The Bread & Puppet Theatre: A Living Museum of American Hippie Culture

The year is 1979. Thousands of people flock to a farm field in Vermont, and wait for their stilt-walking hosts to christen the “Circus Ring” field with their presence. When they do, it’s in a parade of unbridled joy – a celebration of misfits, mainstream dissent, and all the freshly-baked rye you can eat. It’s a deceptively simple weapon – bread – slathered with aïoli sauce (garlic mayonnaise) and serve for free. Why? Because “theatre is like bread,” says the now 86 year-old founder of Bread & Puppet Theatre, Peter Schumann. The American theatre company that has been feeding the people, literally and metaphorically, since 1961 with Schumann’s homemade bread and homegrown performances. From the streets of New York’s Greenwich Village to the fields of Vermont, half a century later, this incredible company still stands firmly on its stilts as masters of merrymaking, rebellion – and baking.

Domestic Resurrection Circus 1988. Clarke Mackey / Flickr Domestic Resurrection Circus 1988. Clarke Mackey / Flickr

We have to admit: the first time saw a photograph of Bread and Puppet (B&P) in action, we thought we’d found a strange cult. They were fabulously bohemian but looked like something along the lines of the last great Californian hippy commune from the 1960s, in which white-clothed pacifists dance in the woods, keeping nothing but the company of a few goats and rusty Volkswagens…

via Bread and Puppet Festival Vermont 1993. Sean Connors / Flickr Bread & Puppet’s Our Annual Domestic Resurrection Circus 1988 Glover, Vermont. (photo RT Simon)

While Bread & Puppet is indeed not a cult, it is one of the OG “Back-to-the-Land” hippie communes from the 1970s that decades on, is still unchanged, and going strong in 2020. This is not just a puppet show, it’s a living museum piece on American hippie culture…

Bread & Puppet is founded on the central principle that art should be as basic as bread to life and Peter Schumann still single-handedly bakes traditional sourdough rye bread in a wood fire oven for the thousands of audience members who attend the Theater’s performances worldwide. It takes him several days.

Peter © Joseybakerbread.co

Schumann was a German WWII refugee who turned to violin playing, dancing and sculpting for catharsis. “We had to live wild and strange … trying to collect things to eat”, Peter remembers of his childhood, running from bombs and war. From the age of ten, he was learning to survive in the countryside where he learned how to glean the fields, grind the grain and make bread for his family.

The company was actually founded in Munich, Germany, before Peter brought it to Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the early 1960s, where he carried his tradition of baking and sharing fresh rye bread with the local community. The company’s manifesto gave the elitist New York art scene a welcome reality check.

Bread & Puppets proudly declared themselves as peddlers of profound, cheap art. Why, he argued, should those two elements be mutually exclusive? “Art is not a business!” they explained, “Art has to be cheap and available to everybody. It need to be everywhere…”

The Bread and Puppet Theater stage a protest of the Vietnam War in Washington. Fred W. McDarrah

Bread & Puppet took to the streets, often with Schumann dressed as a giant Uncle Sam, protesting everything from the war in Vietnam to nuclear power plants; the conflict in El Salvador to various political conventions with puppets that The New York Times described as “huge, godlike beings” in 1977. They also made quite splash at New York City’s annual Halloween Parade.

The company embodied a perfectly freewheeling, bohemian nature, but was executing very calculated moves to make activism more accessible to the public. People knew about canvasing, they knew about protesting. But protesting with puppets? Genius. “[He] re-invented the idea of the political parade,” Bread & Puppet alumnus John Bell told MNC.

According to a 1970s New York Times review however, Schumann was hesitant to pigeonhole the motivation for his work as solely political. After calling New York its base for over a decade, Bread & Puppet officially moved to Plainfield Vermont in 1973, to Goddard College where he had been offered a residency with his theatre.

Domestic Resurrection Circus 1988. Clarke Mackey / Flickr

“In part it was a family decision,” says Bell, “the Schumanns had 5 kids, they lived in a cramped apartment in the Lower East Side, they were robbed a couple of times. It was not a safe situation.”

