A Sanctuary for Community

In this last segment of my 4-part blog series, as we approach our official transition to Sanctuary, I’ll be focusing on how we intend to create community spaces, and the impact we hope will result from those activities. A set of core values are at the heart of our intentions, but of equal importance is how we leverage our embodied resources and collective power. Serving the needs of Individuals and Professionals will drive the economic engine of Sanctuary, but it's our engagement and support of the Community that will feed our hearts and catalyze the generational change we wish to see. 

I’d like to start by sharing more of my personal story. If you read the first post–A Sanctuary for Myself–you’ll recall how my relationship with Yoga Sanctuary came to be. The studio supported me, personally and professionally, during the early stages of the pandemic. Long before the pandemic (even before I lived in the Valley), I was a budding community organizer, fresh out of college, living in Concord, New Hampshire. In those days I was intimately involved in the Main Street business community, local and state politics, and numerous environmental non-profits. 

I was committed to raising awareness about climate change issues, and I worked tirelessly to implement institutional change. Within five years after graduating from college, I co-founded an environmentally-friendly retail store and a complementary Green Business Alliance of similarly-minded business owners. I facilitated monthly “Green Drinks”–after hours gatherings for the professional community. I also created the Green Living Film Series, which screened documentary films on key issues of the time and held Q&A discussions with experts in the field. I was an active member of the city’s Energy & Environment Advisory Committee, and was regularly providing testimony during open sessions at the State Legislature. I served on several nonprofit committees and was contracted to establish the New Hampshire chapter of 350.org (an internationally recognized political activist organization). 

I share this backstory because during this period of my life, between the ages of 22–27, I was met with some of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. I felt a deep connection with myself, with my community, and with the world at large. Although it was an honor to serve in the other leadership capacities I’ve had since, I often look back on those days with fondness and a longing to return. 

I am genuinely excited about renewing these passions through Sanctuary–raising awareness and creating meaningful change on key justice issues relevant to the Greater Northampton community. I’m feeling giddy about the potential of our expanded programming in the educational realm and how it can create more community engagement opportunities.

When Lindsay and I started discussing whether we should rescue the studio, one of the biggest factors we considered was the community, and its intangible value. Beyond the individual teachers and students, there was a collective sense of purpose and a shared set of values that bound people to one another in powerful ways. The thought that this community might be lost to the pandemic was heartbreaking, and it became the biggest motivation to say yes! 

The founder, Sara Rose Page, was very intentional in building the foundation of Sanctuary’s sense of community. For over 20 years she refined and molded the space into something very special, and we intend to build upon those pillars. These core values are at the heart of our community:

• We believe in EQUITY.

• We recognize that there are significant barriers when it comes to accessing wellness spaces. We are committed to embodying equity and prioritizing acts of decolonization. Identity politics plays a crucial role in how we relate to one another and work together as a collective. We believe it is our responsibility to unlearn the societal and structural norms that have created such disparities, and to imagine a new way forward, with equity at its core.  

• We believe in COMMUNITY.

• Healing and growth are deeply individual and personal processes, yet when we come together and witness one another, we inspire each other, help each other, play together, and rise together. Community is about showing up for yourself, just as much as you show up for others. We believe in the healing benefits of connection, and being in community. And we believe in the power a community holds to create change. 

• We believe in VULNERABILITY.

• We know that life can be full of struggles and challenges. Each of us wants, in our own way, to experience connection to who we are, freedom to be ourselves, a life that has meaning, and a current of joy to carry us through. We believe that vulnerability–and embracing and embodying inner truth–is our greatest gift on the journey to unfolding the deep mystery of who we are. 

• We believe in COMPASSION.

• We acknowledge that deep healing ultimately means coming home to who you are–with all your uniqueness, your gifts, your struggles and wounds, your innate beauty. There is room here for you to be yourself, to learn and grow and let go, and to become even more of who you are. We all suffer in life, and we all need a place to connect, to be seen, to be cherished. We believe that when we are compassionate with ourselves, we are able to be compassionate toward others.

If you like the sound of all that, you’re not alone! This is the wisdom that we have gained from the community over the last twenty years, and we are humbled to keep learning alongside each of you. Subsequent blog posts about each one of these core values will really dig into what they mean to us and how they are being realized. In the meantime, I hope I’ve illustrated how Equity, Community, Vulnerability, and Compassion play into the spirit behind Sanctuary’s deeper purpose. 

Yes, you can certainly refer to Sanctuary as a yoga studio or a healing arts center, but I hope that you can also recognize how much more we can be for the community. Our primary function is to provide healing spaces that are safe, affirming, and accessible. And I know that our core values will guide us toward achieving those goals. Vulnerability and compassion represent our internal landscape, while equity and community are more of an external manifestation. All require individual and collective participation.

One of my favorite mentors once told me that I was a great example of someone who was “doing well by doing good”. I’ve always enjoyed being a part of a community (or a workplace) with an intentional set of values. This is probably why I’ve chosen to work for two certified BCorporations and volunteered for a variety of non-profit organizations over the years.

Through Sanctuary, we’re here to do as much good as we possibly can, with the time and resources we have. Creating community–and advocating for the wellbeing of our community–is among the most important things we can do right now, and always. There are a lot of ways in which we can go about accomplishing this, and I can’t address all of them, but here are a few that come to mind:

• Community through shared experiences.

• Community through empathetic listening.

• Community through collaboration. 

• Community through self-awareness. 

• Community through financial accessibility. 

• Community through diversity training. 

• Community through practice. 

I’m not going to sugar coat our reality; there is a lot of work to be done! We have to establish a set of community agreements that are widely acknowledged, practiced, and upheld. We have to refine the financial structures that will maintain our collective spaces and support our vision. And we have to start engaging with the wider community outside our studio if we want to affect real change. Once we officially transition to Sanctuary we will symbolically cross the threshold, and begin working towards these community goals. It is our revival. Our deep breath. Our leap of faith. 

In the coming month(s) you’ll start hearing more about our transformation from Yoga Sanctuary to Sanctuary. We will be launching a new website to tell our story and direct folks to services and events of interest. You’ll also see a revamped logo, which embodies our new brand and image. Everything that you’ve come to expect from Yoga Sanctuary will remain, but there will be more to explore and experience. You’ll hear about us partnering with community organizations and find us in places other than downtown Northampton. Physical changes around the studio will take place to support our expanded programming and sense of community. 

And along the way, we want to hear from you about how we are doing, what you want to see improved, and who we can collaborate with to strengthen our community connections. Are you ready? Let’s go!