A guest article by Felicitas Linhardt
Relax your neck with gentle and physically challenging asanas
Forrest Yoga is a physically intensive practice, but thanks to numerous variations it can be adapted to the individual practitioner. In this article, Felicitas shows you a typical sequence for beginners, for which you don't need any equipment, just a yoga mat.
If you want to learn more about Forrest Yoga, here is another post with an introduction to Forrest Yoga.
Forrest Yoga Exercise 1
Deep Breathing & Expanding the Ribs
Get into a comfortable sitting position. If it feels safe, close your eyes. Alternatively, you can also focus your gaze gently on a point on the floor in front of you. Start with Ujjayi breathing. Breathe in and out deeply and evenly through your nose, creating a soft noise in your throat. Imagine breathing on a mirror, but keep your mouth closed and continue breathing through your nose. Continue with Ujjayi breathing for about 1-2 minutes.
Then place your hands on the sides of your ribs. Breathe in deeply, feel your chest expand under your hands and your ribs spread. Breathe out and gently pull your belly button towards your spine. Continue the exercise for 2-3 minutes. Then release your hands and feel for a moment. 
Forrest Yoga Exercise 2
Seated Side Bend: Arm over Head & Neck Release
Sit cross-legged. Place your left hand on the mat about 30-40 cm next to your left hip. Spread your fingers wide. Breathe in and raise your right arm. As you breathe out, bend your upper body to the left. Bend your left elbow and rotate it inwards. Tilt your head to the left and relax your neck. Stay here for 6-8 breaths.
Then move on to the second part of the exercise. To do this, exhale and move your right arm to the right and lower your hand until it is hovering about 30 cm above the mat. The palm of your hand is facing downwards. Keep your upper body and head tilted to the left and feel the stretch in the right side of your neck. Stay here for 6-8 breaths.
To release yourself from the exercise, lower your right hand to the mat as you exhale, straightening your upper body, but initially leaving your head tilted to the left. When you are sitting upright, place your left hand on your left cheek and gently help your head upwards. Keep your neck muscles relaxed.
Forrest Yoga Exercise 3
Elbow to Knee
(Warning: not suitable for pregnant women) Lie on your back and put your feet up. Interlace your fingers and place them at the back of your head. Your upper arms should touch the sides of your head, your elbows should point towards the ceiling. Lift your feet off the mat and keep your legs bent. Your knees should be above your hips, your heels should be slightly lower than knee height.
Breathe in and release your head and shoulders from the mat. Relax your neck muscles and transfer the weight of your head to your hands. Hold your breath, press your lower back into the mat and roll your tailbone in. Breathe out, pull your elbows up to the left and stretch your right leg out diagonally. At the end of the exhalation, pull your belly button towards your spine.
Inhale, bring your upper body back to the center and bend your right leg. Hold your breath, press your lower back into the mat and roll your tailbone in. Exhale and go to the other side: pull your elbows up to the right and stretch your left leg out diagonally. At the end of the exhalation, pull your belly button towards your spine.
Inhale and return to center. Do 5-10 repetitions in total.
After the last repetition, put your feet up, lower your head to the floor, place your hands on your stomach and take a few deep breaths to reflect.
Forrest Yoga Exercise 4
bridge
After you've activated your abs in Elbow to Knee, move into Bridge to stretch your abs.
Start lying on your back. Place your feet hip-width apart, with your heels under your knees. Place your arms at your sides, a little distance from your body, with your palms facing upwards. Pull your chin slightly towards your breastbone to keep your neck long.
Breathe in, feel your back on the mat. As you breathe out, release your buttocks and lower and middle back from the mat and come into the bridge.
Inhale, expanding your chest and lengthening your spine. Exhale, rolling your tailbone in and pulling your knees and thighs away from your hips. Stay here for 6-8 breaths.
To release, exhale and slowly roll your back back down onto the mat.
Forrest Yoga Exercise 5
3-pose vignette from Warrior 2, Reverse Warrior with Neck Release and Extended Warrior Variation
In a 3-pose vignette, 3 asanas are performed one after the other, first on the left side, then on the right. In between, we flow through a vinyasa.
Start in downward dog. Breathe in, take a big step forward with the left foot between the hands and come into warrior 2. The left toes point forward towards the short side of the mat, the right toes point towards the long side of the mat. The left heel should be in line with the right inner arch of the foot. The arms are stretched out to the sides at shoulder height, the head is aligned (unlike in traditional yoga styles) in line with the thoracic spine, ie the gaze is over the long side of the mat. Stay for 6-8 breaths.
For Reverse Warrior with Neck Release, place your right hand on your right waist. Lower your left arm slightly. Breathe in, lengthen your spine, then breathe out and let your right ear sink towards your right shoulder. Actively pull away from you with your left hand and feel the stretch in the left side of your neck. Stay here for 6-8 breaths. Then release your right hand, place it on your right cheek and gently raise your head again with your hand.
For the Extended Warrior Variation, bend your left arm and place your forearm on your left thigh. Use your left arm as a lever to actively push your upper body away from your thigh. Place your right hand either on your lower back or wrap your arm around your back and bring your hand to the left side of your hip or left thigh. Let your left ear sink toward your left shoulder and relax your neck. Stay here for 6-8 breaths.
Now release the position and come into the plank (high push-up). Flow through a Vinyasa: To do this, lie down on the mat as you exhale (Chaturanga). Inhale, come into the cobra. Use your active hands (fingers spread wide) to pull your heart forward and then lift it up. As you exhale, lie down again. Come into the downward dog. Now repeat the three warrior positions on the other side.
Forrest Yoga Exercise 6
Back Release Pose
Lie on your back with your feet raised. Place your left ankle on your right thigh. Keep your left foot active. Lift your right foot off the mat and grab the back of your right thigh with both hands. Now pull your right leg towards you and at the same time push your left knee away from you. Try to relax your shoulders and lower back towards the mat as much as you can. Stay here for 6-8 breaths. Release and repeat the exercise on the other side.
Felicitas Linhardt
Felicitas teaches Forrest and Hatha Yoga in Nuremberg and online. In her yoga classes, she attaches great importance to giving participants plenty of time and space to consciously feel their own bodies and to practice yoga in a beneficial way. In her many years of working in a stressful office job, she has experienced first-hand how quickly you can lose touch with yourself, your own needs and desires in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She therefore practices and teaches yoga in a way that helps regulate the nervous system, reduce stress and get back in touch with yourself.
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