Author: Sheena Sood

“Yoga in Gaza: A Conversation Featuring Hadeel Al-Gharbawi of Al-Jawad Camp” in Race and Yoga

The Race and Yoga Research Working Group examines the intersections of race, gender, class, sexuality, able-bodiedness, and age in yoga. In addition to viewing yoga through the lens of intersectionality and Women of Color / Third World Feminisms, this group focuses on somatic theories to explore the praxis of yoga programs. Race and Yoga explores programs offered in yoga studios and other non-traditional settings, such as prisons. Although statics on annual income, educational level, and the ratio of female to male yoga practitioners in the United States are readily available, there is a dearth of information on racial demographics and how race influences interpersonal dynamics within these spaces.

—About UC Berkeley’s Race and Yoga Research Working Group

Read the full journal article here.

Bibliography

Sood, Sheena. 2025. “Yoga in Gaza: A Conversation Featuring Hadeel Al-Gharbawi of Al-Jawad Camp” Race and Yoga, 9(1). https://escholarship.org/uc/item/25n1c174

December 15, 2025
“India’s Modi Accused of Yogawashing” in Al Jazeera

You’ve probably heard of sportswashing and greenwashing, but what about ‘yogawashing’? India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands accused of using yoga to distract from the alleged crimes of his right-wing nationalist government.

—Al Jazeera

See the corresponding publication: “‘Om-washing’: Why Modi’s Yoga Day Pose is Deceptive,” an editorial in Al Jazeera.

Bibliography

2023. Guest Presenter. “India’s Modi Accused of Yogawashing” Al Jazeera English Newsfeed. 2023, June 22. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uT1EA-Tj8g).

October 18, 2025
“Yoga, Liberation, and Palestine: A Conversation with Sheena Sood, Tejal Patel, and Susanna Barkataki” in Yoga Changemaker Maker Magazine, Summer 2025 edition

See pages 14-17 of the Summer 2025 issue of Yoga Changemakers Magazine.

In recent years, a growing number of yoga practitioners have begun connecting their practice to global struggles for justice. Among them is Sheena Sood, who co-founded Yogis for Palestine, an initiative that brings together teachers, students, and communities across the world in solidarity with Palestinians. Through collective healing, fundraising, and political education, Yogis for Palestine challenges the idea that yoga can or should exist outside of politics. In this conversation, Sheena speaks about duty, resistance, and the power of yoga as a tool for liberation.

—Excerpt from the magazine

Read the issues of our digital magazine featuring authentic yoga practices, social justice insights, and tools for conscious teachers and practitioners.

—About the magazine

Read the full article here.

Bibliography

Yoga Changemaker Magazine. 2025. “Yoga, Liberation, and Palestine: A Conversation with Sheena Sood, Tejal Patel, and Susanna Barkataki.” https://www.canva.com/design/DAGrTFiLyAI/uFZxefl1SE-8FR-R_eyuaw/view.

September 4, 2025
“Decolonizing Yoga: From Representation into Liberation” on Equitable Wellness

In this episode of the Equitable Wellness Podcast, Sheena Sood, PhD — activist scholar, yoga teacher, and co-founder of Yogis for Palestine — unpacks the shadow side of yoga, from its roots in war propaganda to its modern-day appropriation by states and militaries. We discuss Omwashing, a term she coined, and explore how to reclaim yoga for justice, ethics, and collective healing.

—The Equitable Wellness Podcast

Explore equitable practices in holistic health and healing arts: how spas, retreat centers, holistic practitioners, and luxury services incorporate collective liberation. This podcast is perfect for business owners, artists, personal brands, coaches, and service providers destined to find one another in solidarity for justice and healing as one.

—About the Equitable Wellness Podcast

Read, Listen or Watch the podcast here.

Bibliography

2025. Guest Presenter. “Decolonizing Yoga: From Representation into Liberation” The Equitable Wellness Podcast. August 9, 2025.