Domestic Resurrection Circus 1988. Peter Shumann bakes his famous bread. Clarke Mackey / Flickr

But also, “The ‘Back To the Land’ movement was happening, a concept that overlapped with the counterculture of the 1960s, calling for people to leave the big cities and to grow food from the land with an emphasis on a greater degree of self-sufficiency and local community. “City life is a sort of imitation of life,” says Schumann. “I never wanted to be in the city”.

Domestic Resurrection Circus 1988. Clarke Mackey / Flickr

In addition to the pigs, chickens, and puppeteers, Schumann set up a printshop, a store, and a museum in a 150-yr-old barn.

Domestic Resurrection Circus 1988. Clarke Mackey / Flickr

The highlight of the company’s creative energy was always its annual “Domestic Resurrection Circus”, which ran from 1970 to 1998 in the woods, which Bell calls “an interesting 27-year collection and development of work.” For one week, tens of thousands of people camped under the summer stars for festivities inspired by the grand carnivals and of folklore from around the world. Which is where all those frolicking-in-the-fields photographs come into play.

Domestic Resurrection Circus 1988. Clarke Mackey / Flickr

“In the late afternoon, the audience gathers around the natural amphitheater to watch the circus with its paper mache animal act,” explains one retro TV spot, “its jazzy music, and political satire. Finally at dusk, ‘The Pageant’ – a vast allegorical drama – is presented by a cast of over 100 volunteer performers on a 20-acre stage of rolling fields and forest.” Check it out:

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“[Schumann] would say the purpose of the pageants was to look at the sky,” says Bell, “to think about the contrast between the green field and the blue sky, or that the puppet show was just an excuse, a framework to be able to see the landscape.”

“In a way it was a surprise that it became so popular,” says Bell, “especially in Glover, VT, and it ended up becoming too popular, got too big for the town of Glover and for Bread and Puppet itself.”

Unfortunately, the massive festival came to a halt in the ’90s after one man’s fatal accident when a fight broke overnight at the camp, forcing Schumann to cancel the festival. Festival-goers have been known for their open use of hallucinogens, particularly mushrooms. Since then, Bread & Puppet offers smaller weekend performances throughout the summer, and there are still plenty of shows to catch in New York City.

via Eating bread after the show. Jim / Flickr

In 2018, the company visited the middle states of the US. “We think it’s import to bring fast, cheap, political theatre to those areas,” their member Joshua Krugman, “In a time when we need to be doing what the rest of the world is doing, that is, rising up…”

Tyler Kellen & Tara Alan / Flickr terry j. allen / Flickr

The theatre also runs an apprenticeship program. There are five resident company puppeteers, according to member Amelia Castillo. “These people work for Bread and Puppet full time and participate in all projects,” she told MNC, “The Bread and Puppet “company” is an expanding and contracting thing: apart from our full time members, there are scores of puppeteers, artists and activists who join us for the summer, for a residency or for tour. Some are old full time company members, summer staff members, community members or longtime friends.” The common thread of their colourful backgrounds is a kind of knack for creativity, and nurturing community – they have foundations in poetry, farming, and philosophy; music, nursing and activism.

Peter Schumann

If the team had to whittle down the company’s energy to three words today, Bell says they’d be “Activist, Optimistic, [and] Life-embracing.” Above all, it was about community, and about fighting for the kind of world he wanted to live in, with the only tools he had – and that’s what brings us back to bread.

Peter Schumann at the Queens Museum © Scott Rudd Schumann Rye bread at the Queens Museum © Scott Rudd

There’s something incredibly soothing about watching and listening to Peter Schumann make bread and talk about his childhood. And here is his rye bread recipe in case you’re curious to try it out. Here he is in action:

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While the Bread & Puppet Museum is only officially open in summer only, but in true hippie hospitality, visitors are still welcome year-round “to come in, turn on the lights, and have a look around”. Just dress warmly in winter and be ready to enjoy the “massive accumulation of puppets, masks, paintings and graphics,” unlike any other in the world. See for yourself…

Schumann photographed by Sally Pollak / Seven Days (via) Tyler Kellen & Tara Alan / Flickr Tyler Kellen & Tara Alan / Flickr Jim / Flickr

The imminent future will bring Bread & Puppet to Nogales, Sonora (to create a piece of public theatre with migrants on both sides of the border) and Lebanon, where they’ll work with teens in a refugee camp to create an inaugural piece of theatre for a new arts space there. And of course, come summer, those “indoor shows on Friday evenings, and Circuses and Pageants outdoors on Sundays. ” Mark your calendars, friends.

