A practice that invites you to play.
Yoga, at its heart, is a practice of connection ... connection to the breath, to the body, and to something deeper within ourselves.
While yoga’s roots are ancient, the way we experience the practice continues to evolve with us. Different teachers, traditions and moments in time all shape how yoga is shared and lived today.
Rocket Yoga is one of those beautiful evolutions.
It’s strong and energising, sometimes a little fiery, yet at the same time it carries a sense of playfulness and freedom that feels refreshing. It reminds us that the practice doesn’t always have to be rigid or serious in order to be powerful. Sometimes the magic appears when we soften the rules a little.
Soul Sanctuary founder and Rocket Yoga teacher, Cat Meffan explains:
“Rocket Yoga blends together all aspects of what it is to be human. It asks us to follow a flow if we can, but to surrender and adapt when we don’t feel an asana is right for us. It asks us to be playful, curious and courageous all at once and gives us permission to just “give it a go”.
Where many practices can make us feel “less than”, Rocket invites a sense of lightness. Yes, there’s the offer of inversions and arm balances early on in the sequence, but within those offerings there is also the suggestion to try new things, to modify, to be inspired by others around you and to have fun with the journey.
One day a Rocket yoga class might light you up from the inside and have you leaving the mat on a tingling high. On other days, it might humble you, frustrate you and ask you to find inner peace. For me, no matter the day, no matter my mood, there’s always some magic to be found in a Rocket class.
There’s a depth to Rocket Yoga that can often be overlooked. From the outside, Rocket Yoga might look like just another advanced vinyasa class, but the intention and integrity of this style of yoga and these adaptable sequences allow us to honour yoga roots whilst being liberated to explore and be creative.”
WHERE ROCKET YOGA CAME FROM
Rocket Yoga was created in the 1980s by Larry Schultz, a devoted student of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of Ashtanga Yoga.
After many years of studying and teaching the traditional Ashtanga method, Larry began noticing something in his classes. The structure and discipline of the practice were incredibly powerful, but for some students, the strict sequencing could feel a little limiting. It created a sense that you had to “earn” your way through the practice before being allowed to experience certain postures.
So he began to experiment.
He kept the essence of Ashtanga - the breath, the rhythm of movement, and the strength that builds from within - but he started to move things around. Postures appeared earlier, variations were offered more freely, and the sequences became a little more open.
The intention wasn’t to reject tradition, but simply to make the practice feel more human, more spacious and more accessible.
WHY THE NAME “ROCKET” YOGA?
The name Rocket Yoga came after Larry Schultz was invited to be the yoga teacher on tour with the famous band Grateful Dead. Larry had always been an Ashtanga practitioner and teacher, but by working with artists, he realised that the traditional Ashtanga set sequence needed to be adapted to better support his students on tour.
He began modifying the sequence, making it more accessible to Western bodies and lifestyles. The name “Rocket” was suggested by the drummer Bill Kreutzmann. Since the sequence had evolved from the traditional Ashtanga structure, it needed a new identity … “Rocket,” inspired by the idea that it “gets you there faster.”
In the traditional Ashtanga practice, the sequence is meant to be followed for years, with each asana mastered before progressing to the next, more advanced series. Rocket Yoga, however, integrates advanced postures earlier on, particularly in Rocket 1 and Rocket 2, offering practitioners a more dynamic and exploratory approach.
ROOTED IN TRADITION & EXPLORATION
Rocket Yoga still carries the heartbeat of Ashtanga. You’ll feel it in the breath-led flow, in the familiar shapes and transitions, and in the way the practice gradually builds heat and focus through the body.
But where traditional Ashtanga follows a fixed sequence, Rocket invites a little more exploration within the practice. There is space to move with curiosity, to try different variations, and to meet yourself exactly where you are that day.
This openness softens the edges of perfectionism and replaces it with a sense of curiosity and possibility. The practice becomes less about getting everything ‘right’ and more about being fully present within the experience.
THE ENERGY OF ROCKET YOGA
There’s a very particular feeling that comes with Rocket Yoga. It builds energy quickly and asks you to stay present. At times, it may challenge you, but usually in a way that feels invigorating rather than overwhelming.
Woven through all of that strength is a quiet sense of play. You’re encouraged to try things, to wobble, to fall out of a posture and come back in again. You might explore shapes that normally feel just beyond your comfort zone, and in doing so discover something new about your body and your practice.
It’s never really about achieving the most advanced posture in the room. Instead, it’s about noticing what happens when you allow yourself to step slightly beyond what feels familiar.
A MODERN EXPRESSION OF YOGA
In many ways, Rocket Yoga reflects the spirit of modern yoga. It honours the tradition it comes from, while also recognising that the practice doesn’t have to look exactly the same for everyone in order to be meaningful. There is space within yoga for creativity, individuality and evolution.
Because yoga isn’t simply something we inherit - it’s something we experience and shape through the way we move, breathe and show up on the mat.
ROCKET YOGA ON THE SOUL SANCTUARY APP
Soul Sanctuary founder, Cat Meffan, is a Rocket yoga teacher, so whilst we’re currently dedicating a whole month to this practice, we have lots of Rocket classes and Rocket-inspired yoga classes on the platform. This month at Soul Sanctuary, we’re so excited to be sharing a 90-minute intermediate/advanced Rocket I class with Cat and a 90-minute Rocket II practice with our guest teacher and incredible Rocket Teacher trainer, Lita Sattva.
Rocket II draws inspiration from the Intermediate Series of Ashtanga, which means you may notice deeper backbends, more opening through the front body, and opportunities to explore arm balances or inversions woven into the flow. This longer practice is an invitation to move, to build heat, to try something new, and most importantly to stay connected to yourself throughout the journey.
Lita brings such a grounded and encouraging energy to her teaching. As both a Rocket teacher and teacher trainer, she holds the practice in a way that feels strong, supportive and deeply human.
NEW TO ROCKET YOGA? THIS IS YOUR INVITATION!
If you’re new to Rocket Yoga, let this be your permission slip to approach this month with curiosity rather than expectation. And if you’ve practised it before, perhaps this is simply a reminder that it doesn’t have to look the same every time.
Let it feel playful. Let it feel a little messy if it needs to. Let it feel like your own personal practice. Breathe deeply, move with intention, and see what happens when you give yourself a little more space to explore.
You might surprise yourself.
CALENDAR
