Speaking Portfolio
The joke is that Firdose started speaking in full sentences as early as nine months
… and hasn’t stopped!
Her speaking portfolio includes facilitating conversations on topics including literature, embodiment and current affairs. Firdose has hosted panels at the Open Book Festival and has appeared on several podcasts discussing both her writing and her research.
“Is Yoga a religion?” is an often-asked question, and the deeper we delve into the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the practice, the less simple and straight-forward the answer becomes. Here to guide us on that complex conversational journey is returning guest Firdose Moonda, who holds an MA in the Traditions of Yoga and Meditation from the School of Oriental and African Studies and is undertaking doctoral work into the politics of yoga.
Listen in to unpack yoga’s historic and present-day entanglements with South Asian religions, and explore the responsibilities of modern yoga teachers in the West. “Yoga is highly politically religious.” – Firdose Moonda MA.
Many yoga students and teachers feel part of a culture and tradition we don’t fully understand, leading to the necessity for open, honest, and potentially uncomfortable conversations about the wider context our practice exists within – including its long and complicated history and its intersections with culture, commerce, and politics. Today host Rachel is joined by Firdose Moonda – a journalist, academic, yoga teacher, and researcher – to explore some of these intersecting issues, and offer an introduction to important definitions and common misunderstandings about the practice. Listen in to learn about the historical and cultural context of yoga and its contributions to our unique and individual in-body experiences. “It kind of felt like I was being schooled in my own culture by people who really didn’t know anything about my culture.” – Firdose Moonda.
This is a live recording of an event that took place at Open Book Festival in September 2023. In this discussion, Desiree Ellis, Sindiwe Magona and Patric Tariq Mellet speak to Firdose Moonda about overcoming the horrendous impact of apartheid. This event was made possible by the support of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the City of Cape Town and the Heinrich Böll Foundation
This is a live recording of an event that took place at Open Book Festival in September 2024. In this conversation, Nadine Dirks and Lesedi Molefi speak to Firdose Moonda about accessing essential care. This event was made possible by the support of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the City of Cape Town and the Heinrich Böll Foundation.