Question 1

Lodging & Where to stay

Accepted Answer

We a proud to partner with Kabuki Hotel. Enjoy 10% off your stay booking below.

Additional Hotels near our venue include:
Hotel Majestic  
1500 Sutter St, San Francisco

Queen Anne Hotel 
1590 Sutter St, San Francisco,

Holiday Inn – Golden Gateway   (10 mins)
1500 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco

Inn at Golden Gate  (10 mins)
2707 Lombard St, San Francisco

Travelodge (10 mins)
2755 Lombard St, San Francisco

Question 2

Parking

Accepted Answer

There are two parking garages at Kabuki Hotel - one for overnight guests and one for day visitors.

Hotel Self-Parking
Hotel Kabuki offers overnight guests self-parking on a first come, first served basis in the small lot directly in front of the hotel.
Rate:
$49 + tax /Nightly
Hourly Rates are not available in this lot.
 
Japan Center Garage Parking
Additional parking is available in the Japan Center Garage, connected to the hotel via a secured access door.
Hours:
Monday - Friday, 5:00am - 11:00pm
Saturday & Sunday, 9:00am - 11:00pm
Rate:
$30 /24 hours
Hourly Rates are available in this garage.

Question 3

Restaurants & Where to eat

Accepted Answer

Japantown/Fillmore District (A few minutes walk from Hotel)
Walk up Fillmore Street for a delightful stroll by great shops in this neighborhood!
Nari
Copra
Little Shucker
Dumpling Story 
Marufuku Ramen (inside the Japantown mall)
Kui Shin Bo   
Hikari 
Kippu

Hayes Valley (5-minute drive from the hotel)
Loquat
Rich Table
Absinthe
Rad Radish
Souvla
Gioia Pizzeria

Marina (5-minute drive from the hotel)
Another neighborhood that has a lot of shops and restaurants!
Wildseed (a vegan favorite)
Casaro Osteria

Question 4

What does Anusara mean?

Accepted Answer

Anusara is a Sanskrit word that means to be in the flow with Grace

Question 5

When did Anusara yoga begin?

Accepted Answer

Anusara is a modern school of hatha yoga founded by American-born yoga teacher John Friend in 1997. He was a senior Iyengar yoga teacher wishing to augment its alignment principles with a connection to the heart throughout the practice.

Question 6

Is John Friend still associated with Anusara yoga?

Accepted Answer

No. All rights to teach Anusara yoga were transferred over to the Anusara School of Hatha yoga in 2012. The School is now lead by its global community of dedicated teachers and a governing board of directors.

Question 7

What makes Anusara unique as a style of yoga?

Accepted Answer

Anusara is structured around 5 guiding Universal Principles of Alignment that address attitude, alignment with the Divine and the physical body and the action that makes the practice a spiritual as well as body-oriented practice. Anusara is also about community, or the kula, or spiritual family. As such, it fosters a deep relationship within the community of teachers and students.

Question 8

What are Anusara’s Universal Principles of Alignment or UPA’s?

Accepted Answer

Open to Grace, Muscle Energy, Inner Spiral, Outer Spiral and Organic Expansion.

Question 9

How do I find an Anusara teacher?

Accepted Answer

Anusara teachers are trained and licensed through the Anusara School of Hatha Yoga. More information and a teacher directory can be found on Anusara yoga’s website.

Question 10

What is the philosophical background of Anusara yoga?

Accepted Answer

Anusara is a non-dualistic tantric teaching influenced by the classical teachings of Indian yoga. Renowned scholars inform and advance understanding of Anusara’s refined philosophy.

Question 11

How can I ask questions about Awakening Joy retreat?

Accepted Answer

Join our Facebook Event. We are posting tips and updates regularly on our Facebook Event page and invite you into conversation with us. As well, if you are looking for transportation / ride shares or seeking a roommate, consider posting on our Facebook Event page  to make connections.

Question 12

How do I book my Anusara Yoga retreat at Kripalu?

Accepted Answer

To book your retreat – [Awakening Joy: A Journey Into Presence through Anusara Yoga], an Anusara at Kripalu retreat from [Thursday, June 25 – Sunday, June 28, 2026], Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health has an easy 3-step process that includes booking our Anusara retreat Program and your lodging / meals.

Question 13

How do I check-in at Kripalu once I arrive for our retreat?

Accepted Answer

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health has an easy check in process, on-site, with helpful staff to answer any questions and provide assistance. As well, there are screens throughout the facility that will have information about our retreat – Awakening Joy – at Kripalu.

Question 14

What’s the food like at Kripalu? I have some sensitivities.

Accepted Answer

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health has one of the most extensive and nourishing food selections of any retreat facility. You will have a plethora of nutritious options to address your dietary needs at every meal. Past Anusara retreat participants have raved about the quality and selection of Kripalu’s fresh, delicious food.

Question 15

Where is Kripalu located? How do I get to Kripalu?

Accepted Answer

Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health is located in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts, USA. Get details on Kripalu’s location and how to get there on its website.

Question 16

Since this is an Anusara yoga retreat about how to [“Awaken Joy and Journey Into Presence”] tell me the [ the history] of the land at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.

Accepted Answer

The land was once lived on by the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans. The main Kripalu building called Shadowbrook is a former Jesuit monastery. During the Gilded Age, Andrew Carnegie had a hilltop cottage on the land. Read more about Kripalu’s history. Come join us on this beautiful land, enjoyed across time as sustaining, providing, nurturing, restoring, and reconnecting.

Question 17

What is our daily schedule for our Anusara Yoga retreat at Kripalu?

Accepted Answer

While our schedule might slightly shift once we arrive on campus, the schedule will be posted on monitors throughout Kripalu’s facility. We anticipate our daily schedule for [Awakening Joy] to be as follows:

Thursday, June 25, 2026
2:15 pm Check in begins

4:00 pm Rooms are ready. You may store your bags in the luggage room until your room is available

5:30 – 7:00 pm Dinner

7:30 – 9:00 pm Program Session – Awakening Joy

Friday, June 26, 2026
7:00 – 7:30 am Morning Meditation

7:30 – 9:00 am Breakfast

9:30 – 12:00 pm Program Session – Awakening Joy

12:00 – 1:30 pm Lunch

12:30 – 3:00 pm Free time for Kripalu spa, hikes, rest

3:00 – 5:15 pm Program Session – Awakening Joy