FOUNDING STORY

FOUNDING STORY

FOUNDING
STORY

The vision for Sanctum was born out of a desire to share wisdom traditions in an embodied and applied way. From his time spent in New Zealand in his 20's to sitting at the feet of many masterful teachers, Sanctum founder, Kyle Shinners, has been on a lifelong journey to study health and movement practices and endeavored along with his colleagues to bring them to life in an artful and engaging way.

The vision for Sanctum was born out of a desire to share wisdom traditions in an embodied and applied way. From his time spent in New Zealand in his 20's to sitting at the feet of many masterful teachers, Sanctum founder, Kyle Shinners, has been on a lifelong journey to study health and movement practices and endeavored along with his colleagues to bring them to life in an artful and engaging way.

The vision for Sanctum was born from Kyle Shinners' personal journey of healing and discovery. After a knee injury playing lacrosse, Kyle transitioned from studying economics at Harvard to explore medical anthropology. His travels to a monasteries in Asia and a regenerative farm in New Zealand deeply influenced his vision for Sanctum, a place where ancient wisdom and modern practices come together to foster resilience and growth.

Once Kyle met Jessica, who also shared a penchant for experiential learning, they co-founded an intentional community and have consistently created contexts for connection, transformation and play. Paired with Jessica’s background in nonprofit management, organizational leadership and education, these two have forged connections with many wisdom keepers and are passionate about creating a stage for this wisdom to be shared.

Once Kyle met Jessica, who also shared a penchant for experiential learning, they co-founded an intentional community and have consistently created contexts for connection, transformation and play. Paired with Jessica’s background in nonprofit management, organizational leadership and education, these two have forged connections with many wisdom keepers and are passionate about creating a stage for this wisdom to be shared.

Once Kyle met Jessica, who also shared a penchant for experiential learning, they co-founded an intentional community and have consistently created contexts for connection, transformation and play. Paired with Jessica’s background in nonprofit management, organizational leadership and education, these two have forged connections with many wisdom keepers and are passionate about creating a stage for this wisdom to be shared.

Building community in relationships that focused on developing good humans left an indelible mark on them both, and inspired the creation of Sanctum: a space for the wisdom of great scholars and practitioners to be shared, and for a worldwide collective of Caregivers to come together to foster resilience and growth in individuals and communities.

As a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine with a background in the biological sciences, Cedar is dedicated to the integration of Taoist principles with modern biomedical science. For the past 20 years he has dedicated his career to the collaborative management of people with cancer and chronic disease. His approach focuses on a deep and thorough assessment of the internal biological terrain to inform the development of tailored, therapeutic strategies. Dr. Cedar champions a “slow medicine” approach based on human health being a product of interconnected ecosystems. As a life-long learner who gains insight and wisdom from mentors, colleagues, and patients, he is a formulator, medical educator, lecturer, and writer who presents at conferences around the country on the role of botanical medicine in the treatment of chronic disease.

As a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine with a background in the biological sciences, Cedar is dedicated to the integration of Taoist principles with modern biomedical science. For the past 20 years he has dedicated his career to the collaborative management of people with cancer and chronic disease. His approach focuses on a deep and thorough assessment of the internal biological terrain to inform the development of tailored, therapeutic strategies. Dr. Cedar champions a “slow medicine” approach based on human health being a product of interconnected ecosystems. As a life-long learner who gains insight and wisdom from mentors, colleagues, and patients, he is a formulator, medical educator, lecturer, and writer who presents at conferences around the country on the role of botanical medicine in the treatment of chronic disease.

As a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine with a background in the biological sciences, Cedar is dedicated to the integration of Taoist principles with modern biomedical science. For the past 20 years he has dedicated his career to the collaborative management of people with cancer and chronic disease. His approach focuses on a deep and thorough assessment of the internal biological terrain to inform the development of tailored, therapeutic strategies. Dr. Cedar champions a “slow medicine” approach based on human health being a product of interconnected ecosystems. As a life-long learner who gains insight and wisdom from mentors, colleagues, and patients, he is a formulator, medical educator, lecturer, and writer who presents at conferences around the country on the role of botanical medicine in the treatment of chronic disease.

Jessica is a social architect, leadership expert, and community builder, using a whole-human approach to foster resilience in organizations. With a Master's in Clinical Psychology, a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, and a 20-year psychotherapy practice, she blends Eastern and Western modalities for holistic wellness. Jessica's social entrepreneurial work supports organizations in aligning with their core values. As co-founder of an eco-village, she advocates for community-led solutions to global issues. Honoring indigenous wisdom, she strives to pass on these healing traditions.

Jessica is a social architect, leadership expert, and community builder, using a whole-human approach to foster resilience in organizations. With a Master's in Clinical Psychology, a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, and a 25-year psychotherapy practice, she blends Eastern and Western modalities for holistic wellness. Jessica's social entrepreneurial work supports organizations in aligning with their core values. As co-founder of an eco-village, she advocates for community-led solutions to global issues. Honoring indigenous wisdom, she strives to pass on these healing traditions.

