Yoga, Spirituality & Ancient Wisdom Relationships & Connection

Meet the Face of Our Catalog: Erica Garcia Abergel

Meet Erica Garcia Abergel, our Spring/Summer cover model and Kripalu community member. Hear her reflections on sanctuary, mentorship, and the evolving shape of a life in practice.

What does Kripalu mean to you personally?

Kripalu holds a sacred place in my heart because it was the first retreat center I ever visited. I found yoga at sixteen years old in New York City. As a young girl, I dreamed of traveling far to study and retreat, but I had to be practical. Kripalu became my first “far away” without needing a passport.

I first visited around 2007 or 2008 with Krishna Kaur, who later became a deeply influential mentor in my early career. I returned to assist her on retreat and eventually became her first NYC Regional Director for the Y.O.G.A. for Youth program. Studying with a teacher of color and finding mentorship at the same time was profoundly affirming.

Kripalu became my sanctuary. It is a place where, the moment I arrive, I know it is safe to exhale. One of my non-negotiables during every visit is spending time with the Ganesha statue—whom I affectionately call “Big G.” I always bring offerings of gratitude, share updates from my life, and whisper my petitions. It is my ritual reminder that obstacles are not meant to stop us, but to shape us.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

I recently discovered that I can freehand paint murals. Not trace, actually look at an image and reproduce it at scale. I had no idea this gift was waiting in me. Over the past few years, I’ve painted several large-scale murals, and each one feels like uncovering another layer of myself.

At 54, I’m still discovering new talents. That surprises me and delights me.

What brings you back to center when you feel off balance?

Nature. Immediately.

When I feel off, I pause and immerse myself in the elements. Since moving to Puerto Rico, that practice has deepened exponentially. I will take a dip in the ocean, walk barefoot on sand or grass, or simply stand under the sky and breathe.

I’m blessed to live near a nature reserve. When I feel especially untethered, I go forest bathing for hours where I can meditate, play soft music, and sit beneath my favorite Ceiba trees. The Ceiba, sacred and towering, reminds me of rooted strength and divine timing.

The body recalibrates quickly when we remember we are part of something ancient and vast.

What’s nourishing you most these days?

Nature is nourishing me in ways I didn’t know I was missing.

After decades in New York City and a few transitional years in New Jersey, my husband and I sold everything and moved to Puerto Rico to retire early. I didn’t realize how overstimulated my nervous system had been until I began living immersed in land, ocean, and sky.

My mornings now begin under the fading moon as the sun rises. I meditate to the sound of coquí frogs. I walk through daily rain showers and look for rainbows. I breathe in crisp ocean air and watch the turquoise water shift against lush tropical green.

I didn’t realize how depleted I had been. Now I feel nourished. Full. Spacious. And from that fullness, I have more to give than ever before.

What are you most looking forward to this spring/summer?

I am finally completing my next book, a modern exploration of living and embodying the eight limbs of yoga in contemporary life. It has been a passion project for over eight years, and being in the final editing phase feels deeply satisfying.

My goal is to have it published before I return to Kripalu in July to teach my Sutras for Daily Life weekend. I’m looking forward to packing the house. And if you thought the teachings were powerful before—just wait.

This book is going to expand how both yoga practitioners and non-practitioners understand what it truly means to live yoga.

And I cannot wait to share it.