Bassam grew up in Iraq. When the situation there became too dangerous, he and his family moved out of the country. He moved around the middle east, living in various countries illegally for about 7 years, doing various jobs. During that time, he was seeking legal, immigrant status but he was a low priority. At one point he learned that he would have an easier time finding asylum if he acknowledges his homosexuality, because of the threats of violence and potential death in that part of the world. Soon after, he was living in New York City.
When he was introduced to yoga, it looked like a religion to him, which conflicted with his religion of birth. Over time, he decided that the stories of India can be inspirational and they guided his inner search.