Forrest Yoga

A school of modern yoga

Forrest Yoga

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Forrest Yoga is a style of yoga as exercise. It was created by and named for Ana T. Forrest in 1982.<ref name="Fierce Medicine">Ana T.,

 Fierce Medicine. online version, 
  
 New York:Harper One, 
 2011, 
  
  
 ISBN 978-0-06-186424-7,</ref> It is known for "its long holding of positions, emphasis on abdominal core work, and standing series that can go on for 20 poses on each side".<ref name="Billard 2011">

Billard, Mary,

 Yoga Guardians on a Healing Mission Full text, 
 The New York Times, 
  
 29 July 2011,

</ref> Reputed for its intensity, the style emphasizes connecting to one's feelings in order to work through physical and emotional trauma.<ref name="Houston Chronicle 2009"> Cook, Lynn. Forrest yoga challenges with added intensity(link). {{{website}}}. Houston Chronicle.

</ref>

Description

Ana Forrest derived her practice from some aspects of Sivananda yoga, along with attention to alignment and use of props found in Iyengar yoga, and the heat and flowing sequences of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga. As the style evolved, she created a number of additional poses and sequences adapted to modern society,<ref name="Billard 2011"/><ref name="Forrest 2006"> Forrest, Ana,

 Firefly, Frog and other Yoga Positions Good Aloft Full text, 
 "The New York Times", 
  
 20 June 2006,

</ref> such as wrist stretches to prevent and relieve carpal tunnel syndrome.<ref name="McCall 2007">Timothy,

 Yoga as Medicine:the Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing, 
  
 Bantam Dell, 
 2007, 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 Pages: 237–238,</ref> She also created shoulder shrugs to relieve tension and loosen the upper back,<ref name="shrugs">

Passy, Barbara. Shrugs: A Pose for all Seasons and Reasons(link). {{{website}}}. Yoga Chicago. May 2014.

</ref> abdominal exercises to tone internal organs and strengthen the lower back, and some poses using a folded over and rolled up yoga mat.<ref name="FY Philo"/> Forrest personally practices aspects of Hatha yoga not widely taught in modern yoga as exercise; her skill at the shatkarma nauli is featured on the Nauli.org site.<ref>

About Nauli.org(link). {{{website}}}. Nauli.org (non-profit).

</ref>

Forrest Yoga classes are conducted in a warm room (85 °F, 29 °C)<ref name="Anchorage Press 2012"> Dobbyn, Paula. Ana Forrest: Rock star of the yoga world(link). {{{website}}}. Anchorage Press.

</ref> and begin with pranayama, then move through seated poses and abdominal muscle exercises before arriving at the "hot part" of the class that might involve sun salutations, standing poses, inversions, backbends and other asanas that build up to the more challenging "apex" poses. The poses are sustained, intensively and contemplatively, sometimes for 10 deep breaths, sometimes for several minutes.<ref name="Liu"> Liu, Christine,

 Om my! Full text, 
 Boston Globe, 
  
 21 January 2010,

</ref>

Philosophy

Forrest Yoga's vision and mission, inspired by the life of Black Elk, a healer and Medicine Man of the Oglala Lakota Sioux, is "to mend the rainbow hoop of the people".<ref name="Fierce Medicine" /> <ref name="Creating Embodiment">Smith, Eva Norlyk, "Creating Embodiment: An Interview with Ana Forrest", Huffington Post, February 12, 2015, [1]</ref><ref name="Fierce Medicine"/> In this style, healing is meant to extend to the emotional body, directing the breath into affected parts of the body to release emotions.<ref>Steffensen, Sharon, "Ana Forrest: Mending the Hoop of the People", Yoga Chicago, November/December 2003, p. 12</ref><ref> Tang, Vivienne,

 How Ana Forrest Transformed Addiction and Abuse Through Yoga Full text, 
 , 
 Destination Deluxe, 
 2009-05-09,

</ref> Forrest was certified as a yoga teacher when aged 18. She is trained in Native American medicine, reiki, and regression therapy. She has studied alternative healing techniques including homeopathy, naturopathy, reflexology, shiatsu, and chiropractic, all of which, she states, inform her work.<ref name="About">

About(link). {{{website}}}. Forrest Yoga.

</ref>

The style claims to be founded on four principles, or "pillars":<ref name="Liu"/>

1. Breath, to help connect in feeling with one's body and ignite passion for living<ref name="Liu"/>
2. Strength, via intense core sequences and long holds of poses that generate heat and heighten the senses<ref name="Liu"/>
3. Integrity, in working with the edges of one's practice, particularly around physical and emotional injuries, developing tools to deal with fear and struggle<ref name="Liu"/>
4. Spirit, to create a sense of freedom and "courage to walk as your Spirit dictates"<ref name="Liu"/><ref name="FY Philo">

Forrest, Ana. Forrest Yoga Philosophy(link). {{{website}}}. Mossy Knolls.

</ref>

Basic Moves

Forrest Yoga's physical practice uses some "basic moves" in every pose up until Savasana.<ref>"Yoga for Healing," by Melissa B.Williams, Fit Yoga, February, 2006, p.22</ref> Many of these moves resemble those practiced in other yoga styles, such as Ujjayi breath and tucking the tailbone, while others are unique to this style, particularly the practice of relaxing the neck and wrapping the shoulders. Overall emphasis is on breath work and core strengthening.<ref> Baginski, Laura,

 Be a swinger; Treadmills have you running in circles? Try these offbeat ways to get in shape Full text, 
 Chicago Tribune, 
  
 8 January 2003,

</ref>

1. Active Hands and Feet, spreading the hand bones wide and extending the fingers fully, and pressing through heels and balls of feet and lifting the toes<ref name="Forrest Origin Dec2012">Ana Forrest, "Choosing Healing is the Ultimate Warrior Action", Origin Magazine, December/January 2012, pp. 22–23</ref>
2. Tuck Tailbone, to lengthen tailbone downward and relieve pressure on the lower back
3. Telescope Ribs, placing hands on lower part of rib cage and inhaling to lift ribcage away from belly
4. Expand Ribs
5. Wrap Shoulders<ref name="Chicago Shoulders">

Sadtler,, B. J.. Understanding Your Shoulders(link). {{{website}}}. Yoga Chicago.

</ref>

1. Relax Neck
2. Deep breathing<ref>"Healing PTSD Through a New Kind of Yoga", by Ana Forrest, Huffington Post, May 15, 2011 [2]</ref>

Another part of Forrest Yoga practice is development of feeling connections between one part of the body and another. As Forrest noted, "I call this synaptic bridging. Synaptic bridging helps the brain make more intelligent mind-body connections."<ref name="Forrest Origin Dec2012"/>

External links

• Forrest Yoga website

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