Elle_Australia_Sep_2019

WATER

A FAVOURITEPASTIME

MIGHTJUSTBE

THEANSWERTOYOUR

MODERNWOES

IFRELIGIONISaculturalsystemof

designatedbehavioursandpractices

(as per Wiki), then self-care surely

fits the bill. Each Sunday sees

thousandsofusdevoutfollowers(at

thetimeofwriting,therewere519K

photostagged#SelfCareSundayon

Instagram)retreattoourconsecrated

spaces (bathrooms) to worship at

an altar (the bathroom cabinet).

Sometimes we submerge in water.

Thereareusuallycandles,andwine.

Solange even penned the hymn

“Borderline(AnOdeToSelfCare)”

onheralbumASeatAtTheTable.

Whileplentyhasbeensaidofthe

benefitsoftakingtimeoutforourselves

inthisway,notenoughismadeofthe

importance of social interaction for

ourwellbeing.AsMelissaDahl,senior

healthandscienceeditoratTheCut,

hassaid:“Alotofthethingsyouread

aboutarelike,‘Cancelyourplans,stay

in,doa sheetmask.’[But]...connecting

withotherpeopleispartofself-care

that[we]don’tthinkaboutenough.”

Filmmaker Mary Minas and

botanistFreyaBerwickagree.Asthe

founders of Sense Of Self, an

upcoming bathhouse and wellness

spaceinMelbourne’sCollingwood,

they understand the importance of

interactioninouroverallhealth.“We

sawtheimpactthatcommunionand

relaxation [in bathhouses] had on

people aroundthe world,”explains

Berwick.“Wewanttocreatea space

andaculture wherepeoplewillbe

able to feel more connected and

accepting of themselves. Sense Of

Self[willfocus]onthreethings:social

connection,lifebalanceandamore

positive relationship with ourselves,

whichincludesourbodies.Allofthese

thingsimpactourhealth.”

Taking design and philosophy

cues from Japanese onsens and

Turkish hammams, Sense Of Self is

intended tobe a serene space for

bathing,steamingandsauna-ing,with

mindfulnessareas(includingnapping

spaces),massagesandDIYmudand

scrubexperiences(acryingroomwas

proposedonInstagram,presumablyas

ajoke,butMinassayswithalaugh

thatit’s“tobedetermined”).Theidea

is tomakea visita regularoccurrence

ratherthana one-offtreatand,assuch,

membershipsareavailable.Thinkofit

likean anti-gymmembership, inthat

it involvessittingforperiods–soyou

mightactuallyuseit.

Butthequestionremains:bathers

onoroff?“Forthemostpartit willbe

batherson,”saysMinas.“Butwedon’t

wanttodeprivethosewhoknowthe

liberty of nude bathing, so we’ll

allocatetimeswhenbathersareoff.”E

SenseOfSelfis settoopenbytheendof

2019;sos-senseofself.com

BYALEXANDRAENGLISH

THERAPY

APP

HAPPY

TECH EXPERT RAE

JOHNSTON SHARES

THE BEST DOWNLOADS

FOR A DAILY HIT

OF SELF - CARE

WHILE THE THOUGHT of “self-care”

might trigger the impulse to put your

phone in a drawer for a few hours, the

positive benefits of these apps and

games are well worth the screen time.

ALOE BUD (IOS)

Depending on your non-negotiables when

it comes to self-care (categories include

Hydrate, Move, Breathe, Rest, Fuel and

Stimulate), Aloe Bud gives gentle

encouragement, reminding you to check

in on those aspects and focus on your

wellbeing. There’s journalling and fun

facts, plus a super cute ‘90s aesthetic.

Free, or $2.99-$7.99 for premium content

SAYANA (IOS)

A self-care app with a difference, helping

you understand your emotions through

conversational “check ins” in which you

chat about your day and your thoughts.

It’s set up like a text message chat (with

a character named Sayana), encouraging

you to think about how you really feel and

why, while offering tools to help. Free

#SELFCARE (IOS, ANDROID)

In this soft, pastel game, you stay in bed

all day – perfect for days when you

wish you could IRL, too. Designed as

a pocket companion for relaxation and

mindfulness, it creates a safe space to

work through daily life in your own time.

You can cuddle your cat, light a candle

or even sort laundry –

prompting meditation

techniques you might

not even realise you’re

doing. Free

72

A QUICK NOTE

Don’t ignore mental health

issues or rely on Dr Google

if you’re struggling. Visit your

GP who can refer you to

a local professional, or

head to beyondblue.org.au.

CULTURE

SELF