Learn more about Bread & Puppet Theater on their official website

Omega and the 321 — the Business of Selling the Moon

You’ve likely all seen/heard/read the big news this morning—occurring on the overplayed “Speedy Tuesday”, no less—about the release of Omega’s new Moonwatch Calibre 321 in steel. That’s right, as we’ve been expecting/waiting for, the relaunched hand-winding (and I hate the term) icon of a caliber has appropriately been wedged into a steel 39.7mm case and slathered in vintage-inspired details from the old reference ST 105.003 Speedy from Ed White’s space walk in 1965.

While this news is spreading like wildfire, with many singing praise from rooftops, the real conversation to be had here is all about one thing—pricing. We knew from the moment Omega announced the return of the Calibre 321, which contrary to popular belief could not have taken the ‘extensive research and reconstruction’ touted by the marketing materials, that any watch fitted with the new-old caliber would come at a premium. That said, I’m still bewildered by the fact that those in charge of Omega’s pricing strategy determined that $14,100 USD was the appropriate ask.

Rewind to last year, specifically to Omega’s significant festivities at Cape Canaveral where I had the chance to chat with (among others) Omega’s sitting CEO and President Raynald Aeschlimann shortly after the formal announcement of the 321’s return. At the time I only had one real question on my mind; one question that I asked Raynald directly: ‘Given the caliber 321’s roots as a utilitarian everyman’s chronograph, was there any intent or plan for this caliber to be offered in a more basic and utilitarian steel-cased model down the road?’

Of course (as I’ve seen him do on several occasions), Raynald danced his way around the question without offering a tangible answer, leaving me to wait and speculate until this release landed, which has sadly confirmed nearly a year’s worth of speculation and suspicion.

There are a number of things wrong with a $14k sticker price for this new Speedy—a position I take regardless of knowing that I don’t have a horse in this race. While I can 100% respect its history, and the fact that countless folks out there are Speedy-obsessed, the Speedmaster just doesn’t do anything for me as an enthusiast and watch collector. Closest I’ll ever get to wanting to add one to my personal collection is my appreciation for the Flightmaster, but I digress.

Before even looking at outside competition, the new Speedmaster Moonwatch Calibre 321 fails when facing offerings within its own collection. Yes, I get that Omega has a dedicated workshop for the caliber, a workshop where a single watchmaker deals with a single caliber/watch. But what is that really worth, if you’re in the market for a steel Speedy? At a technical level the 321, past or present, is not a better caliber than the 1861 it eventually evolved into. It’s certainly a quality caliber, robust enough for NASA to bring it into service, and in present guise more elegantly finished than its counterpart, sure.

The point is, Omega already produces the Speedmaster FOIS in a 39.7mm steel case—a recreation of the first Omega in Space, and a watch that can be had for $5,300 on a leather strap. It uses different hands, and does not have the ‘Dot over Ninety’ bezel from the original ST 105.003, nor does it have an exhibition caseback. It’s hard to ignore the question of whether or not the new 321 is worth 2.67 times the price of the FOIS when examined at a purely physical level. Taking things a step further within the world of Omega Speedmasters, would you rather have the reissue 321 for $14k at retail, or a clean, original ST 105.003 Ed White for slightly less than that?

While we’re at it, let’s go through the rest of the catalog. Co-Axial Speedys remain significantly less expensive, and even Dark Side and Grey Side of The Moon references undercut the new Speedmaster 321 by just over $2,000. Speedy Tuesday releases and Snoopy? Both came in a hair over half the price of this latest release. Outside of the solid gold anniversary piece that launched last year (north of $34k), only one limited edition Speedmaster in the current offering eclipses the 321 by a couple grand, and it’s the only one that does so with some semblance of legitimacy. A 357-piece limited edition Split Seconds speedy is out there, powered by a self-winding co-axial caliber with a double column wheel setup. It priced out at $16,200, and unlike this new release (which is not limited) it will be quite scarce in the grand scheme of Speedmaster references.

