THE SANCTUARY IS AN INVITATION FOR YOU TO MEET YOURSELF AGAIN (AND AGAIN) AT YOUR ALTAR.
The Sanctuary is more than a place—it is a portal into remembrance, where healing, culture, and spirit converge.
We are a 100% sustainable, Black queer woman (Olòrìṣà) owned apothecary, botánica, apparel, and home decor boutique located in the heart of Oakland’s vibrant Grand Lake neighborhood.
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 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.
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 baths, candles, oils, powders, sprays, and amulets are prepared in-house, guided by traditional divination and spiritual practice. Our spiritual tools, including handmade Lukumí, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe, and Palo supplies, are ethically sourced and crafted by knowledgeable artisans rooted in these traditions.
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.
To restore balance to the Earth, we must restore balance within ourselves and our communities. This is the path of sacred remembering.
Our Vision
The Sanctuary is a living temple of Earth-centered wisdom, spiritual healing, and cultural restoration. Rooted in the sacred teachings of Ifa tradition, we are a lighthouse that guides people toward personal transformation and collective liberation through communion with nature, community, and ancestral knowledge.
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:
African-American cultural preservation
Cultivation of heirloom plants essential to the African American pharmacopeia
Stewarding of knowledge of African Diasporic plants used for spiritual ceremony
Climate activism through an Indigenous African lens
Healing racial and ancestral trauma through centering culture as a form of healing
Preserving the sacred
Re-membering African Indigenous, and Earth-based spiritual traditions
Every item you find at the Sanctuary is made or curated with intention and deep cultural respect. 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.
