Rahma Muhammad Mian is a yogi and academic. She teaches critical media and cultural studies to undergraduates at the Social Sciences and Liberal Arts program at IBA, Karachi. Rahma has over 14 years of experience working in journalism, communications strategy, and media development. From 2003-2012 she was an editor, reporter, and producer for some of Pakistan’s leading news organizations. She has also developed and implemented communication strategy for Unicef’s polio program in Sindh and for Aga Khan University’s examination board nationally. In media development, Rahma’s work has focused on media ethics, civic, and news technology. From 2012-2016, Rahma created, managed, and led programs focusing on media advocacy and public education, open data journalism, news technology, civic technology, and open government. She developed media and technology curricula, data driven media projects, and lead collaborations and partnerships between media organizations, government, universities and development organizations.
Rahma also works as a somatic therapist and yoga teacher. Rahma’s trauma and chronic pain focused body and breathwork practice is grounded in her Vipassana and Brahmavihara practice. Beginning in 2015, she has sat Vipassana retreats in Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Burma and US, learning from monastics and teachersrooted in the Theravada tradition.
Rahma is trained in Ihsaas, a trauma-informed, somatic healing programme designed primarily for Muslim women as well as western trauma and somatic focused trainings. She is also trained in Hatha yoga (RYT-200) from South India and practices Qi Gong and Reiki.
An active part of the local wellness and Vipassana community, Rahma is one of the co-founders of Karachi Sangha, and the annual Karachi Wellness Festival.
