Rebecca Manzi The "anger ritual" is becoming popular on social media: people pay up to 4,000 dollars to express and release the repressed anger in the forests. However, there are many doubts about it
@miamagik/TikTok
The practice of “rage rituals” is gaining traction on TikTok and other social media platforms, presenting an innovative way for women to express and release their pent-up anger. This phenomenon involves participants gathering in natural settings like forests, where they scream, hit the ground with sticks, and break objects to vent their frustrations and accumulated stress.
The cost of emotional release
These retreats, organized by figures like Mia Banducci, known online as Mia Magik, come with a hefty price tag: between $2,000 and $4,000 for a single day of activities. Sessions include various stress-relief rituals, with the rage ritual being a focal point. Participants gather sticks, think about the people or situations that have caused them pain, and then scream and hit the sticks against the ground for at least 20 minutes.
@miamagik Rage Rituals- my honor to facilitate. Staying silent in the face of injustice has become the norm because, at one time, the alternative was death. So many of us have never touched the fires of this emotion. Suppression of our truth is a major factor of the witch wound that lives in our very DNA. But we can rewrite our stories. Which is exactly my intention every time I lead this ritual at my retreats. Rage has been villainized to keep us from banding together, as its sacred spark has ignited much positive change to reclaiming our civil rights & liberties. Of course raging AT someone isn’t usually very helpful, but even the fiery feeling can be so unfamiliar we experience it as Sadness. Which is deemed a more acceptable emotion, so often, we might cry when what we really want to do is scream. There is a deeper intimacy with ourselves we experience when we feel permission to express ALL of who we are in a safe space. That’s what I’m here to hold and create, and what an honor it is. Though rage and ritual don’t often go together, when they do, the transformation witnessed and experienced is otherworldly. Come access the magikal healing of this energy for yourself held in conscious community and sacred sisterhood with me in Scotland October 9-14th 2023. Let’s get this revelatory revolution underway shall we?!
The idea is to provide a safe, judgment-free space where participants can freely express their emotions. This method is based on the belief that screaming can release accumulated tension and stress, offering a sense of relief and freedom. These rituals are particularly popular among women due to societal norms that often discourage them from expressing anger. Society tends to stigmatize angry women, labeling them as “hysterical” or “irrational.” In this context, rage rituals offer a liberating opportunity, allowing women to reconnect with a fundamental part of their often suppressed emotions.
Is It worth the cost?
The effects of these rituals are described as deeply therapeutic. Participants report cathartic experiences, uncovering and addressing deep-seated emotions beyond surface-level anger, such as pain and trauma. This type of practice can lead to a greater capacity for joy and happiness, contributing to overall emotional well-being.
Experts like psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis emphasize the importance of understanding how to process anger before participating in such rituals. While some people find physical expression of anger helpful, others might benefit more from calming strategies. Regardless of the method, the goal is to find a safe and healthy way to process negative emotions.
The science behind the practice
Various studies have shown that expressing emotions physically, such as through screaming, can have positive effects on mental health. Screaming can help release endorphins, improve mood, and reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Additionally, performing this activity in a natural environment amplifies the benefits, as nature itself has a calming and rejuvenating effect on the mind.
The contemporary solution for repressed emotions
In summary, rage rituals represent a contemporary response to the need for free expression of repressed emotions, offering an alternative for those seeking to reconnect with their anger in a supportive, non-judgmental setting.
However, a critical question arises: at what cost? Is this truly the right “way”? The $4,000 price tag for a screaming session in the forest is causing a stir. Many wonder if it’s worth spending such a significant amount on something seemingly simple. While some view this therapy as an opportunity for emotional renewal, others see it as an unnecessary luxury, not to mention the potential disturbance to nature.
