Many excellent reviews have already been written, but after experiencing Strength & Spirit for the first time, I am compelled to add my praise.

I’m an intermediate practitioner with several physical limitations, being particularly limited by my wrists. This practice does use the hands but without reliance on repetitive sun salutations. I can do salutation routines with the aid of grip blocks, but did not need them for Strength & Spirit. For tender wrist days, modified plank on the hands and knees instead of hands and toes would suffice, and Ana encourages students to modify. Refreshingly – thankfully – liberatingly – the vigor of this practice comes from Ana’s unique method of traveling throughout the body, releasing and empowering, without reliance on 1500 sun salutations for strength.

Ana Forrest is a gifted teacher. I have heard her described as stern or hard but for me, what translates is a woman compassionate about teaching, who will not settle for anything less than giving her students every inch of a perfect yoga session. Her attention to deep, cleansing breathing; to releasing the neck and shoulders and maintaining proper neck position; to strengthening the body from within have to be experienced. I particularly liked the Warrior II sequence with shoulder opening in which she encourages you to “milk” the back muscles.

Shavasana is the best I’ve experienced. I am one who cannot just melt away - I try to hard to relax. After this workout your body is a limp rag, loose as beach grass rifled by a sea breeze. Ana leads you through visualizations which continue to draw energy from all of the elements of nature, and therefore I felt no need to force myself into relaxation. Yet somehow it happened!

The studio set and music are airy and reflective of Native American culture. This yoga practice transcends an A+. I rate it as extraordinary.

Instructor Comments:
A strong and dedicated woman, superb teacher. I would go so far as to call her a sage.

Pat58