Taking the lens up a few thousand feet for a moment, we’re all well aware that there’s ample price correction going on in the market, though the direction of said correction is incongruous. While some (Zenith, among others) have been taking steps to make corrections downward overall, we’ve seen steady increases from the likes of Rolex, AP, Patek, and others. Now, on that side of the equation there are a couple of things at play, but more than anything it’s a matter of greater demand than there is supply, and prices are being pushed upwards after the existence of said demand for existing models. In the case of Rolex, the brand has been slowly but consistently updating the specifications of its calibers, further justifying an increase in retail pricing (reportedly 7% in the coming month for the UK market).

This is precisely the difference at hand here. Sure, it’s the return of a caliber that many glorify and obsess over, but what is that really worth? Is it worth 2.67 times that of the Speedy FOIS? At some point there has to be a ceiling where even the most hardcore Speedy enthusiast sees through the shimmering veil of heritage and nostalgia that masks the new 321’s true value.

At the end of the day, take this position on Omega’s ‘latest and greatest’ for what you will. After all, we all know that watch buying is an emotional decision as much, if not more than it is a matter of math and physically attributed value. We also know that there are MANY Speedmaster fanatics out there, and based on sales of past Speedy Tuesday releases, Omega is bound to sell at least a good handful of these to collectors that will be happy to part with the demanded $14,100 sticker price. Would I support the decision personally? No. Do I think it has the slightest chance to become the next Daytona or Nautilus, inflated on the secondary market do to high demand and low supply? While anything is possible, I sincerely hope not.

Learn More About the Speedmaster Cal. 321 on Omega’s Website

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Hands-on: The Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver

As always, it seems like there are fewer hours in the day and days in the month than there should be. Amidst the backlog that is Watchuseek content I found myself staring at a screen—working on something that I simply didn’t have the heart for—and decided my last hours of 2019 deserved to be spent on something with passion and motivation behind it. This, my friends, is the last hands-on review of 2019; this is the Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver.

There are several reviews that need me to take ‘pen to paper’ soon, but as I stared into my personal watch collection this piece immediately sprung to mind. It’s one that I added to my personal collection not long after the initial review period this fall, and though said collection is anything but short on dive watches, the funky green Devil Diver still gets a fair amount of wrist time though we’re well past the “honeymoon phase”. Of the many benefits of still having the piece on hand, it has allowed for a deeper dive, so to speak, into the characteristics and quirks of the well-priced piece.

Because so many of us still set our go/no go parameters around dimensions, let’s start there. Yes, it’s 44mm across and 15mm thick, but it still works perfectly well on a smaller 6 3/4″ wrist. You can see in a series of wrist shots here, the shorter lug-to-lug length (no spec, but I suspect around 49mm?) helps it from overhanging on the wrist, and the smaller diameter of its bezel in relation to the case itself further shrinks its overall presence. Does it wear like a vintage diver? No, of course not. It’s got heft and is anything but svelte or lightweight. I’m the first to admit that when it comes to more standard case proportions I’ll typically lean towards things 42mm and below, but the Devil Diver is one of many exceptions to the rule—much in the same way as most Aquadive watches or the Hamilton Pan-Europ.

This piece is yet another from Bulova’s Archive series, and one of now innumerable ‘vintage inspired’ watches to hit the market in the last 5+ years. I tend to flip flop a but when it comes to this topic. Some brands have legitimate history to draw from, as well as the ability to execute a vintage reissue thoughtfully. Others see a booming trend and go ‘hey, we should get in on this’. In the case of the Devil Diver, I’m especially familiar with its roots. I’ve owned one of the originals back in the day—not the specific reference this is built from, mind you.

Aside from its retro and very Doxa-like vintage cushion style case, the real hero with this watch is its dial. Down to every last detail—the color, the font choices, the hands, the indices—this thing is just a treat to stare at. The hour markers are unlike anything being done in the market today, using clear acrylic cylinders on top of a heavy coating of luminous material, this look is a pure and unfettered throwback to the late ’60s and early ’70s that just doesn’t appear in the modern watch market, let alone in the sub-$1k range. Of course the famed ‘666 FEET’ appears at the bottom of the dial text.

