The Breath Within: Strengthen Your Respiratory Health

The Breath Within is a yoga workshop on functional breathing, held as a residential program at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It is led by Kari Harendorf and Tiger Bye, cofounders of Better Yoga, and it brings traditional pranayama together with modern Oxygen Advantage® techniques. It suits anyone interested in breathwork and respiratory health, from people new to breathing practices to seasoned yoga practitioners and teachers.

What to Expect

Yoga classes often begin or end with pranayama, but the breath inside the poses gets less attention than a cue to inhale or exhale. This workshop asks what it means to breathe well, both on the mat and off it. You will learn to sync breath and movement with your own physiology, so that asana becomes a moving meditation.

The teaching draws on the biochemistry and biomechanics of respiration. Topics include:

- How to measure and improve your breathing, so the respiratory system works more efficiently and the body makes better use of oxygen.
- The relationship between breathing, sleep and mental health, with practical ways to improve all three and build stress resilience.
- The differences between breathwork and pranayama, and the science behind traditional practices, useful for teachers and practitioners alike.
- Ways to tailor the breath to your unique constitution, and to strengthen respiratory health through high-altitude simulation and kumbhaka (breath retention).

The program runs over four days, with three days of specialized instruction. On the opening day, check-in begins at 2:00 pm, followed by a Kripalu Yoga class from 4:45 to 6:00, dinner, and a first program session from 7:30 to 9:00 in the evening. Full days begin with Kripalu Yoga from 6:30 to 7:45 am and a silent breakfast. Program sessions run from 9:00 to 11:30 am and again from 1:30 to 4:00 pm, with lunch between them and another yoga class before dinner. On the closing day, after morning yoga and breakfast, there is a final session from 9:00 to 11:00 am, then lunch and departure. Actual times can vary, so check the schedule you receive at check-in.

About Kari Harendorf and Tiger Bye

Kari Harendorf is a yoga teacher and, with Tiger Bye, cofounder of Better Yoga. Tiger Bye is the other cofounder and co-presenter. Together they teach a science-informed approach that blends pranayama with Oxygen Advantage® methods.

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 for solitude or a shared, community-style dormitory room if you prefer connection with other participants. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and a luggage room is available if you arrive earlier. Check-out on the last day is at 10:00 am, though you may stay on campus and take part in workshops until 2:00 pm.

Three meals a day are served, with breakfast taken in silence.

Before You Go

The workshop is open to all levels, and no prior breathwork experience is needed. It is taught in English.

Your stay includes the specialized instruction, lodging on the Kripalu grounds, three nutritious meals a day, access to more than ten yoga classes daily, and full use of the grounds and facilities. Healing Arts sessions and items from the Kripalu Shop and Cafe are available for purchase separately.