Jessica is a social architect, leadership expert, and community builder, using a whole-human approach to foster resilience in organizations. With a Master's in Clinical Psychology, a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, and a 20-year psychotherapy practice, she blends Eastern and Western modalities for holistic wellness. Jessica's social entrepreneurial work supports organizations in aligning with their core values. As co-founder of an eco-village, she advocates for community-led solutions to global issues. Honoring indigenous wisdom, she strives to pass on these healing traditions.

Don has been farming and offering hands on, practical workshops at Seven Seeds Farm since 1997.  Seven Seeds is a small, certified organic family farm in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon that produces fruits, vegetables, seeds, flowers and herbs, while raising sheep, poultry and people. Lauded as one of the best examples of a productive Biodynamic Permaculture farm in the northwest, Seven Seeds helps to mentor new farmers through internships and workshops. In 2009 Don began Siskiyou Seeds, a bioregional organic seed company that grows and stewards a collection of over 700 open pollinated flower, vegetable and herb seeds and is constantly breeding new varieties that are distributed nationally.

Don has been farming and offering hands on, practical workshops at Seven Seeds Farm since 1997.  Seven Seeds is a small, certified organic family farm in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon that produces fruits, vegetables, seeds, flowers and herbs, while raising sheep, poultry and people. Lauded as one of the best examples of a productive Biodynamic Permaculture farm in the northwest, Seven Seeds helps to mentor new farmers through internships and workshops. In 2009 Don began Siskiyou Seeds, a bioregional organic seed company that grows and stewards a collection of over 700 open pollinated flower, vegetable and herb seeds and is constantly breeding new varieties that are distributed nationally.

Don has been farming and offering hands on, practical workshops at Seven Seeds Farm since 1997.  Seven Seeds is a small, certified organic family farm in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon that produces fruits, vegetables, seeds, flowers and herbs, while raising sheep, poultry and people. Lauded as one of the best examples of a productive Biodynamic Permaculture farm in the northwest, Seven Seeds helps to mentor new farmers through internships and workshops. In 2009 Don began Siskiyou Seeds, a bioregional organic seed company that grows and stewards a collection of over 700 open pollinated flower, vegetable and herb seeds and is constantly breeding new varieties that are distributed nationally.

After suffering major knee injuries that ended his All-American lacrosse career at Harvard University, Kyle shifted his studies to Medical Anthropology with a focus on integrating Eastern and Western medicine traditions for optimum healing. Post graduation, inspired by the way of the ancient wandering Taoist, Kyle simplified his possessions and journeyed forth to study and apprentice with master teachers, physicians and medicine people from various cultures around the world. Since then, he has treated thousands of patients as a licensed acupuncturist and balances his vast experience of elite performance training and rehabilitation with years of practice in the wisdom teachings of yoga, tai ji, qi gong, meditation and TCM.  Along with his wife Jessica, Kyle co-founded an intentional community and together they continue to create communities of practice and care.

After suffering major knee injuries that ended his All-American lacrosse career at Harvard University, Kyle shifted his studies to Medical Anthropology with a focus on integrating Eastern and Western medicine traditions for optimum healing. Post graduation, inspired by the way of the ancient wandering Taoist, Kyle simplified his possessions and journeyed forth to study and apprentice with master teachers, physicians and medicine people from various cultures around the world. Since then, he has treated thousands of patients as a licensed acupuncturist and balances his vast experience of elite performance training and rehabilitation with years of practice in the wisdom teachings of yoga, tai ji, qi gong, meditation and TCM.  Along with his wife Jessica, Kyle co-founded an intentional community and together they continue to create communities of practice and care.

After suffering major knee injuries that ended his All-American lacrosse career at Harvard University, Kyle shifted his studies to Medical Anthropology with a focus on integrating Eastern and Western medicine traditions for optimum healing. Post graduation, inspired by the way of the ancient wandering Taoist, Kyle simplified his possessions and journeyed forth to study and apprentice with master teachers, physicians and medicine people from various cultures around the world. Since then, he has treated thousands of patients as a licensed acupuncturist and balances his vast experience of elite performance training and rehabilitation with years of practice in the wisdom teachings of yoga, tai ji, qi gong, meditation and TCM.  Along with his wife Jessica, Kyle co-founded an intentional community and together they continue to create communities of practice and care.

Jack is a multi-media artist with a decade-long career spanning the fields of film, television, and virtual reality. Jack explores the capacity of media to uplift and inspire through epiphany and transformation. He facilitates a synthesis of media and medicine through his creative design studio, Luminance, utilizing heart-rate biofeedback technology to create dynamic, immersive experiences. Through his diverse experiences and visionary approach to media, Jack’s study traverses the realms of science, technology, and mysticism, and he contributes to Sanctum’s mission through media strategies that foster the proliferation of modern and ancient Wisdom and practice.

Jack is a multi-media artist with a decade-long career spanning the fields of film, television, and virtual reality. Jack explores the capacity of media to uplift and inspire through epiphany and transformation. He facilitates a synthesis of media and medicine through his creative design studio, Luminance, utilizing heart-rate biofeedback technology to create dynamic, immersive experiences. Through his diverse experiences and visionary approach to media, Jack’s study traverses the realms of science, technology, and mysticism, and he contributes to Sanctum’s mission through media strategies that foster the proliferation of modern and ancient Wisdom and practice.

