About Sanctuary Yoga & Wellness
Sanctuary Yoga & Wellness was created as a place to step away from the constant demands of modern life and engage with yoga as it was originally intended—not as a performance, a workout, or another form of self-improvement, but as a practice for developing greater awareness, clarity, and stability.
Yoga Beyond Movement
Overlooking the river in Exeter, Sanctuary offers an environment that supports attention rather than distraction. Here, yoga is approached as a precise and practical system rooted in the Himalayan tradition and guided by the teachings of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
At the center of this tradition is a simple definition:
Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.
This understanding shapes everything we do.
The practice is not focused on achieving the perfect pose. Instead, it helps students observe how they apply effort, where they hold tension, how they respond under pressure, and the patterns that influence their daily experience. Through consistent practice, attention becomes steadier, perception becomes clearer, and the relationship to stress, discomfort, and mental activity begins to change.
At the center of this tradition is a simple definition:
Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.
This understanding shapes everything we do.
The practice is not focused on achieving the perfect pose. Instead, it helps students observe how they apply effort, where they hold tension, how they respond under pressure, and the patterns that influence their daily experience. Through consistent practice, attention becomes steadier, perception becomes clearer, and the relationship to stress, discomfort, and mental activity begins to change.
Where Attention Becomes the Practice
A Pathway for Deeper Practice
For those who have watched yoga become increasingly focused on appearance, performance, or physical achievement, Sanctuary offers a different approach.
This is a place for people who value depth over distraction, awareness over achievement, and a practice that continues to reveal something meaningful long after class ends.
Our work is grounded in both traditional yoga and modern therapeutic understanding. With a background in Sports Medicine, experience as a Physical Therapist Assistant, and certification as a Yoga Therapist, Sharon brings together clinical knowledge and traditional practice in a way that is thoughtful, practical, and accessible.
Sanctuary offers three distinct ways to engage with the practice:
Yoga Therapy
Personalized one-on-one sessions that address your unique physical, mental, and nervous system patterns.
Small Group Programs
Structured programs focused on specific themes such as stress, chronic pain, nervous system regulation, and sustainable effort.
Classes
Structured programs focused on specific themes such as stress, chronic pain, nervous system regulation, and sustainable effort.
Meet Sharon Gordon
Founder of Sanctuary Yoga & Wellness
I created Sanctuary because I believe we’re standing at a crossroads in wellness and something deeper is being called forward.
As a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant with years in outpatient care, I saw the limits of systems that treat symptoms but not the whole person. And in my own life, as a mother moving through deep personal loss, burnout, and emotional unraveling, I learned that healing doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from reclaiming what we’ve neglected: rest, rhythm, presence, and nervous system support.
This is the piece so many of us are missing.
We’ve been taught to push, perform, and stay strong, but strength needs softness.
Push needs pause.
Resilience needs restoration.
Sanctuary is built on that truth.
Here, we blend yoga, Ayurveda, and modern nervous system science into steady, consistent practices that create real, lasting change, not just temporary relief or surface level results.
Whether you're already training hard, eating well, tracking your sleep and still not feeling like yourself. Or you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure where to begin. This work meets you where you are and supports you in returning to balance.
I’m a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), Ayurvedic Health Counselor, and a guide for those ready to stop chasing the next thing and start reconnecting with what truly heals.
Sanctuary is part of that shift and I’d be honored to walk with you.
Meet Emily
Emily grew up in York, ME, and has completed a 200-hour Hatha Yoga training, a 200-hour Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher training with certified teacher Melanie Fawer, and a 300-hour Ashtanga yoga teacher training and mentorship at Yoga East.
She started practicing yoga regularly after college, but after moving for grad school and struggling with isolation and social anxiety, she started looking for something deeper from her yoga practice. That search led her to Ashtanga yoga, and she has been a dedicated practitioner since 2016. The discipline of the sequence shows up on her mat where she is currently working on the third series, and has influenced the way she approaches teaching, continued education, and personal growth.
Her teachers have taught her that the practice is meant to adapt to the individual, and that yoga does not have to look a certain way and be a one-size-fits all. She carries this philosophy into her teaching, offering thoughtful cues to support different bodies and experiences. Her goal is for students to have time to learn, explore poses, and develop a practice that supports the nervous system rather than overwhelms it.
Off the mat, she enjoys reading, snuggling with her animals, hiking, gardening, and traveling.
Teaching Philosophy:
My teaching is rooted in the traditional structure of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, with an emphasis on breath and drishti, and thoughtful progression. Each class integrates intentional strength work, mindfulness, and accessible options for all levels in order to challenge and inspire others. I aim for my students to gain skills they can carry beyond the mat--cultivating mindfulness, resilience, and confidence to support them in daily life, while nurturing a sense of belonging and connection.
Why Ashtanga and Sanctuary Yoga and Wellness:
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga consists of six series, and is a practice that has been passed down from teacher to student, pose by pose. For me, this lineage-based practice has created connections with people all over the world, and the discipline of showing up and practicing the same sequence again and again has changed my life--it has reduced my social anxiety, strengthened my confidence, and deepened my focus and determination in pursuing my goals. By practicing the same poses regularly, you can explore different approaches, investigate how small shifts feel in the body, and experience meaningful growth--unlike in many modern yoga classes where you might see a pose once a month. The sequence also allows you to be more present; instead of wondering what comes next, you can focus on steady breath and movement and drop into a flow state more easily. If modern yoga classes feel fast, loud, and unpredictable--and you’re craving more strength, structure and steadiness--we invite you to come practice with us at Sanctuary Yoga and Wellness. We’d love to have you join our community.
Questions Students Often Ask
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A Yoga Therapist uses the tools of yoga—including movement, breath, and awareness practices—to support an individual's unique needs and goals. Unlike a general yoga class, yoga therapy is personalized and designed specifically for the person, helping address physical, mental, and nervous system patterns through a thoughtful, one-on-one approach.
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Ayurveda is a traditional system of wellness that focuses on creating balance through daily habits, nutrition, rest, movement, and lifestyle practices. As an Ayurvedic Health Counselor, Sharon helps clients better understand their unique needs and make sustainable changes that support overall well-being.
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The Himalayan tradition views yoga as a complete system for working with the mind—not just the body. Rooted in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, this approach emphasizes awareness, attention, breath, and meditation as tools for developing greater clarity, stability, and self-understanding.
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Sharon's experience as a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant gives her a strong understanding of anatomy, movement, and recovery. Combined with her training in yoga therapy and Ayurveda, she offers a thoughtful approach that considers both the physical body and the nervous system, helping students practice safely and effectively.
An Invitation
You don't have to figure it all out on your own.
Whether you're seeking support for stress, chronic tension, burnout, life transitions, or simply a deeper relationship with yourself, Sanctuary offers a place to begin.
I'd be honored to walk alongside you.