August 9, 2025
“International Day of Yoga Action for Palestinian Liberation Solidarity Statement” in Jadaliyya

In light of Israel’s ongoing siege and genocide on Palestinians in Gaza, we — Yogis for Palestine, Tejal Yoga and our nascent global community of yogis — use this year’s International Day of Yoga (IDY) to reimagine what spiritual and political solidarity with Palestinian freedom can look like in global yoga spaces. Rather than celebrate this holiday that the Indian government – and the Israel & U.S. regimes – weaponize as a “soft power” diplomatic tool to conceal their ethnonational imperial alliances, we are reappropriating it as a global actof solidarity with Palestinian, Kashmiri, and all oppressed peoples’ resistance struggles.

Read the statement here.

Bibliography

Sood Sheena and Tejal Patel. 2025 “International Day of Yoga Action for Palestinian Liberation Solidarity Statement,” Jadaliyya. (https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/46744/International-Day-of-Yoga-Action-for-Palestinian-Liberation-Solidarity-Statement)

June 19, 2025
“What is the Relationship between Race and Yoga?” in Yoga Studies in 5 Minutes

Bibliography

Sood, Sheena. 2025. “What is the Relationship between Race and Yoga?,” Yoga Studies in 5 Minutes. Edited by Theo Wildcroft and Barbora Sojková. Equinox Publishing: United Kingdom.

May 1, 2025
“Decolonizing Yoga” on World Pulse

Join us as we speak to Sheena Sood PhD about decolonizing yoga and how yoga has been used in violent institutions.

—World Pulse Podcast

Our goal is to increase the accessibility of international relations to students and listeners. To bring understanding and education on topics without listeners needing IR or formal education prerequisites. We hope that our guests can bring an educational and unique perspective in a creative space.

Listen to the podcast here.

Bibliography

2025. Guest Presenter. “Decolonizing Yoga.” World Pulse. January 14, 2025. (https://open.spotify.com/episode/64cFIyjOCtyCQNowPGcfPR)

January 14, 2025
“386: Weaponization of Yoga with Sheena Sood.” on The Connected Yoga Teacher

How can something like yoga, that is meant to be peaceful and focused on meditation and breath, be weaponized? How has it been co-opted by the far-right, colonizer projects, and Zionists? How does this show up in our yoga spaces and what can we do to address it? Dr. Sheena Sood shares her insights.

…

Sheena shares her perspective on the situation in Palestine and the reactions in the yoga world after October 7. She explains why this response of “om-washing” is not unexpected, and how we as yoga practitioners, teachers, and studios can counter harmful narratives to support Palestine. Sheena also has some words of encouragement and motivation for those of us doing the work and feeling exhausted, so be sure to tune in for some powerful insights.

—The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

See the podcast episode and listen here.

Bibliography

2024. Guest Presenter. “386: Weaponization of Yoga with Sheena Sood.” The Connected Yoga Teacher. December 16, 2024. (https://theconnectedyogateacher.libsyn.com/386-weaponization-of-yoga-with-sheena-sood)

December 16, 2024
Sheena Sood PhD | Yoga Weaponization or Liberatory Potential For All? | S3 Ep 14 on A Curious Yogi

Sheena gives incredible insight and uncomfortable facts to direct our attention, contemplation and action towards the “deeply unfree world” that we all participate in.

We dig into the important topic and difficult reality of the oppressive systems in power along with the responsibility yoga practitioners have to examine and question them if we sincerely wish to shift the collective towards liberation and embodied freedom for all.

—A Curious Yogi Podcast

I’m a curious yogi who went from a depressed addict to living in the Himalayas of India. From fashion stylist to charity founder and from cattle ranchers daughter to happy vegan. Anything is possible!

Bibliography

2024. Guest Presenter. “Sheena Sood PhD. Yoga Weaponization or Liberatory Potential For All?” S3, Ep 14.” A Curious Yogi Podcast. (https://bobbipaidel.com/podcast-s3-ep14-sheena-sood/

September 26, 2024
“Introducing Omwashing” in The Yoga Teacher’s Survival Guide: Social Justice, Science, Politics and Power

Bibliography

Sood, Sheena. 2024. “Introducing Omwashing,” The Yoga Teacher’s Survival Guide: Social Justice, Science, Politics and Power. Edited by Theo Wildcroft and Harriet McAtee. Singing Dragon: United Kingdom.

May 1, 2024