This isn’t a Halloween post—it’s about one of Ana Forrest’s core teachings: snuggle up to your fear. When you get close and truly examine your fears, are they as terrifying as they seem? I’m not talking about global crises like nuclear war, but the irrational fears that hold you back, limiting your potential.

I once knew a coworker whose fear of crossing bridges—especially high, long overpasses—prevented her spouse from accepting a job in a Florida city. That fear constrained their lives.

This past weekend, while driving home from practicing with Ana Forrest and Jose Calarco, I had an epiphany. I confronted a deep fear: the fear of not being good enough. I was nervous about meeting Ana, someone I deeply admire for creating the transformative Forrest Yoga practice I teach. What if the rumors—good and bad—about her tarnished my reverence? What if meeting my “idol” left me disappointed? Would she sense my fear, or worse, smell the onions from my enchilada dinner?

On Saturday morning, I faced that fear head-on, despite a pounding migraine and a neck so tight it could deflect a rock. It was Day 16 of Ana’s 200-hour teacher training. The opening ceremony differed from what I’d experienced during my own training with her self described “OG Guardians”. I missed some of the familiar elements but embraced the changes.

My fear began to dissolve into my mat—that ever-reliable sanctuary. My biggest worry was that our energies might clash, like two positive magnets repelling each other.

Forrest Yoga isn’t a heated practice, but it pushes your physical, mental, and spiritual limits. Saturday’s class focused on connecting with our hearts and spirits, diving deep into the inner self. I became just a student on the mat, surrounded by old and new friends, fully immersed in the experience. My “teacher brain” (a struggle all yoga instructors know) rarely flickered on.

During Extended Warrior (Side Angle) on my tense left side, Ana approached and adjusted me. She guided my shoulder blade down, opened my chest, and whispered, “Breathe into your shoulder. You deserve to breathe deeper.”

Her words echoed a lesson from my 300-hour certification teacher, Leslie Pearlman (Good Ground Yoga) , a retired Forrest Guardian who worked with Ana for over 20 years. After my final class to graduate, Leslie told me I wasn’t breathing deeply enough. She had me practice long, intentional breaths. Now, Ana—my teacher’s teacher—was reinforcing the same message: I deserve to invest in my breath.

That simple statement became my gift from both of them, more valuable than mastering any pose (though props to Pinay for nailing the Turn Signal asana on her first try!). My lingering fears melted away. I left the class committed to breathing life into my spirit and inspiring my students to do the same.

Deep breathing forces you to let go of everything but the breath. It’s hard to obsess over to-do lists, pet hair tumbleweeds, or workplace nonsense when you’re focused on deep conscious breathing.

Let’s try it:

Sit with a straight back, shoulders down and back—No hunchbacks. ( okay a bit of Halloween)

Align your skull over your shoulders and sacrum, spiraling your neck gently.

• Inhale into your belly

• Expand your diaphragm

• Telescope your ribs

• Feel breath push open your collarbones and shoulders

• Send the breath around your brain

• Hug the breath for a count of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

• Exhale slowly through your nose: brain, shoulders, collarbones, ribcage, diaphragm, belly back to spine.

• Pause counting to 6 before starting again

• Repeat three more times or until you feel peace.

A heartfelt thank you to my ride-or-die yoga friends and fellow teachers—Donna, Pinay, Peg, and of course .. Andrea, who introduced me to Forrest Yoga—as well as Leslie and Ana. A special shout-out to Jenna Lomazzo and Thee House of Yoga in Indialantic Beach, Florida. She has a fantastic studio less than a mile from the ocean. Check out their Forrest Yoga classes!

Ah- Ho…