Forrest Yoga

Last updated
Forrest Yoga
FounderAna T. Forrest
Established1982 [1]
Practice emphases
breath, strength, integrity, spirit
Related schools
Sivananda Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Hatha Yoga

Forrest Yoga is a style of yoga as exercise. It was created by and named for Ana T. Forrest in 1982. [2] 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". [3] Reputed for its intensity, the style emphasizes connecting to one's feelings in order to work through physical and emotional trauma. [4]

Contents

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, [3] [5] such as wrist stretches to prevent and relieve carpal tunnel syndrome. [6] She also created shoulder shrugs to relieve tension and loosen the upper back, [7] abdominal exercises to tone internal organs and strengthen the lower back, and some poses using a folded over and rolled up yoga mat. [8] 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. [9]

Forrest Yoga classes are conducted in a warm room (85 °F, 29 °C) [10] 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. [11]

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". [2] : 257  [12] [2] : 171  In this style, healing is meant to extend to the emotional body, directing the breath into affected parts of the body to release emotions. [13] [14] 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. [15]

The style claims to be founded on four principles, or "pillars": [11]

  1. Breath, to help connect in feeling with one's body and ignite passion for living [11]
  2. Strength, via intense core sequences and long holds of poses that generate heat and heighten the senses [11]
  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 [11]
  4. Spirit, to create a sense of freedom and "courage to walk as your Spirit dictates" [11] [8]

Basic moves

Forrest Yoga's physical practice uses some "basic moves" in every pose up until Savasana. [16] 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. [17]

  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 [18]
  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
  6. Relax Neck
  7. Deep breathing [19]

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." [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashtanga vinyasa yoga</span> School of modern yoga

Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is a style of yoga as exercise popularised by K. Pattabhi Jois during the twentieth century, often promoted as a modern-day form of classical Indian yoga. Jois claimed to have learnt the system from his teacher Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. The style is energetic, synchronising breath with movements. The individual poses (asanas) are linked by flowing movements (vinyasas).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asana</span> Postures in hatha yoga and modern yoga practice

An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose, and later extended in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, to any type of position, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali define "asana" as "[a position that] is steady and comfortable". Patanjali mentions the ability to sit for extended periods as one of the eight limbs of his system. Asanas are also called yoga poses or yoga postures in English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thai massage</span> Traditional therapy

Thai massage or Thai yoga massage is a traditional therapy combining acupressure, Indian Ayurvedic principles, and assisted yoga postures. The idea of Sen-lines alias energy-lines was first used as "Thai yoga massage". These are similar to nadis as per the philosophy of yoga by Gorakhnath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downward Dog Pose</span> Standing posture in modern yoga

Downward Dog Pose or Downward-facing Dog Pose, also called Adho Mukha Shvanasana, is an inversion asana, often practised as part of a flowing sequence of poses, especially Surya Namaskar, the Salute to the Sun. The asana is commonly used in modern yoga as exercise. The asana does not have formally named variations, but several playful variants are used to assist beginning practitioners to become comfortable in the pose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shatkarma</span> Hatha yoga purification of the body

The shatkarmas, also known as shatkriyas, are a set of Hatha yoga purifications of the body, to prepare for the main work of yoga towards moksha (liberation). These practices, outlined by Svatmarama in the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā as kriya, are Netī, Dhautī, Naulī, Basti, Kapālabhātī, and Trāṭaka. The Haṭha Ratnavali mentions two additional purifications, Cakri and Gajakarani, criticising the Hatha Yoga Pradipika for only describing the other six.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balasana</span> Kneeling posture in modern yoga

Bālāsana or Child Pose, is a kneeling asana in modern yoga as exercise. Balasana is a counter asana for various asanas and is usually practiced before and after Sirsasana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shavasana</span> Relaxed reclining posture in hatha yoga

Shavasana, Corpse Pose, or Mritasana, is an asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, often used for relaxation at the end of a session. It is the usual pose for the practice of yoga nidra meditation, and is an important pose in Restorative Yoga.

A vinyasa is a smooth transition between asanas in flowing styles of modern yoga as exercise such as Vinyasa Krama Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Bikram Yoga, especially when movement is paired with the breath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acroyoga</span> Combination of acrobatics and yoga

Acroyoga is a physical practice that combines yoga and acrobatics. Acroyoga includes many types of partner and group acrobatics in which at least someone is lifted. As such, it also draws on traditions of circus arts, cheerleading, and dance acro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yin Yoga</span> A slow-paced school of modern yoga as exercise

Yin Yoga is slow-paced style of yoga as exercise, incorporating principles of traditional Chinese medicine, with asanas (postures) that are held for longer periods of time than in other styles. Advanced practitioners may stay in one asana for five minutes or more. The sequences of postures are meant to stimulate the channels of the subtle body known as meridians in Chinese medicine and as nadis in Hatha yoga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bandha (yoga)</span> Locks and internal mudras in traditional yoga

A bandha is a kriyā in Hatha Yoga, being a kind of internal mudra described as a "body lock," to lock the vital energy into the body. Bandha literally means bond, fetter, or "catching hold of".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot yoga</span> Yoga as exercise performed in hot conditions

Hot yoga is a form of yoga as exercise performed under hot and humid conditions, resulting in considerable sweating. Some hot yoga practices seek to replicate the heat and humidity of India, where yoga originated. Bikram Choudhury has suggested that the heated environment of Bikram Yoga helps to prepare the body for movement and to "remove impurities".

Hasta Vinyasas are a set of yoga vinyasas which primarily involve movement of the arms.

