This research examines the development of yoga flow within Kripalu Yoga as a distinctive style of Modern Postural Yoga. Focusing on Amrit Desai's teaching and the evolution of Kripalu from the 1970s onward, it argues that “Kripalu Yoga Flow” emerged through three interrelated dimensions—the flow of movement, the flow of prāṇa (life force), and the flow of attention—culminating in states of absorption. Desai's formulation of “Meditation-in-Motion,” inspired by a spontaneous experience of prāṇic awakening, became central to Kripalu pedagogy: slow, rhythmic movement coordinated with breath awareness and inner focus offers a meditative experience within dynamic physical practice.

Drawing on archival sources—including Yoga Journal (1970s–1990s), Desai's writings, and reflections from Kripalu practitioners—the study shows how Kripalu framed flow as an accessible pathway to meditative depth. It also considers the uptake of positive psychology, particularly Maslow's “peak experiences” and Csikszentmihalyi's “flow state,” which provided a Western psychological lexicon for interpreting prāṇic absorption without collapsing its spiritual valence.

Situated in the countercultural milieu of the 1970s–80s United States, where the Kripalu Center was based, the study argues that Kripalu bridged traditional yoga philosophy with an emerging culture of well-being and self-development. While not claiming Kripalu as the sole origin of flow-based yoga, it highlights Kripalu's formative role in shaping a meditative, movement-based style—positioned, as Desai suggested, between the intensity of Kundalini experiences and the purely physical emphases of postural yoga.