Finding Peace in Jakarta's Pulse: How Monash Alumni Discovered Wellbeing Through Mindfulness, Colour, and Connection
Monash alumni participating in the MOVE event at GBK Senayan, Jakarta
Jakarta – On Friday, 17 October 2025, Monash MOVE (Mindful, Open, and Energise) brought together 42 alumni for an evening dedicated to wellbeing at Roccaspace, GBK Senayan, Jakarta. Amid the vibrant pace of Jakarta, the event offered alumni a welcoming space for reflection, connection, and personal growth.
Mindfulness and Emotions: Voices that Normalise the Inner Landscape
The night opened with a discussion about the language of emotions. Yanitrasari Widyastuti, a Mental Health Therapist and Monash alumna, spoke with warmth and authority about the emotional spectrum professionals routinely navigate. "Emotions such as sadness, anger, and anxiety are not weaknesses," she said, reframing these feelings as valuable signals that merit attention. Her practical tips—simple, every-day rituals that readers can adopt between meetings or during a hectic workday—offered a concrete toolkit for nurturing emotional wellbeing. The message was clear: recognising and validating emotions can be a source of resilience rather than a trigger for discomfort.
Colour, Confidence, and Balance: A Visual Path to Self-Expression
Following the emotionally grounded start, Viona Sentausa, Founder of Polene Tan and fellow Monash alumna, explored how colour acts as a language of self-expression and confidence. From choosing a "power colour" in what you wear, to using colour as a means of self-expression, Viona showed how colour can function as a non-verbal coach. The takeaway was empowering: style isn’t superficial, it’s a deliberate practice in authenticity and empowerment. The conversation bridged inner truth with outward presentation, underscoring how intentional colour choices can reinforce resilience and authentic self-assurance.
A Guided Pause: Meditation in the Heart of a Fast-Paced City
Meditation session led by the Roccaspace team
The evening concluded with a guided meditation led by the Roccaspace team. In a city that rarely stops, the practice offered a rare opportunity to focus on breath and awareness. Participants were guided through a grounding exercise designed to release tension and reconnect with a sense of inner calm. The experience demonstrated that pausing—truly pausing—can be a powerful reset, providing mental clarity and renewed emotional balance in the midst of busy lives.
Roccaspace, founded by Monash alumnus Zacky Badrudin, embodies a growing ecosystem where wellness and community intersect. The venue’s role in the event highlighted a broader truth: wellbeing thrives when it is nurtured in community, not pursued in isolation. The space itself became a living example of the event’s core message—that authentic wellbeing is cultivated through connection, shared experience, and the support of a like-minded network.
Stay Tuned for the Next MOVE Session
Monash MOVE (Mindful, Open, and Energise) remains a forward-looking initiative, dedicated to holistic wellbeing within the global alumni community. Attendees left with seeds of new practices and an invitation to reconnect at future MOVE sessions, where reflection, recharge, and community will continue to play central roles.