Risking Life for Yoga: The Fight to Bring Yoga to Afghanistan

      

By Lily Allen-Duenas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 17, 2023 Contact: Tiana Williams, Wild Yoga Tribe Marketing/PR hello@wildyogatribe.com www.wildyogatribe.com Risking Life for Yoga: Fakhira Momtaz's Fight to Bring Yoga to Afghanistan Des Moines, IA) - In the most recent episode of the Wild Yoga Tribe podcast, we travel to Afghanistan to meet Afghanistanʼs first female yoga studio owner, Fakhira Momtaz, who risked her life to offer yoga classes to the women in her community. On the podcast, Momtaz shares what her journey was like to open a yoga studio in a country where yoga is not accepted. She faced challenges and resistance from the government, leaving her life at serious risk. Nevertheless, she persevered with the opening of her studio, partnering with other teachers to spread the knowledge of yoga in Afghanistan. Fakhria takes great pride in bringing yoga to the women of Afghanistan, making a significant contribution to the global yoga community by doing so. The Wild Yoga Tribe podcast is hosted by Wild Yoga Tribe founder and international yoga teacher, Lily Allen-Duenas. With well over 650 hours of training under her wing and thousands of hours of teaching in Bali, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and more, Allen-Duenas is a celebrated global yoga presence. Quotes from Momtaz  on the podcast episode "I know my people, I know my society, and know my culture. And that was why I could find some ways to overcome the obstacles. It wasn't safe. It was not just necessary or important for women and Afghanistan. It was important for me too. Everyone has to play their part in the world. Therefore, I should share my knowledge of yoga with other people to keep their bodies and minds healthy, especially for women in Afghanistan, who are struggling with so much violence and challenges by their culture, their families, and their society." “I risk my life because of my yoga studio. And I put all my time to introduce yoga to people, especially for women in Afghanistan.” “How I started in Afghanistan, it was very difficult for me. It was a risk.... Because yoga was called Haram in Afghanistan. Yoga was called a Buddhist and Hinduism action in Afghanistan.” ABOUT The Wild Yoga Tribe The Wild Yoga Tribeʼs mission is to shine a light on the global yoga ecosystem and all the interconnected aspects of the path of yoga while helping others on their paths of wellness and wholeness. The podcast widely covers the topics of yoga methodologies, philosophies, and stories around the yoga journey. Allen-Duenas and her guests have powerful conversations, which serve as a catalyst for expansion and connection to the global yoga community. To learn more about the Wild Yoga Tribe podcast, you will find everything you need here. Tune into the Wild Yoga Tribe podcast on   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wild-yoga-tribe/id1571374779