Tim’s Take: Cameron’s pick is a different kind of recovery review, a 50-minute somatic class in a Carlton studio for $55, no hotel spa attached. The question I ask of any recovery experience is whether you walk out more regulated than you walked in, and sound-led somatic work has a real case to make on that count.
The detail that stood out in Cameron’s write-up is the headphones. Piping Alan Watts directly into your ears while your body is in a grounded yin hold is smart design. It sidesteps the HVAC noise, the echo, the person breathing hard next to you. One class won’t shift your sleep or HRV. But as a standalone recovery hour in Melbourne, it’s a genuinely different proposition.
On Tuesday, 7 April, I visited Soluna Society, a holistic healing centre that offers 50-minute sessions incorporating yoga, breathwork, meditation, Pilates, cardio and somatic work – and the best of modern technology through provided ‘disco’ headphones that participants wear that not only quietened outside noise, but also heightened my connection with the instructor.
The Soluna Slow Experience: Elements of Healing
My session – Soluna Slow, one of five sessions on offer depending on your preference – combined ‘slow somatic movement and healing modalities’ to calm my body. The session is based around four natural elements: breathwork (air); grounding yin yoga and stretching (earth), fluid movements (water) and meditative practices (spirit).
In general terms, Soluna Society says it aims ‘to provide a class for every body’, and it tends to attract four types of people:
- Emotionally-aware individuals looking to advance their self-knowledge and add new coping skills to their toolkit.
- People with a passion for wellness, looking to connect with and belong to a like-minded community.
- Curious, open-minded people wanting a new way to move their body and tap into their inner world.
- Stressed out, time-poor, dysregulated people who are looking for a break from the hustle through a complete wellbeing solution.
(Readers can make their own judgments about which of these categories I fit into. I am happy to hedge my bets and say a little of columns A, B, C and D).
Immersive Audio: Philosophers in Your Ears
Sessions can be booked through an online platform, but it does seem like the business would prefer to correspond over email or social media first as a way to get to know people who are interested.
What is perhaps unique or at least a point of difference about Soluna Society is how it uses the headphones not just to provide a clearer and more accessible way of listening to the instructor that isn’t distorted by the outside world or even the echoes of the studio, but also to include soothing background music and grabs from philosophers.
My session included an extract from ‘The Love of Wisdom’, Alan Watts’ radio series, where he compares faith to clinging on a rock.
Again, the novel part of Soluna Society’s session (at least to me), was being able to reflect as a group (including Gracie, the instructor) at the end about it. As I shared, if my university philosophy classes had combined Watts’ words with something similar to Soluna Slow, I might have absorbed lessons a bit more!
The Space: A Cozy Corner in Carlton
The facilities where Soluna Society is based – a wellness centre off Lygon St in Carlton (Melbourne’s little Italy) – were excellent. On the top floor of the centre, where Soluna Society holds classes, there is a shared locker room for people to store their belongings safely.
I don’t think I saw toilets or a private place to change anywhere in the building, so I would recommend arriving in exercise gear. The studio itself is cosy and is perfect for small groups of people.
With that said, there could be a potential crowding issue as more and more flock to the centre for different classes. The central locker room was also fairly cosy, so hopefully there are plans to ensure everyone’s comfort as things grow.
The Founders: From Corporate Beauty to Somatic Sound
According to Soluna Society’s website, Gracie and fellow co-founder Anna met while working at L’Oreal Australia New Zealand. Gracie teaches meditation and yoga, and ‘specialises in nervous system regulation and contemplative practices, drawing from both personal exploration and professional training’.
Anna teaches yoga and pilates, is a human design coach, and facilitates teacher training; ‘her background bridges corporate wellness with evidence-based movement and mindfulness practices’. Together, they attended a somatic sound-led dance class in London before bringing it to Australia.
While Gracie led my session, Anna participated and offered valuable insights during the reflection at the end of the session
Verdict: Is It Worth the $55 Investment?
A 50-minute session usually costs $55, although Soluna offers a sliding scale of prices to support customers through the dire straits we are currently navigating. I think this is well worth the cost.
I definitely felt inner peace while walking through the drizzle so typical of Melbourne’s autumn to the tram home. This could just have been endorphins after a usual workout or stretch routine, along with being able to walk through the wonderful Carlton Gardens, but I think it was more than that.
I think Soluna Society’s class provided me with an opportunity to ‘be a better friend to myself’ – a quote ironically from the gangster TV show The Sopranos.
I reflected with other participants that my weekly sessions with my personal trainer feel more like a session with a drill sergeant (sorry, Jayden!), but Gracie encouraged us to follow her movements to the extent that our bodies were capable.
A bit of flexibility, literally and metaphorically, goes a long way.
Cameron is an experienced news writer and consummate media professional, with previous bylines in SmartCompany, The Australian Farmer, Innovation Intelligence and other local outlets. Having completed his bachelor of journalism and master of communication at RMIT – one of Australia’s leading universities for media studies – Cameron uses his cross-disciplinary knowledge and industry experience to source news stories and find unique angles that create impact.
