Hidden down one of trendy South Melbourne’s side streets, Sally Kellett’s brainchild, Mirosuna, is offering a wide range of classes focused on mindfulness “with a twist.” Giving off major speakeasy vibes, “Melbourne’s newest mindfulness and meditation hub,” from the outside, looks like any other Melbourne garage. However, LED lights lead you to a doorway that exposes a chic haven for relaxation, handcrafted by Sally herself.
The class I would be attending was called ‘Wine and Wind Down,’ and was said to combine “serious relaxation and a body movement class… with a glass of wine.” Reading this on the media release before my visit I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but it was Friday night and my week had been exhausting so at wine, I was sold.
Walking in I was immediately offered a glass and told to explore the space at my leisure. Instantly I was drawn to the center or the room where Palo Santo burned, giving off the most amazing aroma, perfectly accentuating the experience without being overpowering. The yoga mats on the floor were each custom suede, which seemed odd until Sally explained that it is one of the cleanest surfaces for movement classes due to its inability to absorb sweat. From the floors, to the curtains, to the air vents, she told us that each fitting, furnishing and decoration was thought out and custom made to provide the best possible space for her practice.
Following the introductory drink, we all sat on our mats with Sally as she explained the concept of mindfulness and why she is so passionate about it. From the outset it was glaringly obvious that she is good at what she does. She completely came to life as she talked about her work and her desire to help people incorporate this practice into their lives. As a former, successful member of the corporate world, she told us that she had possessed the finer things in life, but that despite this she didn’t feel that she was happy. Sally explained to us that seeking happiness from these materialistic things is what is known as ‘hedonic happiness,’ and while it may feel good for a while, this feeling is often fleeting, as the excitement one gets from gaining money or possessions often fades with time. She left that life and focused of finding “eudaimonic happiness,” or what she called “sustainable happiness.” Happiness that she said could only be found within herself. And she believes that she has found it in the mindfulness techniques she would be teaching us.
The class began and we got into some deep stretching. And, while the term ‘stretching’ definitely lulled me into a sense of security as I expected the typical, low-impact, generic stretches that you would ordinarily do before a workout, I was surprised to find that this WAS the workout. My flexibility, strength and physical and mental endurance were all tested as I followed Sally through her series of movements. All of this I did whilst also stopping periodically to numb the pain in my muscles with a swig from my wine glass (which was always full thanks to Sally’s eagle-eyed team coming over to top me off whenever I was low).
The last 15 minutes of the class were then spent doing breathing exercises in bed (one of the comfiest beds I have ever lay on). Before we started Sally joked that we may fall asleep, but I actually did. The combination of soothing music, scents and breath-work (and wine) made it virtually impossible not to. When I awoke, and it was time to leave the studio I felt like I’d had a full night’s sleep, relieved of any tension.
Walking in to Mirosuna I had a thousand questions: What is mindfulness? Why should I be aiming to incorporate wellness into my day-to-day life? Upon leaving, Sally had answered them all except one – why the alcohol? Mirosuna offers a range of classes supporting mindfulness, each with the aim to “turn wellness on it’s head.” These range from ‘Sleep Techniques,’ to ‘Mindfulness Tea Journey.’ However, the clear point of difference that sets this studio apart from anywhere else I have been is the booze, and classes like ‘Wine and Wind Down,’ or their other equally cheekily named ‘Yin and Tonic.’ Sally says it’s all about not feeling restricted. When it comes to mindfulness, she wants “the ordinary person” to feel free to “connect to their practice.” “And if that involves a glass of gin… then that’s what Mirosuna is all about.”
Prior to my time at Mirosuna, when I thought of the term ‘mindfulness’ I immediately pictured sitting alone somewhere, cross-legged with my eyes closed and my hands rested palms up on my knees. I believed it centred around the idea that you can switch off and completely relax your mind just by sitting quietly for an extended period of time. If I’m being completely honest, the concept of mindfulness just seemed entirely unfeasible to me, as this didn’t seem like something my overworked brain would be able to do. What I never pictured was that the concept of being mindful was so much broader than that. That sitting in a room of like-minded people, drink in hand, moving and being present can actually help to create the kind of sustainable happiness and inner calm that is the overarching goal of mindful wellness.
I am a mindfulness convert thanks to this class, and I will most certainly be back.
For more on Mirosuna, please visit www.mirosuna.com.
