In a yoga landscape often dominated by intense power flows, mirror-filled studios, and fitness-first mentalities, House of Soma steps into San Diego’s North Park neighborhood with a radically different rhythm.
Described by its founder as a "healing nest," House of Soma is an interfaith, community-rooted Yoga Shala by day and tea lounge by night. Born from a deeply personal journey of grief, recovery, and spiritual exploration, this new neighborhood haven aims to dismantle the commercialization of wellness while offering a true "third space" built on connection, radical inclusion, and deep nervous system restoration.
Founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2024 by Sundarri Rodriguez—an actress, musician, sound healer, and Kriya-initiated yoga instructor—alongside her husband and co-founder Kyle Peche, Soma began long before its physical doors opened.
The catalyst for the movement came from a place of profound loss. After losing someone close to her to alcoholism in 2023, Rodriguez felt a divine shift in perspective.
"It shakes up your world in a way where it’s like: I want to serve, and I want to help," Rodriguez reflects. "I wanted to build a space where the intention was to connect with community—a place where people can come and experience a chosen family."
Before acquiring their physical shala, Soma built its reputation by bringing meditative tools, sound healing, and breathwork directly to underserved populations, including the recovery community, marginalized groups, and previously incarcerated youth through partnerships with local organizations and the District Attorney’s office. Now, with their new physical home in North Park, House of Soma brings those values into a tangible sanctuary.
House of Soma co-founder Sundarri Rodriguez
Perhaps the most unique thread woven through House of Soma is its open approach to spirituality—specifically bridging the gap between wellness, mystic spirituality, and what Rodriguez terms "Christ-Consciousness."
For many in modern wellness circles, traditional religious language can feel fraught or dogmatic. Rodriguez, who grew up in the Christian tradition but found profound freedom in non-judgmental, unconditional love, wants to strip away the stigma and dogmatism to focus on the heart of the message.
"I noticed in yoga spaces people felt a little uncomfortable using the word 'God,’” she shares. “But God can show up differently for each individual. If God shows up to me in a tree, or in a song, that should be accepted. I don't think anyone should be stigmatized for their connection to the divine."
Rather than labeling House of Soma as a strictly religious studio, the founders embrace the framing of an interfaith community. It is a place where scripture, the teachings of the Veda, sound frequencies, and mystical experience sit at the same table. The core ethos is modeling the unconditional, radical love of Christ by accepting everyone exactly as they walk through the door.
"Our mission is to make sure every soul who's part of our community experiences support, friendship, and a sense of belonging," Rodriguez and Peche share. "Through breathwork, meditation, yoga, sound healing, and creative expression, we want to create a safe space for people to heal — and to feel like they belong."
That intention shows up in the class schedule, which leans away from high-intensity flows and toward practices built for nervous-system reset and reconnection:
- Morning Flow: an energizing sequence pairing breath and movement to build focus for the day ahead
- Slow Flow + Restore: a grounding blend of gentle movement and restorative postures
- Breath + Sound: a meditative class using breathwork and therapeutic sound for relaxation and clarity
- Kriya + Kundalini Flow: traditional Himalayan kriyas, breathwork, and mantra woven into flowing movement
"Every class is really rooted in a nervous-system reset and coming back to yourself," Rodriguez says. "It's about connecting inward before anything else."
Once the last evening class wraps, House of Soma shifts identities entirely. The same floor becomes a lounge, styled with floor pillows and low tables, a vintage hi-fi system from the ‘70s, and centered around a tea service built in partnership with a local herbalist, who is helping shape the menu from the ground up.
"It's going to be a yoga studio by day and a lounge by night," she says. "It's exciting to have a space that can hold both."
House of Soma is located in North Park at 3916 Oregon St, with daytime yoga classes in its soft-opening phase and a full slate of evening lounge programming expected to launch in August. Follow along @houseofsomasd
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