In this Q&A, you’ll hear from Gabriel Olszewski, CEO of Sanctum, provider of mind-body movement events and classes. Emerging as a transformational experience for self-discovery, Gab shares how the concept has gone from livestream class to sold-out events at the world’s most awe-inspiring venues.
Tell us about Sanctum.
Gabriel Olszewski: At its essence, Sanctum is a 55-minute music-driven movement class blending a high-intensity workout, meditation, mindful movement, and storytelling to empower your body, clear your mind, and lift your spirit.
Blending ancient ritual with modern intensity, each session is rooted in disciplines of kundalini, Zen Buddhism, qigong, somatic movement, HIIT, and quantum energy work, creating a path to self-discovery and heightened consciousness.
Since our start in Amsterdam, we’ve brought the Sanctum experience to Olympic stadiums, hidden sanctuaries in London and Dubai, and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
How has the experience evolved from the start?
GO: When we began, Sanctum was raw and intimate — just my partner and I hosting daily sessions on Instagram Live from our Amsterdam canal house living room. It was stripped-back but electric, tapping into something people were yearning for.
Fast forward to today: We’ve grown into a nearly 50-person global organism, with close to 30 certified practitioners—our Sanctum Guides—channeling this work across the world, and thriving hubs in Amsterdam, London, and Dubai.
And yet, the essence—the untamed spirit and visceral heart of Sanctum—remains unchanged. We’ve continually refined the craft, pulling threads from diverse practices to deepen the experience, but our North Star is unwavering: to democratize the feeling of expanded consciousness.
We want every human, everywhere, to have access to this sense of vastness within themselves.
How do you balance community against self-awareness?
GO: Our architecture is beautifully intentional. It begins from within as an intimate excavation of self. Then, it moves between, into the collective resonance of those journeying alongside you. It ultimately extends beyond, into communion with the infinite: nature, the universe, divine intelligence… whatever language speaks to your soul.
Sanctum is simultaneously a radical act of self-exploration and a vibrant collective celebration. It’s a laboratory for self-discovery and a sanctuary for joyful, embodied healing. This dual nature is precisely what makes it so potent.
In coming home to ourselves, we open the door to authentic, electric connection with others.
What’s next on the roadmap?
GO: Sanctum isn’t just an experience; it’s a catalyst for global awakening. What transforms it from a one-off spectacle into a worldwide movement is our devotion to reimagining where and how humans gather to evolve.
Expect Sanctum to keep pushing edges as well, with more visceral, soul-quaking physical gatherings in the world’s most iconic landscapes — untamed nature, storied cultural sites, and striking modern sanctuaries.
And on the horizon, we’ll have something revolutionary in the digital realm, designed to fracture old boundaries and make this depth of transformation radically accessible, anywhere on Earth.
Anything else you’d like to share with readers?
GO: If you’re curious, if you’re hungry for more of yourself and more of life, come find us. Explore our site and step into a world where your body becomes the portal, your breath the compass, and your spirit the vast frontier.
If you’re interested in having your company featured in our Q&A series, send an email to team@fitt.co.
