Rage Yoga, the practice that combines balance and recklessness

Lindsay Istace, yoga teacher, professional contortionist and juggler, has wreaked havoc within the yoga community for his unusual method called Rage Yoga, which combines the focused breathing, stretching and balance of traditional hata yoga with the fun and conviviality typical of an aperitif. In fact, his lessons are held in a room in the back of a bar.

https://www.instagram.com/rageyoga/?hl=en

“I wanted it to be a completely different place from a yoga studio,” Istace said during an interview with GQ Uk. “One of my mottos is: ‘I am not your mother‘. Some people drink water, others a beer, others both. But obviously nobody gets drunk ». An approach that is not for everyone, where the outlet is the opposite of silence, and where OM and Palo Santo are replaced by alcohol, music and liberating profanity. Two opposing ways but which both have the purpose of relaxing and freeing the mind.

What Do You Do in a Rage Yoga Class? “At first we do something I like to call ‘Scream and let go of life.’ Everyone inhales well, stretches the spine, raises their arms above their heads, and then as they exhale they let the body collapse, screaming their favorite swear word. “

Ending a lesson with “Namaste” would be too ordinary for Lindsay: “Let’s say ‘F ** or yes’. Everyone turns to their neighbor and says: “F ** k yes!”. “Namaste” in yoga culture has a lot of meaning, and when I was practicing it seemed strange to hear it from people who didn’t even know what it meant. At the end of a really good yoga practice, where I felt like I was letting go and opening up, all I really wanted to say was just “F ** k or yes!“».
But we can still call it yoga?