Forest Spall

Forest took his first yoga class while recovering from major ankle surgery at Veterans Alternative. He and his family both could see that the treatments he was being offered was not working form him. His very first yoga teacher Janel Norton (Trinity Yoga Studio) through compassion and kindness introduced him to the very practice that saved his life! Learning the hard way to leave ego off mat almost caused Forest to walk away from yoga. Injuries sustained while serving in the US Army has taken a toll on his body to say the least. This compassion and kindness lead Forest to practicing yoga one to two days a week, which resulted in being released six weeks early from the surgeon. Soon after being released from the surgeon Forest started suffering knee pain to the point of barely being able to walk. He persevered and continued to practice gentle yoga and Integrative Restorative Meditation(Yoga Nidra). In addition, Dr Vivian Montoeya Chiropractor Core Chiropractic and Wellness graciously treated Forest for not only his knee pain but back adjustments on a pro bono basis for two years. Forest continued his gentle yoga/iREST practice and vowed that due to his disabilities he would only ever be able to practice gentle yoga, which he used as an excuse initially to not attend yoga teacher training. He soon went from two days a week to four to five days a week and even ventured into a hatha yoga class and immediately felt as though he was taking his first yoga class again. Little did he know that the seed that was planted in past was now starting to germinate. Not long after attending his first hatha yoga class, Forest was approached to attend a weekend MYSORE teacher training practice. Basically he volunteered to let students in yoga teacher training practice teaching and doing adjustments on him in a self-guided Ahstanga Half Primary series class. The seed had already germinated. Forest figured since yoga was a big part of his life he might as well help others who will be spreading the practice that saved his life. Let’s just say there were not too many adjustments and lots of explaining of Forest on his injuries and by teacher trainer on appropriate modifications. The story is told he did five Sun Salutation A’s, two Sun Salutation B’s both without chatarungus and two postures after that and called it quits for that practice. Based upon that experience most people would have shied away…not Forest. He had already seen what yoga had done for him to that point and figured it can not hurt to at least try this Ashtanga. The teacher trainer Tanya Poulos of Bodywork by Tgreene agreed to allow him to practice in her MYSORE program free of charge. Tanya researched and developed a modified Ashtanga yoga series practice for him which fostered his slow and deliberate motto. He was never too eager to move to next pose. One could say at this point is when the tree started to grow. Forest found that through Ashtanga Yoga and the teachings of Tanya he is able to deal with not only his physical ailments but his unseen mental and emotional ailments as well. This revelation as well as Tanya’s generosity of working with him to pay off teacher training, he attended and passed the Cavarti Ashtange Yoga Teacher training (7/1/18). During his teacher training he was asked to teach as many folks as possible. Forest then started teaching wherever he could. He was offered and accepted a position teaching two weekly classes at Luminary Yoga and Wellness as well as the primary substitute teacher at Veterans Alternative one month prior to completing teacher training. Forest is a big advocate for alternative therapies especially within the veterans population. Slow and deliberate is something he tries to instill in all classes he teaches. Yoga is a slow medicine and it’s a medicine that the individual has to put the work in. The results will not happen overnight, however “practice and all is coming”. Forest also believes in bringing yoga to YOU. What this means is he is willing to study any form of yoga to be able to bring to the student what they want, eventually leading the student to bliss. There is only one truth (bliss), however many paths. He is currently working on a kids yoga certification as well as studying various sports brand types of yogas. Meditation is what Forest knows to bring him to bliss. Forest designs all posture classes to bring you closer to bliss or the true you. iREST Meditation is a big part of Forest’s story. His first yoga class was a gentle iREST. He had no idea what he had just experienced, however he knew something was different and wanted more. Veterans Alternative out of Holiday, Fl in May of 2019 paid for Forest to attend iREST Level one Teacher Training. Everyone has said they see the difference iREST Level on Teacher Training has done for him. A new glow is present in all aspects of Forest. Forest’s mission is plain and simple…Changing Lives Through Teaching Yoga. The art of teaching yoga encompasses a large spectrum of paths. Although Forest’s personal practice is Ashtanga Yoga and iREST Meditation, he will not shy away to teach you your chosen path. Namaste