#204 Flowing with Wasfia Nazreen
On this week’s episode of the Bruce Lee Podcast, Shannon’s guest is mountaineer and activist and dear friend of hers, Wasfia Nazreen. Wasfia and Shannon met last year at a conference they both were speaking at and they immediately connected. As it turns out, Wasfia had just moved to LA so they were able to hang out. Shannon soon learned that Wasfia is leading a full and extraordinary life. She is most known for being the ONLY Bangladeshi and first Bengali in the world to climb the Seven Summits – which are the highest mountains of every continent. Including Chomolungma (that’s Mount Everest to those of us who only know the colonialized name). Her passion, however, has always been driven by causes close to her heart, which are grounded in a strong foundation of meditation and self-realization practices. An outspoken activist since her late teens, Wasfia has risked everything for the causes she believes in. She has had the good fortune to learn meditation from some of the foremost teachers of our time, including His Holiness Dalai Lama (who she counts as a parental figure, mentor and lifelong friend.) Wasfia is a National Geographic Explorer AND Adventurer and the only woman to hold these simultaneous titles. Wasfia also recently battled her way through a very tough bout with the coronavirus this year. This nontraditional Bangladeshi woman is a survivor who found her home in the wilds of nature and her peace within. For her full bio, please see the show notes for this episode. And now, Shannon hopes you enjoy her conversation with this activist, speaker, pilot, spiritual seeker, explorer, adventurer and mountaineer, Wasfia Nazreen.
Get to know Wasfia Nazreen
Image credit: Dee Nalam
Wasfia Nazreen is the only woman to hold the simultaneous titles of National Geographic Explorer & Adventurer. Although she is known for being the only Bangladeshi and first Bengali in the world to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountains of every continent, her passion has always been driven by causes close to her heart. An outspoken activist since her late teens, Wasfia has been dubbed by the media as a "maverick" or "the nose-pierced rebel who cuts away at the stifling threads of convention."
Image credit: Ngima Grimen Sherpa
Image credit: Courtesy Office of Wasfia Nazreen
Image Credit: Courtesy Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
A human-rights activist, an environmentalist, a writer, educator, pilot and producer - Wasfia wears many hats, all of which are grounded in a strong foundation of meditation and self-realization practices. She has risked everything for the causes and those she believes in - getting arrested (in several countries), death threats, constant harassment by people who oppose her work & belief, hasn't derailed her from her path or remaining the passionate visionary and advocate she is.
She has won numerous national and global awards for her activism and commitment to empowering women through the field of adventure. Wasfia was named by Outside magazine as one of 40 women in the last 40 years who have advanced and challenged the outdoor world through their leadership, innovation, and athletic feats, and by Men's Journal as one of the 25 most adventurous women of the past 25 years. She is the founder of Osel Foundation, which empowers marginalized girls from Bangladesh through the outdoors. As an Expeditions Expert, she takes leaders on journeys into nature to connect with self, humanity, and the earth so that together we can commit to solutions that will create positive change for our planet.
Wasfia is currently working on her memoir alongside a children's book series and two television projects, based out of Los Angeles. The award-winning short film “Wasfia” can be seen at wasfianazreen.com.
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