My Favourite Spaces to Meditate in London
One of the many benefits of Vedic Meditation is that it teaches you to be self-sufficient and adaptable in your twice-daily practice. On MindMojo meditation courses, students are shown how to meditate almost anywhere.
Vedic Meditation is not ‘showy’. There are no ‘pretzel positions’, upturned hands with pinched fingers, or noises made. Meditating like this does not draw attention, as we simply sit comfortably, with our eyes closed and hands gently resting together. To most people it looks as if you are having a snooze, though you most definitely are not!
As a result, any location where you can sit undisturbed is suitable. This includes trains, planes, buses and tubes, as well as coffee shops, park benches, churches, or even hotel lobbies.
As a business person, I often plan my second meditation of the day with care, ensuring that when I have a heavy schedule I put it in my diary and stick to it.
Over the years, as I have moved around London during my working day, I have meditated in all the locations listed above and have some regular favourites when in certain areas:
1. Holland Park, near the rose garden
With 22.5 hectares of gardens, a cafe, and woodland areas abundant with wildlife, Holland Park is a truly beautiful place to meditate. It’s famous for its Kyoto Garden – a Japanese garden donated by the Chamber of Commerce of Kyoto in 1991 – but you might not realise it also has a quiet rose garden hidden away. This is one of my favourite meditation spots.
2. St Georges Church, Hanover Square
While meditation isn’t a religious practice, churches make wonderful places to meditate. They’re quiet and personally I find churches to be incredibly calming, soothing places. St George's is the parish church of Mayfair, and is close to where I live, so every now and again – if I’m passing at the right time of day – I take the opportunity to pop in for my afternoon meditation.
3. Waterstones, 3rd Floor, Piccadilly
On the third floor of Waterstones bookshop in Piccadilly, you’ll find the Spirituality, Health, and Self-Help books. I’m often here having a browse for my next read, and it’s also a great place to sit down for your afternoon meditation.
4. The 94 Bus from Notting Hill to Piccadilly
This bus journey takes around 30-40 minutes, making it the perfect time to settle down and meditate at quieter times of the day (after all, you will need a seat!)
5. The Enlightenment Gallery (yes, really!) at The British Museum
The Enlightenment Gallery at The British Museum is a treasure trove of weird and wonderful objects and gives a wondrous sense of having stepped back in time. During the day when it’s quiet, I’ve had many a pleasant meditation sat on one of the gallery benches.
You may still be thinking that meditating away from the quiet of your home is going to be a challenge, but I teach all MindMojo students that noise is not a barrier nor an obstruction to meditation. If you can think in a noisy marketplace, you can meditate anywhere. Although, the time I meditated near a motor racing circuit was admittedly a challenge…
Vedic Meditation teaches you to be adaptable so that you do not become dependent on a particular location or environment, whether that’s your home or a room in your workplace.
Whilst planning your second meditation is important, MindMojo students are also taught to be adaptable and imaginative, so that when the moment arises you can jump straight into your meditation, wherever you may be.
Image: Enlightenment Gallery at The British Museum. Photo credit: Wikipedia
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