We first saw Sanctuary on Instagram over a year ago and immediately saved it, knowing it was a place we wanted to check out later. Well, later turned into over a year thanks to the pandemic as all non-essential outings were put on a far back burner.
We’re slowly venturing out to do more things these days (obviously as long as proper protocol is in place) and one of those was to finally visit Sanctuary.
Sanctuary is a bookable, private space to meditate, practice yoga, stretch, whatever your body is leaning towards. You choose a virtual meditation or yoga based class, then get your own private studio room to enjoy alone or with a friend. The class is then followed by 30 minutes of free time where you can mentally prepare to re-enter the not so soothing real world. The room includes mats, props, and anything else you need plus you get a private bathroom in case you want to shower and freshen up before leaving.
Between the dim lighting, Anthro-inspired decor and the pot of freshly brewed tea, we were instantly relaxed even before the class.
Here’s what appealed to us so much about this space: you’re in control of basically everything. You pick the class, the temperature of the room, the scent of the room, what you do with your free time, what you do in the class with no eyes on you. It’s weirdly comforting to be in charge of all of these adjustable elements to create your perfect space.
Sanctuary is located in Lower Queen Anne, Seattle WA and perfectly blends technology with self care. Each private room comes with a life size film-wall where top teachers and wellness content is brought directly to you. It’s an immersive and customizable experience unlike any we’ve ever found.
Em: We chose a meditation based class for a couple reasons. Firstly, it’s sometimes hard to know how we’re going to physically feel in advance, so meditation seemed like the safer bet. Secondly, because we hyperextend due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, yoga can sometimes have negative effects. And thirdly, we have never taken a meditation class and wanted to try a new experience! I thought the space and class was beyond lovely, but I also realized how bad I am at meditating.
Probably because we go out so infrequently these days, I was excited to be in this place and I had a hard time shutting my mind off enough to get into a good meditative flow. I have no issue with the space, this is just commentary on my easily excitable mind!
I used to love work-out classes and would take a couple a week, but now that I have chronic conditions, I never really do them anymore because the few times I’ve tried, I either started to feel really bad and had to leave, or had an energy drop right before and didn’t even make it there. Because of this, Sanctuary appeals to me – you still get to have your workout class in, but alone (or with a friend) so if you have to stop you can easily, without any eyes on you.
Kate: One of my favorite parts about Sanctuary was how private everything was (which is especially nice during these Covid times).
Like Em, I’m also new to meditating and I really appreciated having our own space without anyone watching! That may sound weird, but I think it really helped to not have any distractions or eyes on us (that aspect would’ve been really nice if we were doing a yoga type class too). Shutting off my brain to really focus on my breathing was not the easiest thing for me to do, but the dim lighting and large screen with the serene jellyfish background (see photos) made me extremely relaxed.
I loved that they provided everything you need (mat, block, towels) and also had herbal tea that was brought into our room. Once our mediation session was over they allowed a 30 minute “cool down” session where you can unwind and enjoy the private space. It felt like an ultra luxury way to meditate and once you go through the Sanctuary doors it becomes a special experience. We went together, but this is something that you can easily do solo if you prefer. I’m definitely interested in trying other classes that they offer and would love to become better at setting time aside to mediate.
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