A guest article by Felicitas Linhardt
How the 4 pillars of breathing, strength, integrity and spirit affect body and mind
Forrest Yoga was developed in the 1980s by the American Ana T. Forrest. It includes elements of traditional yoga styles such as Sivananda Yoga, Iyengar Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga and combines these with exercises developed by Ana Forrest that are specifically geared to the needs of people in the 21st century. Forrest Yoga can help relieve back and neck pain, strengthen your core and improve your posture. It also promotes an honest connection to yourself, gives you energy and vitality and activates your self-healing powers.
Ana Forrest herself describes the intention behind Forrest Yoga as follows:
"My intent in teaching Yoga is to do my part in healing the Hoop of the People; to inspire people to clear through the stuff that hardens them and sickens their bodies, so they can walk and lightly on the earth in a healing way, in a beauty way."
What makes Forrest Yoga special
Forrest Yoga is a very intense style of yoga that can have a profound effect on both the physical and mental and emotional levels.
(Deep) breathing plays an important role in this. By consciously sending our breath to different areas of the body, we give them our attention and care and can create space there, for example to release blockages. Deep, nourishing breathing can also help us support you in stressful and challenging situations – not only on, but also off the yoga mat.
On a physical level, Forrest Yoga is characterized by powerful postures, but also by intensive stretches. The asanas flow into one another, but they are usually held for six to ten, sometimes up to 15 deep breaths. This leaves plenty of time to find the right alignment for your own body and to mindfully feel whether your body and mind are ready to go deeper into the pose.
The exercises are carefully thought out and intelligently sequenced: This prepares the body optimally and safely for challenging asanas. In addition, Forrest Yoga is traditionally practiced in a room that is around 26-28°C. The warmth makes the body more flexible and sweating contributes to physical cleansing.
Basic Moves: Physical Alignment in Forrest Yoga
A special feature of Forrest Yoga are the so-called "Basic Moves", a series of fundamental movements and alignment principles. The great thing about them is that they target precisely the physical needs that are particularly pronounced in many of us today.
One of the basic moves is the relaxed neck. It helps you get rid of pain and tension in the neck and jaw area. The shoulder wrap, where you rotate your shoulder blades towards your armpits, brings strength and attention to the upper back, chest and arms. Tucking the tailbone takes pressure off the lower back and can relieve discomfort in this area. Deep breathing and telescoping and expanding the ribs creates a feeling of spaciousness in the entire upper body. Active feet, with the toes fanned out and lifted off the mat, and widely spread fingers on the hands provide stability and presence.
The 4 pillars of Forrest Yoga
In addition to the basic moves, which relate to physical alignment, Forrest Yoga has 4 pillars that also include mental, emotional and spiritual elements.
Pillar 1 of Forrest Yoga: Breathing
Deep and nourishing breathing forms the foundation of Forrest Yoga. It allows you to send fresh and healing energy to different parts of your body. In the yoga classes, the so-called Ujjayi breathing is practiced throughout. It is a traditional yogic breathing technique in which you breathe deeply, evenly and consciously.
Pillar 2 of Forrest Yoga: Strength
Forrest Yoga makes you stronger both physically and emotionally. You strengthen your core muscles through powerful poses that are held for a long time. Every yoga class includes tough abdominal exercises. Testing and accepting your physical limits makes you emotionally and mentally stronger.
Pillar 3 of Forrest Yoga: Integrity
Paying attention to your own needs plays a big role in Forrest Yoga. You learn to adapt the yoga poses to suit you so that they are good for you and your body. This trains your self-knowledge and promotes an honest approach to yourself. You can take this with you from the yoga mat into other areas of your life.
Pillar 4 of Forrest Yoga: Spirit
Forrest Yoga helps you connect with your spirit and inner wisdom and encourages you to live a fulfilling life. This gives you a feeling of freedom and joy.
What to expect in a Forrest Yoga class
A Forrest Yoga class usually starts with a short warm-up phase. During this time, the teacher explains the intention, i.e. the topic of the class. This is followed by one or two breathing exercises (pranayama) and some asanas to warm up the body, for example side bends and twists.
Then it gets tough – with the “abs” typical of Forrest Yoga. These are intelligent abdominal exercises that activate the deep muscles and are only available in this form in Forrest Yoga.
The so-called hot part usually begins with a few rounds of sun salutations, followed by asanas that are practiced in successive sequences (called “vignettes”) and finally culminate in the climax of the class, the Apex Pose.
At the end of the class there are some “cool down” exercises and finally a few minutes of Savasana, the final relaxation.
Who is Forrest Yoga suitable for?
In short: for everyone. Forrest Yoga offers numerous variations and encourages practitioners to adapt the exercises to their own abilities and needs. If you want to move in a healthy way, feel really alive again and build an honest, deep connection with yourself, I can highly recommend that you try Forrest Yoga.
Forrest Yoga Sequence for Beginners
In my second post I have put together a typical Forrest Yoga sequence with 6 exercises that is suitable for all levels: Forrest Yoga sequence with 6 exercises for beginners
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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