Amanda Stuermer
World Muse Director
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Instagram: @amandastuermer | amandastuermer.com | theworldmuse.org
Some say London is the unofficial capital of the world. There is certainly no questioning its well-earned reputation for high-end shopping, museum hopping, royal watching, and pub crawling. Likewise, few would disagree that the London music scene has produced some of the world's most iconic bands and artists, but the latest scene to hit the world’s capital is making much less noise. It seems this 2000-year old settlement steeped in royal history and saturated with rock lore is ready to move forward a bit more mindfully. Here are our top 10 ways to experience the new British Zen-vasion.
1. YOGA.
Some of the city’s most revered teachers can be found at Triyoga. Venture further afield to MoreYoga for their signature GIN YIN class, Yin with a touch of gin to help slow things down, or FLY LDN, which bills itself as the non-yogi yoga studio and promises a jargon-free practice that manages to stay in line with tradition.
2. MEDITATE.
Catch a free introductory Beeja Meditation talk with Will Williams, the burned-out music exec turned mindfulness expert who got Tom Brady to sleep, or book a 3Tribes floatation tank which is set to your body temperature to help reset and rebalance your mental wellbeing.
3. CLEANSE.
Detox Kitchen offers vegan, active protein, and new mum options. Plus, all their vegetables are Grade 1 and 80% are grown in the UK, their fish is sustainably farmed, all their meat is free range from British farmers, they don’t use any preservatives, and they deliver in fox-proof boxes.
4. RETREAT.
With easy access to the British countryside and reasonable flights to the continent, there is no shortage of retreat options. Want a teacher training on Ibiza? A silent meditation at a historic manor house? Yoga Explorers offers a variety of ways to find your om away from om.
5. JUICE.
There seem to be juice bars sprouting up on every corner. You should have no problem finding a Joe & The Juice, Juice Baby, or Cpress near you. Choosing your favorite juice combo is much more tricky.
6. EAT.
Bad pub food is no longer the de facto Brit diet. Some of our favorite vegan-friendly nosh spots include The Good Life Eatery, Farmacy, and Wulf & Lamb where diners are encouraged to run with the wolves and eat with the lambs.
7. BREATHE.
The Breathing Room’s Transformational Breath workshops help you release old emotions and lighten your mental state. You can also join a Re:Breathe class at Re:Mind Studio, where you’ll learn to stay in the moment by paying attention to your inhalation.
8. DANCE.
Love dancing, but hate hangovers? WooWoo London has you covered with a calendar of sober raves across the city.
9. GATHER.
Leave it to the Brits to create Bespoke Mindfulness Events. Secret Yoga Club and Just Breath Project both offer special events for those who like their mindfulness to be a bit more curated.
10. WALK.
When all other mindfulness practices fail, walk it off. The Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park is the perfect zen-out zone. The pagoda features a series of gilt-bronze statues which represent the most significant stages of Buddha’s life.