About House of Śarana
Śaraṇa is a Sanskrit word शरण meaning ‘sanctuary’ or ‘refuge’ - a place of safety, rest, and protection.
House of Śaraṇa was created as a space for women who have been holding a lot for a long time. A place to slow down, soften, and feel supported without needing to explain, perform, or push through.
It is a sanctuary...
Śaraṇa was born from my own lived experience.
For much of my life, I carried a quiet sense of not quite fitting in. Growing up of mixed heritage, I was often searching for belonging and worth outside of myself. I didn’t feel good enough - not beautiful enough, not flexible enough, not the “right” type of person any space I spent time in. Even the idea of what I wore or how I looked felt like it mattered.
Yoga and spirituality wasn’t something I stepped into confidently. It was something I slowly grew into. My spiritual and healing journey truly began in 2018, following a life event that changed how I saw myself and the world around me. At the time, I was a mother to three very young children, working full time and navigating the constant pull of responsibility.
Like many women, I was coping, but disconnected. Yoga and energy-based practices entered my life not as a calling, but as a necessity. They became ways for me to ground myself, regulate my nervous system, and find moments of steadiness within busy, full days.
What I found wasn’t a solution - it was a relationship with myself I had been missing.
Deepening the path
Over the last 8 years I experienced many transformative moments. I found myself drawn not only to the subtle energetic body and the physical practice of yoga, but to spirituality, and the evidence-based spiritual science that yoga truly is and all that it encompasses.
At the same time, my professional background was firmly rooted in science and research, followed by years working in the corporate world, including roles within cardiology. I understood the body through data, systems, and outcomes and I could clearly see how breath, movement, and regulation practices supported stress, resilience, and nervous system health in ways modern life often overlooks.
Yet, like many women, I kept pushing.
Why I do this work
I have trained in these modalities since 2018, not from a place of ambition, but from a genuine desire to offer what truly supported me.
I understand what it means to be busy and overwhelmed; emotionally full but still showing up; disconnected from your body and intuition; navigating change, loss, or transition
Through my own experiences, one thing became clear: when women learn to tune into their bodies and intuition, rather than constantly overriding them, something powerful shifts.
I hold a deep respect for women’s cyclical nature - for the different seasons we move through, and the way our bodies and energy change over time. My work is gentle, grounded, and relational. I meet women where they are and guide practices that feel safe, supportive, and human.
Śaraṇa is for women who are in any stage of womanhood.
You don’t need to be “spiritual.
You don’t need to know where to start.
You’re welcome exactly as you are.
Sonia x
