"I see SOMM as a community of likeminded people doing things a little differently, who want to meet, connect and create with people on the same page."


Your journey so far has spanned from running yoga retreats to wellness workshops, teaching and guiding clients through meditation, founding alcohol-free initiatives and hosting events in these areas - you’ve been busy!

Where did the idea for SOMM come from, and can you tell us a little bit about what it is?

SOMM is ‘The School of Modern Meditation’. Since I moved back to NZ 5 years ago, I’ve wanted to create a ‘home’ for the modalities I practice, teach and work with myself - meditation, breathwork and sound.

All meditative practices from different lineages but all with the one purpose – to help us integrate, understand and connect with all the different parts that make us ‘human’.

At SOMM we offer scheduled classes, bite-sized seated practices. Giving people pockets of time, space, clarity and connection in their days.

We’re also an event space - I also wanted to create a home for No Beers? Who Cares! events. So we also have our alcohol-free ‘SoBar’ at SOMM making it a place where we can hold alternative events for people who don’t want to drink alcohol, but still want to socialise.

It’s only just begun, but where do you hope to see the SOMM community grow to in the future?

A hope that we will be a hub for breathwork, meditation and other modalities that are “gifts for our nervous system.”

I see us as the go-to place for workshops, courses and wellness events. Most of all I see SOMM as a community of likeminded people doing things a little differently, who want to meet, connect and create with people on the same page.

 

Zoe recently joined one of the Full Moon gatherings and loved it! For someone who might not be able to make it into the SOMM studio, are there any rituals they could perform at home on the next Full Moon?

For me this time of the month is about reflection and intention.

Just sitting quietly one evening during the full moon we can take some time to let our minds drift back to see if there are any aspects of the previous weeks we can refine, and then set an intention for the month ahead.

The more we do this, the more we stay our course.

 

As a busy mum, how do you personally find balance in your day to day life?

I don’t all the time that’s for sure but a daily meditation practice encourages a sense of connection to and attunement with ourselves so that is very nuanced and deep. So when I’m becoming overwhelmed, tired and rundown I feel the signals before they become serious and then have the ability to make adjustments accordingly and quickly.

I also know the things I need to do daily to be happy and healthy and I’ve created a lifestyle around those things: getting good sleep, twice daily meditation practice, daily movement and eating regularly.

I also find it really helpful to have a good novel on the go as a way for my brain to relax in the evening. All of these are pretty non-negotiable in my life and I fit my work around these things.

 
Lastly, tell us about the upcoming events at SOMM that you’re most excited
for, and how can our community book in?

I’m so pumped about our regular schedule staring on August the 2nd. These are our 25 minute classes of SOMM BREATHE, SOMM GUIDED and SOMM SOUND.

We have some beautiful teachers on board and I can’t wait for people to experience the benefits of these simple and accessible classes. You can book in to sit with us via www.wearesomm.co and follow the developments via @wearesomm_