No, you don’t do Forrest Yoga in the trees, though that has a certain appeal doesn’t it? I can just imagine doing triangle, reaching high above as sunbeams light up the dirt floor while I soak in the smell of a nearby lake. Sorry – hiatus. My mind wanders. So anyway, Forrest Yoga was named after creator Ana Forrest. Is it me, or does it feel like everyone wants their “own” patented yoga now?
What is Forrest Yoga? It’s a more rigorous form of Vinyasa style yoga, done in a heated room. Coming from a background of physical abuse and bulimia, Ana struggled with finding balance in her life, creating this yoga to help herself and others find their center. Every breath and asana is part of a healing dance sequence helping to connect teacher to student and the individual to himself. Beyond the mental, Forrest Yoga incorporates an intense Vinyasa flow sequence, whose main goal is to get you into the final Apex Pose.
To be honest, some of yoga’s philosophies conflict with my own religion, Christianity – so the “finding inner self and inner spirit” stuff doesn’t always align. Instead, I choose to practice yoga for its ability to calm my mind and allow to to BE in a world so full of chaos and bad news. It is my escape – though but a 90 minute moment.
For those wanting a strong emotionally and physically healing practice, then Forrest Yoga might just be what you’re looking for. Have you tried or heard of Forrest Yoga? What was your experience like?
Check out this demonstration by Ana Forrest at the Yoga Journal Conference – looks intense!
For Further Reading: The Official Site [Forrest Yoga], Forrest Yoga [The Examiner]
nancy says:
Hey Jig, doing some classes w/ her in two weeks. kind of scared but also excited. used to heated power vinyasa, but have heard she’s intense. you should ask @yogadarla b/c she did her 200H ytt.
1st July 2009 at 12:00 pm
Jiggly says:
that’s exciting, doing classes with the founder herself! vinyasa flow in a heated room really appeals to me because vinyasa is my favorite style, and as you already know… i like doing yoga in heated spaces.
but after watching that video, i’m a little scared – it’s really pretty to look at, but i don’t know if i can accomplish half of what she’s doing in there!
1st July 2009 at 12:08 pm
M* says:
Whoah. No doubt the postures were all very advanced and beautiful, but it seemed to me like a rhythmic gym routine. Could be the music in the background though that made me think that though.
1st July 2009 at 8:43 am
Jiggly says:
M*, the music really threw me off too! And the hand movements – very flowy but it’s definitely nothing like I’ve ever experienced in past vinyasa flow yoga classes I’ve taken. It is really intimidating because it looks like gymnastics – I definitely can’t do half the things she’s doing – or it would take me a very very long time, lol!
Maybe this was even more advanced because she was performing for the YJ conference – i’m hoping her actual classes are more doable for the average yogi.
1st July 2009 at 9:18 am
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1st July 2009 at 8:13 am
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1st July 2009 at 5:55 pm
linda says:
I hear she has softened over the years, but I took a workshop with her probably about 6 years ago, and she made the mistake of picking on me in front of the entire workshop (I was up front) because she didn’t like my chair pose. like I said, big mistake. I let her have it, and I don’t think she was very used to people telling her to stuff it.
many of us come from abuse and are survivors, but that doesn’t have to make one a….well, I won’t say what, but I think you get the idea. in other words, I don’t use that as an excuse for who I am. like I said, maybe she has softened up because I see her smiling a lot more in her pictures now. I think a certain type of person is drawn to her style, but that’s just my opinion.
“allow to to BE in a world so full of chaos and bad news” –
THAT’S true yoga. Yoga is not a performance or acrobatics.
1st July 2009 at 1:43 pm
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