26/02/2026
While I’m pottering around at home, the phone rings. “This is Rasti Rostelli, I’m not sure if you know me.” Cautiously, I tell him I certainly do. He asks if I want to give a workshop about yoga. A three-hour workshop. In four days 😳
“You’re catching me off guard,” I say. “It sounds fun, but I’ve never done it before. And I have one problem. Two months ago I had a hip replacement, so I’m not physically at my best and can’t demonstrate everything properly. My idea would be to weave in some theory.” He’s completely fine with that.
“Isn’t he a charlatan?” asks a friend. After some research, I can’t find anything shocking. And we conclude that the worst that can happen is that I don’t get paid. But then I’ll have had a fun experience and a great story to add to my repertoire — and I have quite a few of those.
That Sunday, Rasti pulls up in his Mercedes and we drive to Eemnes. Curious, I ask how he found me and why he asked me on such short notice. He says: “If you had told me you needed more time to prepare, you wouldn’t be good at your job.” There’s something to that. As my friend puts it: “You’ve been doing this for so long, you’re so experienced — you know what you’re talking about.”
In Eemnes, time flies. Where I had initially worried about everything — including the fact that there wasn’t even a break — I feel completely comfortable.
I speak with a participant who has muscular rheumatism. She takes Prednisone. Without putting her in a hypnotic state, Rasti Rostelli convinced her to support herself like a plank between two chairs — and then stood on top of her. The woman had a battle with her angel and devil on her shoulders, but in the end she did it. According to the other participants, she has changed enormously since that day. The power of conviction.
Because Rasti Rostelli puts on wild shows where he hypnotises people and gets them — on a voluntary basis — to do or see things (like imagining everyone in the audience is naked, or eating a lemon while being told it’s a peach), many people associate him with being a fraud. A charlatan. Is that because we’re afraid of the unknown, the unexplainable?
It’s the same with yoga. People have a certain image of it. The stereotype of the bohemian health nut may be fading — but many still think you need to be flexible and drink oat milk. Yoga is so much more than that. And that’s exactly what I wanted to convey in my workshop. Based on the reaction below, I managed to reach at least one person. And that makes me incredibly happy.
“I thought it was really well done — and I mean that sincerely. Clear, enjoyable, and engaging. The space you created and the philosophy behind it should always be part of yoga teaching, in my opinion.
You ended up in quite a special group, didn’t you? 😊
But I’m going to take my wife to a yoga session soon, so we can experience it together.
I’ll go over everything and keep you well informed — I’m sure it’ll be great.
I really enjoyed it.
I’d also like to say that you’re a pleasant and humble person — diplomatic and carefully feeling your way — and those are wonderful qualities.
See you soon.”