It’s worth noting that this piece isn’t just for show. Bulova ensured ISO compliance, and the Oceanographer Devil Diver is a proper diver’s watch. Its crown screws down as it should, and its bezel action is surprisingly firm given that they went for a 120-click version rather than 60. The clasp on its bracelet is a simple locking fold-over as you’d expect in the category, though I’d say this is one of a few shortcomings of the watch overall. Given the heft of the watch and bracelet, the folding elements of the clasp just feel a bit more flimsy than I would have hoped for.

In terms of other shortcomings, the use of acrylic for its bezel insert came as a bit of a surprise as well. While it’s more true to the vintage, I’m going to remain curious about how resilient it is to scuffs and scratches over time. Thanks to the bezel design and its box sapphire crystal, the bezel itself is thankfully well protected in the grand scheme of things.

The last gripe, and I know many of you have been shouting it since starting to read this review, is the choice of automatic movement. Yes, the Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver uses the Miyota 812A. This means no hacking seconds, and in some cases a slight stutter in its sweeping seconds hand. To the latter, granted it’s not my only watch and I’m not constantly watching it, I’ve not really noticed. Whether or not this bugs you, well, that’s personal. I’d like a hacking seconds hand, but at the same time, I love so much of the character of this watch that it wasn’t close to a dealbreaker for me.

At full-pop retail, you’re looking at $795, which all-in-all is a decent price, but because Bulova deals with a number of big-box retailers you can often find this and other versions of the watch on sale. Case in point, we’ve spotted it for $432 right now, which is pretty hard to beat.

Buy The Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver On Sale Here

Learn More Via The Bulova Website Here

The post Hands-on: The Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver appeared first on watchuseek.com.

Hands-on: The Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver

As always, it seems like there are fewer hours in the day and days in the month than there should be. Amidst the backlog that is Watchuseek content I found myself staring at a screen—working on something that I simply didn’t have the heart for—and decided my last hours of 2019 deserved to be spent on something with passion and motivation behind it. This, my friends, is the last hands-on review of 2019; this is the Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver.

There are several reviews that need me to take ‘pen to paper’ soon, but as I stared into my personal watch collection this piece immediately sprung to mind. It’s one that I added to my personal collection not long after the initial review period this fall, and though said collection is anything but short on dive watches, the funky green Devil Diver still gets a fair amount of wrist time though we’re well past the “honeymoon phase”. Of the many benefits of still having the piece on hand, it has allowed for a deeper dive, so to speak, into the characteristics and quirks of the well-priced piece.

Because so many of us still set our go/no go parameters around dimensions, let’s start there. Yes, it’s 44mm across and 15mm thick, but it still works perfectly well on a smaller 6 3/4″ wrist. You can see in a series of wrist shots here, the shorter lug-to-lug length (no spec, but I suspect around 49mm?) helps it from overhanging on the wrist, and the smaller diameter of its bezel in relation to the case itself further shrinks its overall presence. Does it wear like a vintage diver? No, of course not. It’s got heft and is anything but svelte or lightweight. I’m the first to admit that when it comes to more standard case proportions I’ll typically lean towards things 42mm and below, but the Devil Diver is one of many exceptions to the rule—much in the same way as most Aquadive watches or the Hamilton Pan-Europ.

This piece is yet another from Bulova’s Archive series, and one of now innumerable ‘vintage inspired’ watches to hit the market in the last 5+ years. I tend to flip flop a but when it comes to this topic. Some brands have legitimate history to draw from, as well as the ability to execute a vintage reissue thoughtfully. Others see a booming trend and go ‘hey, we should get in on this’. In the case of the Devil Diver, I’m especially familiar with its roots. I’ve owned one of the originals back in the day—not the specific reference this is built from, mind you.

Aside from its retro and very Doxa-like vintage cushion style case, the real hero with this watch is its dial. Down to every last detail—the color, the font choices, the hands, the indices—this thing is just a treat to stare at. The hour markers are unlike anything being done in the market today, using clear acrylic cylinders on top of a heavy coating of luminous material, this look is a pure and unfettered throwback to the late ’60s and early ’70s that just doesn’t appear in the modern watch market, let alone in the sub-$1k range. Of course the famed ‘666 FEET’ appears at the bottom of the dial text.

