Introducing Well Commune: Shenton, this is a wellness sanctuary that will be opened for a month in the heart of Singapore. It brings together independent wellness practitioners to offer alternative therapies for well-being through various interdisciplinary practices such as art, music, technology, lifestyle, and healing. Well Commune: Shenton is a unique approach to wellness and healing that provides a one-stop holistic sanctuary, which is the first of its kind, where people of all ages can experience a wide range of healing methods.
Well Commune: Shenton will be held from now to April 30th and will offer a diverse range of workshops, talks, and events that cover various aspects of well-being. This includes a co-working space, a wellness retail showcase in partnership with Starzstruck’s on-site livestreamers, Open Wardrobe by The Cloop, free downloads like meditations and the Fairy Trail activity, art installations, adult play, and Messy Shed, where the community is encouraged to contribute to the stream of household waste materials that will be used to make or design things in this space.
In addition, Well Commune: Shenton is also hosting the inaugural Healers Workshop, which is an event designed for healers by healers. This workshop provides a platform for the healing community to connect, discover, and gain insights from experts in their respective fields. It presents an opportunity to participate in open conversations about important topics like ethics, values, pricing, setting industry standards and the overall business of wellness. There are also charity elements, working with Food from the Heart, Over the Rainbow etc.
We speak to Anastasia Ling, Founder of Well Commune to share more about Well Commune, what inspired her to set up a pop-up wellness sanctuary, the process of curating the programme for the event and more. Read on to find out.
Interview with Anastasia Ling, Founder of Well Commune
1) What inspired you to set up a pop-up wellness sanctuary in the heart of Singapore and what do you hope to achieve through this venture?
Anastasia Ling : Being passionate about all things health and wellness, it felt like the right thing to do when the opportunity came to explore an office building (PIL) that is going to be torn down as it becomes a platform for Well Commune to serve wellness consumers, practitioners and brands which aims to improve the well-being of people.
2) How do you go about curating the programme for Well Commune: Shenton and choosing the various wellness practitioners for your programme?
Anastasia Ling : I consciously decided not to include or exclude particular topics, programmes or practitioners, but welcomed different practitioners to have a “fearless experimentation” of the space and somehow word spread around, and it organically become what it is. I would say it’s quite the alternative and different wellness pop-up.
3) What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced setting up Well Commune: Shenton- pop-up wellness sanctuary, and how have you overcome them?
Anastasia Ling :
- Deciding to make this pop-up a community service through mostly self-funding and some sponsorship versus a pure commercial venture which then took a load off mentally to focus on the content than worrying about the financials.
- Managing the programme and practitioners to make sure it is fair and equitable by being transparent, having clear processes and honest conversations.
- Keeping within a tight budget by being super resourceful and also tapping on many favours and networks for some of the production aspects.
4) What are some of the main highlights at Well Commune: Shenton that you would like to share with our readers?
Anastasia Ling :
- Pediatrics Tuina for Gut Health and Immunity by EMW Physiotherapy & TCM
- Family Despacho ceremony
- Free activities like Messy Shed, Fairy Trail and Healing Sanctuary
- Climate Conversations with SG Parents
- Wellness Marketplaces and Healers Marketplace
5) What is your perspective on the current state of the ‘alternative’ wellness industry, and how do you see it evolving in the future?
Anastasia Ling : It is still in nascent stage and lots of room for exploration and growth by people as they start to look at the intersection of multiple modalities to help themselves – be it traditional healing methods with modern practices or combining eastern and western treatments. I believe people will want to take more ownership with their own health and will seek out alternatives to mainstream options as information becomes more freely available and people being more open to options to find what is best for their needs.
6) What are your upcoming plans and collaborations in the pipeline that we can look forward to?
Anastasia Ling : Well Commune will be working on a 2-day festival for a client that is taking place in June and developing a series of wellness experiences with a collaborator in the coming months. Watch this space!
7) Lastly, is there anything else you’d like to add and what would you like to say to our readers who are looking forward to visit Well Commune: Shenton?
Anastasia Ling : Come and play, explore with an open mind. Try as many different sessions and just indulge in the experience which hopefully can support your personal wellness journey for you, your family and friends!
On the opening and closing weekends, Well Commune: Shenton transforms into a wellness marketplace where you can find an array of wellness products from local brands and artisans. This marketplace runs from Friday to Sunday at the beginning and end of April. You can explore and purchase various items that cater to your wellness needs, from natural skincare to healing crystals, and everything you need to support your wellness journey. Finally, to say goodbye to the building before it gets torn down for redevelopment, there will also be a closing party called A Sonic Farewell to PIL.
Well Commune: Shenton is located at 140 Cecil Street, PIL Building, Level 13
For more information, please head on to : http://www.wellcommune.com and public can purchase tickets at https://www.klook.com/en-SG/tetris/promo/wellcommuneshenton/
(on sale now ; please purchase all tickets online before arriving on-site)
