awareness itself. Loch teaches through short glimpses and an inclusive style of dialogue and inquiry, and he is known for his warm humor.

About Paige Kelly

Paige Kelly is an IFS psychotherapist. She brings the parts-work side of this collaboration, guiding participants in self-led inquiry alongside Loch's non-dual practices.

The Setting

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health sits in Stockbridge, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, and is known for yoga, spirituality and ancient wisdom programs. Accommodations are intentionally simple, meant to help guests unplug and feel grounded. Options include private rooms for solitude, community-style dorms that foster connection, and other room types ranging from simple to more comfortable. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and a luggage room is available for earlier arrivals. Three nutritious meals are served each day, with breakfast taken in silence.

Before You Go

All levels are welcome, including beginners to meditation and to IFS, with depth for more experienced practitioners. The program is taught in English.

Included are all program sessions and teachings, glimpse exercises and dyad practice, three meals daily, 10 or more yoga classes over the stay, access to the Kripalu grounds and facilities, and your accommodation, with room type chosen separately. Healing Arts sessions and purchases from the Kripalu Shop and Cafe cost extra.

Room check-out is at 10:00 am on departure day, but guests may stay on campus and take part in workshops until 2:00 pm. For preparation, the organizers suggest the Mindful Glimpses app, Loch Kelly's book The Way of Effortless Mindfulness, and Richard Schwartz's No Bad Parts.