Written by Kristan Obeng

Yoga Sanctuary’s healing and soothing influence, at its east and west side Las Vegas locations, have benefited people worldwide, according to its owner Sherry Goldstein.

She explained, “It’s a sanctuary for them- a retreat,” adding this is why thousands of attendees come to her two studios from across the globe.

”The nurturing quality of the studios and its healing energy comes from the top down starting with the owner,” said Kim Meoli, a master-level teacher at Yoga Sanctuary’s west side studio.

Goldstein’s studios have thrived for 13 years because she said she combined her business philosophy with her personal philosophy of acceptance, love and compassion for people.

“Other studios use a militaristic approach and yell,” Goldstein said. “I believe yoga is about embracing everyone with love, to help them find their voice and strength to cope outside.”

Goldstein said her approach led to attendees taking Yoga Sanctuary’s classes despite the recession.

“Students told me they come because they need yoga to reduce their stress,” she said. “Yoga connects you on a spiritual level that brings hope.”

“People need it more than ever,” Meoli agreed with Goldstein. “It helps them through difficult times.”

Goldstein offers discounts and economical class packages for attendees. “We have special $10 classes. We offer complementary classes on Thursdays at the west side studio at 6:45 p.m. and Tuesdays at 9 a.m. at the east side,” she said. 

Goldstein trained in ballet and modern dance at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City until an elbow injury shifted her career focus to earning an Education degree.

She met her first yoga teacher, the prominent Dharma Mittra, and fell in love with yoga.  Goldstein has taught yoga for 20 years. The international Yoga Alliance certified her as a teacher.

She came to Las Vegas in 1995 when yoga wasn’t well known. She started teaching yoga at gyms, where gym owners titled her classes “Stretch and Relax.”

Her career took off just as Las Vegans began to understand yoga. She taught yoga to stars from shows on the Strip such as Cirque du Soleil, Mystere and Siegfried and Roy.

She researched until she launched her studios in 1997. “Las Vegas is a different market.  It’s a 24 hour town. It’s a challenge with scheduling,” she said. “We worked hard on our marketing, promotion, email blasts and posters to generate awareness.”

Social media, she said, aided in awareness of her studios. There is a blog, Twitter, Facebook and website for Yoga Sanctuary.

“We get 1,100 hits a day on the website. People fly here from all over once they see we’re having a workshop,” Goldstein said. “They say our website is user friendly and they like it.”

She saw her staff grow from six to 22. She changed studio locations in the early years because of growth and to make her studios more accessible.

Her east side studio is just south of Interstate 215 at 9480 S. Eastern Ave. Her west side location is west of Buffalo at 7915 W. Sahara Ave.

She said she envisioned the design of her studios years ago when she was taking a business class. “I envisioned simplicity, no clutter  and a Zen-like feeling. That’s what yoga is.”

Her west side studio has dim lighting; spacious studios with glossy hard wood floors and plain walls only decorated with Sanskrit- the language of yoga.

She said the east side studio faces the mountains, adding “it’s like staring at a painting. Students say they feel a shift of peace when they come to both studios.”

Yoga Sanctuary’s reputation attracts renowned yoga masters who usually headline top yoga conferences around the world.

From Sept. 17-19 married master-level teachers Nicki Doane and Eddie Modestini will fly from Maui to teach Maya Yoga Vinyasa Fusion, which helps find deep inner strength.

The studios have 60 classes seven days a week. “We teach popular styles of yoga: hot, power, therapeutic, live music and candlelight- it’s soothing,” Goldstein said.

There are yoga classes for children. “It’s good for their concentration in school, agility and the breath work calms them down,” she said.

 “More women doing yoga is a given, but through the years many men, including athletes do it,” Goldstein said. “They realize they get tight and need flexibility. There are more men now then when we first started.”

She said newcomers shouldn’t be afraid of yoga, adding “They’ll feel safe. At gyms there is competitiveness, but none here. Teachers give support and love.”