Octavia Raheem is a wife, mother, author of best selling books Pause, Rest, Be and Gather, upcoming (Fall 2024) Rest is Sacred, rest / restorative coach, yoga + meditation educator, and former wellness studio owner. She is the creator of Devoted to Rest™, a transformational rest ffocused experience for visionary women leaders making a high impact in their fields. Within her rest and work she threads time tested practices, depth skill and knowledge about what supports rest and what doesn’t, wisdom rooted in Black American Southern traditions, and intuition into a blanket of experience under which individuals can gather and rebuke stress, fatigue, and burnout. Her offerings lead driven, inspiring, creative, and purpose centered individuals and companies to awaken the fullness of their potential and power through rest.

Octavia has over 20 years of experience and well over 10,000 hours of designing and delivering classes, restshops, workshops, immersions, and trainings that transform, heal, and restore individuals and organizations. In 2021 Yoga Journal magazine recognized Octavia as one of fififteen experienced yoga professionals who have elevated and changed the field on a global scale. Closer to home and as a beacon in her local community, she was named one of four luminaries who have lit the way and created new avenues to yoga in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Southeast in September 2019 by Natural Awakening Magazine. Additionally her writing, rest, and work have been featured in The New York Times, Mantra, Tricycle, Well + Good, Atlanta Magazine, CNN, and at Essence Festival Wellhouse Atlanta.

She has an academic background in English Literature, creative writing,and middle grades education as well as 10+ years of professional experience developing curricula for innovative learning and teaching Language Arts in K-12 settings. Most recently, she combined her passion for yoga, creativity, language, and community through her four year tenure as co-director for Yoga, Literature, and Art Camp for Teen Girls at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art founded by Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts.

Octavia is committed to herself, family, and community being well and rested- in body, mind, heart, and spirit.

What Octavia does not do will be as much a part of her legacy as what she courageously chooses to say yes to and does.