Forrest Yoga is a slow-paced vinyasa practice featuring pranayama, core work, and long pose holds in a heated room. If you're looking to increase your strength ... byLolaRephannIfthefirsttimeyoueverheardthephrase“ForrestYoga”youpicturedpeopledoingyogaintrees,youaredefinitelynotalone.Ifyou’veneverheardthephrase“ForrestYoga,”that’sgreat!Youdon’thaveanypre-conceivednotionsaboutit,unlesstheprevioussentencenowhasyoupicturingyourselfdoingyogainaforest.Anyway,inthisblogpostIcanhelpyoulearnaboutwhatForrestYogais,whyit’ssoawesome,andwhyyoushouldtryit. 1.ForrestYogaisahealingsystemofyoga.Youmaybethinking,butaren’tallsystemsofyogahealing?Yes,butnotexplicitlystatedassuch.Allyogabringshealingandbalancetothebody,butForrestYogasurfacesthisintentineachandeveryclass.ForrestYogaisdesignedtoaddressmodern-dayailmentssuchaslowerbackpain,tensionintheneckandcore,anxiety,over-stimulation,andasenseofdisconnection. Ourteacher,AnaForrest(seeit’snotabouttrees:ForrestYogaisnamedafterher,thewomanwhosynthesizedtheknowledgebodythatnowcarrieshername)saysForrestYogaisthebestofyogamodernizedfor21stCenturyhumans.AnaForrestisaNativeAmericanMedicineWomanwhotookaspiritpledge“tomendtherainbowhoopofthepeople.”Healingatalllevels(emotional,physical,spiritual)isatthecoreofForrestYoga. 2.ForrestYogateachesyouhowtobreathe.Youmaybethinking“butIbreathealldayeverydayjustfine,thanks.”Butthatisunconsciousbreathing.Breathingistheonephysiologicalfunctionwecanconsciouslycontrol.Luckily,mostofthetimewedon’tneedto,butwhenwedo,magichappens.Consciouscontrolofbreathallowsustoshiftournervoussystemstateondemandanddownshiftwhenwearehighstrungoruplevelwhenwefeeldullorapathetic.Consciousconnectiontobreathalsodevelopsasensemanypeopledon’tknowtheyhave:interoception.Interoceptionistheabilitytoreceiveandreacttostimulicomingfromwithin.Breathingconsciouslyhelpsbuildthislinktofeelingontheinside,intothepartsofusthatareunseen,butfelt.Whenaskedtofocusonyourbreaththewayyou’reaskedtoinaForrestYogaclass,youmayfindthatitfeelsawkward,stressful