It’s a cold winter’s afternoon and I’m standing at the doors of EQ in South Melbourne. I’ve just committed to spending three hours practicing mindfulness, an activity that does not come easily to me. Anyone who knows me knows I do not do calm very well. So, when I signed up to take part in a “unique sensory and immersive experience to manage stress, prevent overwhelm, and enhance daily life”, I surprised even myself.
Mia Basic is the brains behind EQ. After working in the high-stress field of litigation, she found herself looking for a heathier way to unwind rather than boozy Friday lunches and after-work drinks. She teamed up with property developers Nicolas Crema and Andrew Barbone (of Projects by Crema) to bring the project to life. Located across one level of an apartment building, visitors can book a single session for $150. There is no membership or subscription, with each experience consisting of a three-hour session concluding with a visit to the bathhouse.
Entering the space, I am greeted by venue manager Jessica Anderson, who takes me through to a waiting area. At this point, I’m nervous, still a little unsure about what the next three hours will entail. I calm my nerves with tea and small talk with the other two participants before we are taken to a theatre room. Typically, groups of up to six people can participate at one time.
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SUBSCRIBE NOWEQ’s first season, Welcome Chaos, runs until August 31. It’s centred around the idea that chaos is inevitable and that everyone must find calmness within. We watch a series of short films of people who go to extreme lengths for their jobs or beliefs. There’s a stuntperson who gets set on fire, an ice diver and more. I start to feel like I was being a bit dramatic about my hesitation to lean into mindfulness.
After the films, we head into the sound and light zone. Neon colour-changing lights surround the room and our group of three settle into bean bags on the floor, wrapping ourselves in blankets. For the next 30 minutes, we’re free to close our eyes and relax while light and sound converge around us. This is the part I was nervous about. I prepare for my mind to race for the next half hour. After a few minutes, I have a surprising realisation: my mind isn’t racing, I’m almost drifting off. Is this what it feels like to relax? I roll with it and before I know it, the 30 minutes are up.
In a daze, I wander into the next room, where we’ll be doing 30 minutes of breathwork. We slide into individual pods, each with a set of headphones and more blankets. I’m still relaxed from the previous room and this feels like getting into bed. With my nerves dissipated, I embrace the half hour of breathwork – and again find myself being able to switch off. I start to wonder if all those times I downloaded the Calm app during lockdown and tried to force myself to meditate weren’t proper attempts. Perhaps there is an art to all of this?
Finally, we head to the last stage: the bathhouse. I can’t lie – this is what I was looking forward to. With the group activities now concluded, we’re free to explore at our own pace. Anderson tells us we can spend as much time here as we like, and I really take her up on that offer.
Between the steam room, sauna, cold plunges and mineral pool, there’s plenty to do. After a stint in the steam, I head for the mineral pool. The sun is setting, and the pool is up against massive windows offering a panoramic view of the city. Even the thought of driving home on Kings Way in peak-hour traffic can’t get me down.
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