Yoga, India and Freedom in the '70s
Unveiling Untold Stories: An Intriguing Interview with André Riehl, President of the French Federation of Traditional Yoga
Back in August, we sat down with André Riehl, delving into an enthralling, unscripted narrative of his India travels and the intriguing world of Western yoga back in the '70s.
I'm ecstatic that this revealing footage is finally being shared. André's riveting anecdotes send you back to a different time in Asia. He vividly narrates his adventure along the famous “hippie trail” spanning Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. His accounts oscillate between terrifying and dramatic to lively and extraordinary. Did you know that an Afghan tribe leader once offered a European man his three daughters for the night? Or that crossing the Iranian border required you to be unclothed? Have you ever wondered how you would procure water in an Asian region where bottled water wasn't yet a thing? And what could possibly be the significance of a gun in the luggage of a yogi journeying eastward?
Beyond his Asian escapades, our conversation explored André's insights into the European yoga scene back in those days. The answers brim with an intriguing mixture of contrasts - from yoginis in stiletto heels and evening ensembles to esteemed and wild Indian yogis residing in upscale luxury hotels. Revelations also include André's enlightening interactions with spiritual luminaries such as Krishnamurti, Desikachar, Krishnamacharya and other prominent teachers of that era.
Notably, we delve into André's stance on the Ukraine war. André's federation was notably the first of European yoga organizations to extend a helping hand, offering shelter to Ukrainian yoga families in France and Switzerland, right from day one of the conflict.
Experience this captivating interview journey and more!