Jack is a multi-media artist with a decade-long career spanning the fields of film, television, and virtual reality. Jack explores the capacity of media to uplift and inspire through epiphany and transformation. He facilitates a synthesis of media and medicine through his creative design studio, Luminance, utilizing heart-rate biofeedback technology to create dynamic, immersive experiences. Through his diverse experiences and visionary approach to media, Jack’s study traverses the realms of science, technology, and mysticism, and he contributes to Sanctum’s mission through media strategies that foster the proliferation of modern and ancient Wisdom and practice.

Chris Chen is a licensed acupuncturist based in New York City, trained under the venerable Grandmaster Sung Baek of the Dong Han healing clan. With a degree from Tristate College of Acupuncture and 17 years of clinical practice, he expertly blends acupuncture, qi gong, and advanced pulse diagnosis in the holistic and allopathic arenas. Bringing about coherence between physical, mental, and emotional states of an individual, his innovative approach seeks to restore an individuals humanity and allow for a cure to serious and chronic diseases.

Chris Chen is a licensed acupuncturist based in New York City, trained under the venerable Grandmaster Sung Baek of the Dong Han healing clan. With a degree from Tristate College of Acupuncture and 17 years of clinical practice, he expertly blends acupuncture, qi gong, and advanced pulse diagnosis in the holistic and allopathic arenas. Bringing about coherence between physical, mental, and emotional states of an individual, his innovative approach seeks to restore an individuals humanity and allow for a cure to serious and chronic diseases.

Chris Chen is a licensed acupuncturist based in New York City, trained under the venerable Grandmaster Sung Baek of the Dong Han healing clan. With a degree from Tristate College of Acupuncture and 17 years of clinical practice, he expertly blends acupuncture, qi gong, and advanced pulse diagnosis in the holistic and allopathic arenas. Bringing about coherence between physical, mental, and emotional states of an individual, his innovative approach seeks to restore an individuals humanity and allow for a cure to serious and chronic diseases.

Raquel Hugo (Nan Ix Rana Abaj) is a cultural practitioner of Curanderismo, traditionally initiated enthogentic facilitator and full spectrum doula who works with individuals and collectives on her path as a Medicine Woman and consultant. She is a carrier of direct transmission healing lineages of the Mexica, Maya and Aymara tribes, focused in the fields of consciousness transformation and holistic wellness from the indigenous perspective. Founder of Integrative Indigenous Medicine, a Portland, Oregon based practice offering opportunities for people to weave traditional wellness and ceremonial healing ways into their experience as collaborative care patients, working with individuals and families facing transitions from birth to end of life. A seasoned non-profit administrator who has worked to develop programming to transmit indigenous wisdom for the past 16 years as part of her leadership role of Earth Peoples United, a California based  501c3 Indigenous Church, and The Earth & Spirit Council, 501c3 cultural media group producing documentaries to preserve traditional wisdom. Bridging the practices from traditional lineages into models of collaborative care to create opportunities for whole healing within nature which she continues as her life's work today. 

Akira Chan is a documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Rare Media, known for creating compelling narratives across health + wellness, and tech + educational sectors. His diverse portfolio includes “The Bloom,” a docuseries on global festival culture, and contributions to documentaries such as “Neurons to Nirvana” (Elevate films) and “Embrace” (Dir: Taryn Brumfitt) on Netflix. His debut directorial film “Black Star” won the Audience Best Short at the Illuminate Film Festival 2018, raising significant funds for addiction recovery. His follow up film “Igniting Impact,” showcased at the United Nations in 2019, highlighted global sustainability goals. More recently, Akira launched "Earth Speed with Adrian Grenier," a web series focusing on innovative sustainability practices and connection to nature. In addition to film directing and producing, Akira serves as a creative advisor on various boards and working groups. He is based in Southern California with his wife Renee and their son Osiris.

In Loving Memory of Shannon Thompson


We'd like to acknowledge this prolific human who dedicated her life to the art and science of transformation and made her transition Spring of 2024. She left a profound impact on the world and was a pioneer in her advocacy for feminine-based leadership and led her own non-profit, Shakti Rising for 25 years. Shakti served as Sanctum's fiscal sponsor, as Shannon served on our initial Board of Directors and played a pivotal role in helping uplift our organization (and so many others). Shannon's bold and unwavering dedication to service left a ripple of impact around the globe. She is greatly missed and her legacy will carry forth both in the hearts of all those she touched and in the form of spreading her innovative leadership methodology. We aspire to continue to embody what she stood for in our efforts to curate a culture of care for ourselves and the future generations. 

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© 2024 Sanctum Integrative Care. All rights reserved. Sanctum Integrative Care is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

© 2024 Sanctum Integrative Care. All rights reserved. Sanctum Integrative Care is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

© 2024 Sanctum Integrative Care. All rights reserved. Sanctum Integrative Care is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

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