Telluride Yoga Workshop: About Forrest Yoga

15 Jan Telluride Yoga Workshop: About Forrest Yoga

 
Regina Zwilling

Ana Forrest’s life is grist for the mill of the daytime soaps: She was born crippled, and growing up experienced physical abuse, drug addiction, epilepsy, and bulimia.

Forrest took her first yoga class at age 14, becoming an instructor at 18.  Over the years, a passion for healing herself and others led to complementary studies: Native American medicine/ceremony, homeopathy, martial arts, and psychotherapy.

In the end, Forrest came to embody a spirit who has overcome trauma and chosen the warrior’s path of compassion.

Forrest Yoga challenges students to access their whole being in support of physical, mental, and emotional growth. The idea is to clear emotional and mental blocks that dictate and limit our lives using deep breathing and vigorous sequences to generate heat and eliminate toxins. Long holds in the pose progression flush out the system, oxygenating and rejuvenating every cell of the body.

One thing that distinguishes Forrest Yoga from other modes of practice is the sequencing: sun salutations come after the body is opened up and warm, and class always begins with side bends and hip openers.

“Studying with Ana I have been able to achieve things I never thought possible five years ago. Practicing under her guidance has helped me not only physically. It has helped me to go beyond fear, to breathe deeply through challenging situations, to truly love others – and even to love myself,” explained Regina Zwilling.