Issa Hammond began their spiritual studies at 15 years old after becoming interested in and seeking knowledge of Tibetan Music for an advanced philosophy class taught by Dr. Jan Guffin. Issa studied with a Buddhist monk for the remainder of high school traveling to Bloomington, IN from Indianapolis to do so. Issa continued their spiritual studies for the next 20 or so years, often showing up on the doorstep of temples and asking to understand concepts or simply to ask questions about the nature of a particular spiritual perspective. Issa learned about the perspectives and intimacies of Tibetan Buddhism, Islam, Seventh Day Adventist and American Kundalini Yoga.

Issa was raised in a Trinidadian immigrant household and grew up celebrating some Christian and some Hindu holidays, observing elements of Trinibagoan folk religion, and with the influence of their maternal grandmother as a staunch Atheist and child advocate in the face of religion. They practice divinatory performance in art and received an MFA in 2012. Issa completed an advanced astrology apprenticeship in 2019 with Adam Elenbaas.