Ever since I can remember, there was a part of me that was extremely drawn towards a spiritual existence but due to my deep conditioning, I lived unconsciously for most of my life. My turning point wasn’t some great loss or tragedy, it was in fact the opposite. After navigating life in America as an Ethiopian immigrant and overcoming the challenges of being a young black man in the inner city (Roxbury), I succeeded in obtaining my MBA and started a promising career. What I thought was going to be the pinnacle of my life had actually left me feeling completely depleted, without a sense of purpose. I decided to give it all up, quit my job, sold my belongings and started backpacking through SouthEast Asia. Over the next three years, I was exposed to Buddhism and Yogic Philosophy. Through my meditation and Yoga practice I have attained a sense of stillness and contentment that was never going to be possible through any external stimulations or achievements. The minimalist way of living abroad has also followed me back home to the US and has allowed me to live a life where I spend most of my time “being” rather than “having” or “doing”.

My experiences and practices abroad were something I really wanted to share with my community, so upon reestablishing back in the United States, I decided becoming a Yoga Teacher would be a great avenue to engage with my community. After receiving a scholarship from the Yoga Diversity Initiative (YDI), I was able to attend a 200-Hour teacher training at JP Center Yoga in 2019. Since graduating in June of 2019, I had several opportunities to be of service in low income/underserved communities in Boston. I teach at Boston public schools, Juvenile Detention Centers and at Boston Medical Center for Cancer survivors. I am currently working on initiatives to bring more diversity to the Yoga world, address social justice issues and to cultivate welcoming and safe spaces for people of color.

Abraham’s Upcoming Classes