It’s worth noting that this piece isn’t just for show. Bulova ensured ISO compliance, and the Oceanographer Devil Diver is a proper diver’s watch. Its crown screws down as it should, and its bezel action is surprisingly firm given that they went for a 120-click version rather than 60. The clasp on its bracelet is a simple locking fold-over as you’d expect in the category, though I’d say this is one of a few shortcomings of the watch overall. Given the heft of the watch and bracelet, the folding elements of the clasp just feel a bit more flimsy than I would have hoped for.

In terms of other shortcomings, the use of acrylic for its bezel insert came as a bit of a surprise as well. While it’s more true to the vintage, I’m going to remain curious about how resilient it is to scuffs and scratches over time. Thanks to the bezel design and its box sapphire crystal, the bezel itself is thankfully well protected in the grand scheme of things.

The last gripe, and I know many of you have been shouting it since starting to read this review, is the choice of automatic movement. Yes, the Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver uses the Miyota 812A. This means no hacking seconds, and in some cases a slight stutter in its sweeping seconds hand. To the latter, granted it’s not my only watch and I’m not constantly watching it, I’ve not really noticed. Whether or not this bugs you, well, that’s personal. I’d like a hacking seconds hand, but at the same time, I love so much of the character of this watch that it wasn’t close to a dealbreaker for me.

At full-pop retail, you’re looking at $795, which all-in-all is a decent price, but because Bulova deals with a number of big-box retailers you can often find this and other versions of the watch on sale. Case in point, we’ve spotted it for $432 right now, which is pretty hard to beat.

Buy The Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver On Sale Here

Learn More Via The Bulova Website Here

The post Hands-on: The Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver appeared first on watchuseek.com.

London Grilling: Central London’s first ever kundalini yoga studio with founder Siri Sadhana

As part of our Wellness Wednesday series, this week we are delighted to give you the inside scoop on the first ever central London kundalini yoga studio which opened on Monday 16 December. Based in Bloomsbury, Kundalini Yoga Studio will provide Londoners with weekly kundalini classes, meditation and gong sessions as well as workshops and teacher training, by some of the most senior and experienced teachers in the practice.

Our London Living editor Katharine, had the chance to sit down with founder Siri Sadhana, who is not only a kundalini yoga teacher and trainer, but also a talented singer and mantra artist. Siri has sung in a variety of styles including jazz, soul, blues and gospel. Her love of the healing power of music and meeting of the kundalini teachings led her to sacred chanting where her true calling was ignited. We asked her all the burning questions about the new studio launch, what makes her yoga studio so different to others in the city, and what she appreciates most about London life…

Siri Sadhana, it is very very exciting that there is finally going to be a central London centre for Kundalini Yoga! What can people coming to the centre expect?

It’s a studio in the heart of Bloomsbury only 4 minutes walk from Euston station, and 10 mins walk from Kings Cross station, so it’s incredibly central and accessible. And it’s in the basement of a large storey house. There is a small kitchen area on entering for teas and to put your shoes, plus showers and toilets.

We are offering weekly classes of kundalini yoga and meditation, gong and workshops. There is also a teacher training that will begin in January 2020.

What makes Kundalini Yoga Studio different to all the other normal yoga studios out there?

It’s quiet, intimate, light and accessible with a small outside area, it’s dedicated to kundalini yoga and meditation and serves as a sanctuary to reflect and retreat from the city noise. We will run a 40 day early morning practise starting at the beginning of January organised by Adi Priya Kaur. The practise starts at 5-7.30am and is called Aquarian Sadhana which includes Yoga, meditation, chanting, prayer and relaxation. It’s a beautiful, transformational practise to prepare you for the day – I find going to bed a little earlier makes it possible.

For those of our readers not familiar with Kundalini Yoga, please can you tell us a little about it, and what makes it so special and different to other types of yogas?
Kundalini yoga was bought to the west by Yogi Bhajan in the late 60’s, its referred to as a Raj Yoga (Royal Yoga). It is an ancient science and technology that activates awareness of one’s inner and outer world, developing truer potential and capacity. It works with powerful and relaxing breathing and visualisation, dynamic asanas (postures) along with mudras (hand gestures/postures). Chanting and mantra are key and foundational to the practise. Kundalini yoga is not kundalini yoga without mantra.

It is taught in a kriya (a series of postures) that are designed to bring about a transformation, through working a particular system of the body (ie the nervous, endocrine, lymphatic and immune system). The emphasis is on the flow and movement and sequence of the kriya.

