In Conversation: Bernadette Sukkar on the Art of Slowing Down

In the rush of daily life, our greatest clarity often emerges when we deliberately slow down. For Bernadette Sukkar, founder of Body by Berner, this insight transformed her journey from New York's corporate world to Bondi's wellness community.

In our inaugural PALME Edit, Bernadette reveals how evening rituals and visualisation practices became her foundation for both personal wellbeing and professional purpose. Her story reminds us that our most significant transitions begin in the quietest moments & when we finally give ourselves permission to listen.

At the end of the conversation, you'll find 'The Notes' section, where we've curated links to Bernadette's essential products and detailed her complete evening ritual—the same mindful practice she guides guests through on her retreats.

TRANSITION & INTENTION

Going from corporate PR in New York to wellness in Bondi is a big shift—both in lifestyle and priorities. How has that transition influenced your wind-down routine? What's changed the most since your New York days, and what's had the biggest impact on your well-being?

You've got to pay attention to the signs of the universe—they mean different things to different people.

For me, when COVID happened, I was completely burnt out and thinking about what my next shift would be. It was a moment where everything stopped. I was back in Australia at the time, and because of the lockdowns, I was able to live a much slower life.

I found myself stuck in Coolangatta, filling my days with exercise, meditation, and podcasts. A recurring theme kept surfacing for me—stories of people who were excelling in their careers because their actions aligned with their purpose. That made me start thinking: What was my action and purpose?

One day, I was out running when it just hit me—almost as if the universe had channeled through me—telling me to begin my Pilates training. From there, everything else just flowed.

There's a Japanese concept called Ikigai, which means "reason for being." It represents the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what offers financial viability—essentially, your purpose in life.

This is so true for me. Once I stepped onto the path of following my passion, good things started to happen. Of course, I work incredibly hard on my business, but I also noticed that opportunities and the right people just started to align.

In New York, I had no ritual. But I was also in my 20s, and it wasn't a time in my life when I was even thinking about prioritising sleep or rest.

Now, I've built an evening ritual that I even take others through on my retreat. It starts with playing music that emits frequencies promoting deep healing and calming the nervous system. There are compilations of sounds on Spotify such as Miracle Tones or Hertz Music.

I'm very big on scent and aromatherapy to clear energy, paired with breath work to encourage relaxation. I use Resonance Essence's Cleanse & Protect, product link is below.

After sound and scent, I lean into visualization. I use a technique given to me by my psychic, which is rooted in grounding and releasing any energy that doesn't serve me. I follow this with an affirmation: "I allow my body to rest and rejuvenate."

My days, like so many others, are fast-paced. This process helps me settle my head into my heart space, and once I've reached that point of calm, I do some journaling to reflect on my day and cultivate gratitude.

And on those days when I'm really exhausted, I'll take an hour to float in a magnesium tank—it's the ultimate reset.

MORNING RITUALS

Morning routines set the tone for the day. What are the non-negotiable practices in your morning routine that help prepare you mentally and physically ahead of your day as a small business owner and entrepreneur?

I firmly believe that what you do in the morning is far more important in setting you up for the day than what you do before bed.

If I'm training clients, my morning starts with a herbal tea, my go-to is camomile, a few rounds of breathwork, and a spritz of cleansing spray to refresh my energy. That routine only takes about five minutes, but if I have a slower morning with no early work commitments, I love to work out, have a sauna, and ease into the day at a more relaxed pace.

FINDING BALANCE

Body by Berner blends breathwork, aromatherapy, and movement to balance energy and mindfulness. What daily rituals help you stay calm and present while managing the business?

If I start to feel myself spiraling or unsteady, I like to take a shower—it physically replenishes me. If I can, I'll jump in the ocean for an even deeper reset.

I also have a visualization technique where I close my eyes and imagine a showerhead above me, with blue light pouring through my body, cleansing my aura. In my breathwork practice, I use a grounding visualization, picturing myself as an oak tree—my feet rooting deep into the earth while energy flows up from the roots to my head.

We're all human, but there's something primal about our connection to nature. When you touch the grass or lean against a tree, you can almost feel the energy flowing through you. It's amazing how much peace you can find when you reconnect with nature, even in small moments like that.

WISDOM & REFLECTION

Your career transformation happened during an unexpected pause in your life when COVID-19 changed your plans. Looking back now, what wisdom can you share with our audience about recognizing when our bodies and minds are asking us to slow down and listen?

I think it's like what came up during one of the sessions on the retreat—it really resonated with me. Imagine a river flowing. If you try to stop the river or control its flow, everything in it can't keep moving. We're mostly made up of water, and the universe is always speaking to us through signs, signals, music, and people. If you pay attention to that and follow your heart, you can never go wrong. But we're human, and it's not always perfect. The flow happens when you start to surrender.

There's real value in discomfort, because that's when you know it's time to shift and grow.

I live by this mantra: "I am the most important person I meet every day". I make space for my own rituals and for rest. This has been huge for me, especially because I used to have a tendency to overwork and burn out. Now, I understand that how I show up for my work is directly linked to how I show up for myself.

Before I had my business and all the responsibility that came with it, I didn't feel the pressure to prioritize myself as much. But now, I've learned that going back to rituals and giving yourself the time to reconnect with yourself is essential. There are amazing, free resources online—you don't need to pay for everything. It's about giving yourself permission to show up for yourself.

THE ESSENTIALS

• Healing frequency music for nervous system regulation
• Aromatherapy to clear energy and create ambiance
• Grounding visualization and breathwork practice
• Journaling for reflection and gratitude
• Magnesium float tank for deep restoration

THE NOTES

• Calming sounds: Miracle Tones / Hertz Music
• My go to calming evening scent: Resonate Essence Cleanse & Protect Spray
• Favourite herbal tea: Camomile 

Bernadette's Complete Evening Ritual

SOUND // Open Spotify, play 'Miracle Tones'. The sound emits healing frequencies that calm the nervous system

SCENT // Light Palo Santo and let its calming aroma and smoke fill the space, cleansing the area around you and settling the tone for your practice 

BREATH // Try this simple breath work technique for 3 minutes: Inhale for 3 counts, hold for 4, and exhale for 5. This helps to calm your mind and center your body

VISUALIZATION // Continue with your breath work, and as you inhale, imagine yourself leaning agains a strong oak tree, feeling its roots grounding you deeply into the earth with each exhale. Once you feel steady, shift your focus: with each inhale, picture the oak's branches stretching high above you, reaching towards the sky. As you exhale, release any tension or negative energy, sending it up and out through the branches, letting go of everything that no longer serves you. 

AFFIRMATION // Close your eyes and repeat the phrase slowly, three times in your mind: "There is enough time in the day."

JOURNALING // Answer these 3 questions: 

1. What am I grateful for at this moment?
2. How do I want to make others feel around me today / tomorrow?
3. What feeling do I want to experience today / tomorrow?

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Bernadatte's PALME set of choice is the Gigi set.

Discover the PALME collection, designed for life's restful moments at shoppalme.com.