ALANA BRENNAN (she/her)
For almost 20 years, regardless of where I have been in the world, my yoga practice has not only given me the tools to adapt to new environments, but it has also been a direct and often immediate connection to a community that shares the same morals and values as me. When I moved to Boston in 2006, I started practicing Forrest Yoga intensely and went on to complete the Forrest Yoga Foundation Teacher Training Course (2007) and the Advanced Forrest Teacher Training (2010 and 2015) with Anna Forrest and the Forrest Yoga Mentorship (2015) with Heidi Sormaz. To balance my Forrest yoga teaching I also trained in Restorative yoga with Judith Lasater (2012), and after having my daughter, I trained in Poppy Pre- and Postnatal training with Catherine Allen (2020).
I have always felt that Forrest Yoga's strong focus on the connection between body, breath and consciousness has allowed me to work deeply in my own body and has provided me with a solid foundation as a teacher to help guide my students in their own practice. My yoga training has provided me with the skills to give my students hands-on assists that help them breathe better, support and enhance their practice, and to organically go deeper. I do my best to create an environment that plays by the yogic rules of mindful breathing, alignment and non-harming to the body that allows my students to shift not only physically but mentally at their own pace
I am also an Assistant Professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health in the Departments of Global Health & Epidemiology. My work is predominately focused on the impact of chronic infectious (HIV and tuberculosis) and non-infectious (diabetes and cardiovascular disease) in sub-Saharan Africa.
What You Can Expect From My Class
In my mixed-levels classes students will experience various breathing techniques, deep core work and inversions incorporated into a strong Forrest-inspired vinyasa flow. I always offer modifications for students and can help pre-natal and post-natal individuals adapt their practice, so they can continue to stay on their mat as their body changes.