Our Story

Who We Are

The Sanctuary is an eco-friendly apothecary, botánica, and wellness studio rooted in ancestral wisdom, Earth-honoring practice, and cultural integrity. Serving as a community hub, The Sanctuary hosts author and artist talks, wellness workshops, and mindfulness classes while offering holistic services such as spiritual readings, holistic wellness (Ayurvedic) consultations, and custom herbal formulations. Our space is intentionally designed to support healing, reflection, and education, with all offerings crafted or curated with sustainability, ethical sourcing, and intention at the forefront.

Co-founded by Stephanie Burrell and Etecia Burrell in 2023 on Grand Avenue in Oakland, The Sanctuary is led by two multidisciplinary practitioners whose combined experience spans design, education, indigenous spiritual practice, and clinical herbalism. Stephanie is a graphic designer, artist, and yoga instructor, with over a decade of experience building community-centered creative businesses and translating intangible ideas into meaningful, tangible expressions.

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Every offering—from the herbal blends we craft to the garments we design—is rooted in Earth-honoring practice, ancestral wisdom, and cultural integrity.

  • Our herbal remedies are handcrafted on-site by our co-founder, a Traditional African Medicine (TAM) Practitioner, Clinical Herbalist, and Ayurvedic Health Counselor with over a decade of experience. Each formula is intentionally designed using organic, non-GMO, fair trade ingredients, many of which are locally sourced.

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  • As the only botánica in the Bay Area offering fresh, organic, non-GMO, fair trade ritual herbs, we are deeply honored to hold this sacred responsibility. All of our spiritual remedies are prepared in-house by traditional initiated priests, guided by ancestral spiritual practice and divination. Our handmade Lukumí, Ifá, and Palo spiritual tools and supplies are ethically sourced and crafted by knowledgeable artisans rooted in these traditions.

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  • All of our apparel and home decor is mindfully made using eco-friendly organic and/or recycled materials. Sustainability is indigenous. We believe that all that touches the body and adorns the home is spiritual and should be made with care for both the planet and the people.

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We serve our community with the utmost ìwà pẹ̀lẹ́ and with a profound commitment to honoring the indigenous African spiritual traditions of which we or initiated to.

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Our Vision

The Sanctuary is a living temple of Earth-centered wisdom, spiritual healing, and cultural stewardship. Rooted in the sacred teachings of Ifá, we are a lighthouse that guides people toward personal transformation and collective liberation through communion with nature and ancestral wisdom.

Our vision is to awaken the divine spark in every being by remembering the sacred interdependence between humanity, spirit, and the Earth.

Our Mission

We are a transformative Black eco-system dedicated to:

  • Black cultural preservation
  • Sustaining a Traditional African Medicine (TAM) system of community care
  • Upholding mindfulness practices and traditions from an Africana worldview
  • Cultivation of heirloom plants essential to the Traditional African Medicine (TAM) pharmacopeia
  • Stewarding of knowledge of African Diasporic plants used for spiritual ceremony
  • Climate activism through an indigenous African lens
  • Preserving the sacred
  • Re-membering African indigenous, and Earth-based spiritual traditions

To restore balance to the Earth, we must restore balance within ourselves and our communities. This is the path of sacred remembering.

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WE MOVED! OUR NEW LOCATION IS: 4020 BROADWAY OAKLAND, CA

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GRAND RE-OPENING MARCH 1, 2026