Namaste Yoga is an instructional yoga as exercise television series produced by Namaste TV, a division of Omnifilm Entertainment, headquartered in Vancouver. In 2021, the company launched an online fitness platform and app called Movement by NM where Namaste Yoga episodes are available for streaming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerial yoga</span> Hybrid yoga practice with the use of a hammock

Aerial yoga is a hybrid type of yoga developed by Michelle Dortignac in 2006 combining traditional yoga poses, pilates, and dance with the use of a hammock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga</span> School of modern yoga

Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga is a style of yoga as exercise created by American yogini Sadie Nardini in 2006. Central to this style is a movement referred to as a 'wave' (softening). The structure of this practice includes a 7-step framework which is applied to each pose within a sequence. Nardini incorporates aspects of Kundalini Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, Anusara Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, and portions of movement sequences from Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Maintaining an internal focus on joy in the moment is part of the practice philosophy. This style integrates postures with learnings from many disciplines including physics, biology, and geometry, influenced by the works of Leslie Kaminoff. It incorporates traditional yoga philosophy from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It emphasizes muscles that are deep within the body and includes the use of 'waves' in order to enter and exit poses. Examples include physical moves that activate muscles close to the spine—such as psoas and quadratus lumborum in order to build support for the body from within before generating outward expression of that movement. The purpose of deep core focused poses in this practice is to improve and deepen breathing. This perspective differs from other styles in which the purpose of deep core work is to stabilize the back. In this practice, keeping belly soft and core strong improve breathing. "Belly Bonfire" breath is one example of a deep core breath technique that involves focus and target of attention and breath with softer abs. Pelvis is viewed as the body's physical center of gravity in this system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoga as exercise</span> Physical activity consisting mainly of yoga poses

Yoga as exercise is a physical activity consisting mainly of postures, often connected by flowing sequences, sometimes accompanied by breathing exercises, and frequently ending with relaxation lying down or meditation. Yoga in this form has become familiar across the world, especially in America and Europe. It is derived from medieval Haṭha yoga, which made use of similar postures, but it is generally simply called "yoga". Academics have given yoga as exercise a variety of names, including modern postural yoga and transnational anglophone yoga.

<i>Hatha Yoga: The Report of a Personal Experience</i> 1943 yoga book by Theos Casimir Bernard

Hatha Yoga: The Report of a Personal Experience is a 1943 book by Theos Casimir Bernard describing what he learnt of hatha yoga, ostensibly in India. It is one of the first books in English to describe and illustrate a substantial number of yoga poses (asanas); it describes the yoga purifications (shatkarmas), yoga breathing (pranayama), yogic seals (mudras), and meditative union (samadhi) at a comparable level of detail.

Restorative Yoga is the practice of asanas, each held for longer than in conventional yoga as exercise classes, often with the support of props such as folded blankets, to relax the body, reduce stress, and often to prepare for pranayama.

Frank Jude Boccio is a teacher and one of the originators of mindful yoga. He is known both for his teaching in centres across America, and for his 2004 book Mindfulness Yoga: The Awakened Union of Breath, Body and Mind, which describes a practice that combines yoga as exercise and Buddhist meditational practice.

References

  1. ↑ Yoga Journal Editors. "Which Yoga is Right for You?". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 5 November 2014.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  2. 1 2 3 Forrest, Ana T. (2011). Fierce Medicine . New York: Harper One. ISBN   978-0-06-186424-7.
  3. 1 2 Billard, Mary (29 July 2011). "Yoga Guardians on a Healing Mission". The New York Times .
  4. ↑ Cook, Lynn. "Forrest yoga challenges with added intensity". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  5. ↑ Forrest, Ana (20 June 2006). "Firefly, Frog and other Yoga Positions Good Aloft". The New York Times .
  6. ↑ McCall, Timothy (2007). Yoga as Medicine:the Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing. Bantam Dell. pp. 237–238. ISBN   978-0-553-38406-2.
  7. ↑ Passy, Barbara (May 2014). "Shrugs: A Pose for all Seasons and Reasons". Yoga Chicago.
  8. 1 2 Forrest, Ana. "Forrest Yoga Philosophy". Mossy Knolls. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  9. ↑ "About Nauli.org". Nauli.org (non-profit). Retrieved 19 August 2019. Abdomen at the top of the page [12 photos]: Ana Forrest
  10. ↑ Dobbyn, Paula. "Ana Forrest: Rock star of the yoga world". Anchorage Press . Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Liu, Christine (21 January 2010). "Om my!". Boston Globe . Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  12. ↑ Smith, Eva Norlyk, "Creating Embodiment: An Interview with Ana Forrest", Huffington Post , February 12, 2015,
  13. ↑ Steffensen, Sharon, "Ana Forrest: Mending the Hoop of the People", Yoga Chicago, November/December 2003, p. 12
  14. ↑ Tang, Vivienne (2009-05-09). "How Ana Forrest Transformed Addiction and Abuse Through Yoga". Destination Deluxe. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  15. ↑ "About". Forrest Yoga. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  16. ↑ Williams, Meliss B. (February 2006). "Yoga for Healing". Fit Yoga: 22.
  17. ↑ Baginski, Laura (8 January 2003). "Be a swinger; Treadmills have you running in circles? Try these offbeat ways to get in shape". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  18. 1 2 Forrest, Ana (2012). "Choosing Healing is the Ultimate Warrior Action". Origin Magazine (December/January 2012): 22–23.
  19. ↑ Forrest, Ana (15 May 2011). "Healing PTSD Through a New Kind of Yoga". Huffington Post . Retrieved 21 August 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.