What can you expect from a kundalini class? And are there any proven benefits?

Each class will start with a tuning in mantra, a warm up, followed by a kriya, relaxation or meditation, and a tuning out to ground and focus your energy at the end. This yoga cultivates consciousness of mind, body and spirit. The positive effects will penetrate into your lives and can manifest in numerous ways.

The benefits of the class include:

– Improved flexibility

– Core muscular strength

– Calmness in mind and body

– Positive attitude

– Improved mental balance

– Better awareness and connection in the body

– Improved sleep patterns

– An overall radiance

Why do you think there is been such a surge in popularity for Kundalini yoga the last few years?

Yogic scriptures talked about the times we are currently inhabiting. Many of us overwhelm and overload on a daily basis, our pace of life is fast and frantic. Kundalini Yoga offers an antidote to enable us to connect our vast internal capacity and excellence, along with the calming, wise and sacred voice within. The whole self gets met through Kundalini yoga. The physical workout is enhanced by the deep meditative focus, we strengthen the nervous system meeting the demands and challenges of life. We begin to access inner tools, as our intuitive nature develops. Mantra and chanting are key elements to this transformation that many experience from a yoga class. Using our voice to chant activates happy hormones, the vagus nerve -the longest cranial nerve in the body connects to most of the body, as we resonate our own voice we connect to our core depth and experience. Through this profound experience of our self we find ourselves, and feel the truth of who we are.

Are there any workshops or classes happening pre-Christmas that you’d like to tell us about?

We are running classes from the 16th December and have a special winter solstice event on Sunday 22^nd December from 7-9pm, with a few teachers in the community. We will dance, chant, share tea and have a relaxing gong meditation, all are welcome. The winter solstice is marking the path of the sun, the 21st is the shortest day of light, then days get longer. “The sun, moon, and stars are your teachers.” Yogi bhajan. In yoga we can come together in community to use these turning points in the seasons to cultivate a meditative and calming mind, supporting us to navigate tensions and conflicts that arise throughout life. We can start aligning ourselves with our inner light, wisdom and true nature by gently attuning to natural cycles occurring.

Will your new studio also be offering other types of yoga?
We are currently focussing on setting up kundalini, meditation, gong, mantra dance and chanting events. The workshops we run will explore themes around yoga given by senior and experienced teachers. Shaura Hall a yoga teacher and therapist will run a workshop on ‘the science of anxiety and overwhelm’ in February 2020. It will explore the nervous system and how it adapts to stress, and look at yoga and breathing. Shiv Charan Singh and Satya Kaur from Portugal will give a talk called ‘Nature is calling’ practising atunement meditations.

We heard that you also run some renowned music, dance and mantra workshops. Please can you tell us a little bit more about that?

This workshop has been developing over many years. As a mantra artist I am currently completing my 8th mantra and music album, many of the tracks I have created, are upbeat and great for embodying conscious dance. Having trained in a variety of movement forms, fusing my theatre and dance background, music + yoga was a natural progression. Mantra Dance combines 3 naturally healing modalities for mind, body and spirit.  The intention is embodiment, the foundation is yogic teaching and philosophy, the heart is a play+Joy,  We draw on the exquisite power of vibrating and toning your voice using kundalini mantras, as well as accessing the freedom and joy of dance expression, then slowly end with a relaxing gong meditation and relaxation. Sound and movement taps into our body’s wisdom releasing “feel good” chemicals, and aligns us to create habits of happiness, as we intelligently yield and twist, within the dance of life.

There seems to have been a sudden explosion of excitement and interest in gong baths and sound healing amongst Londoners in the last 12 months.  Will the centre also be offering that?
Yes. Like Kundalini Yoga, The gong gives a powerful and strong transformative experience. The gong works as a sonic massage moving through blocks and moving vital energy. A listener experiences kinesthetic sensation as the vibrating sound penetrates and dissolves thought structure. The resonance and vibration stimulates energy centres, releasing old patterns creating a relaxation response, balancing sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous activity. The gong can positively affect health supporting, stress, circulation, the nervous and endocryne system, sleep and energy levels.

Thank you so much for being a part of our Wellness Wednesday series. Lastly, where are your favourite places to chill-out in London. And do you have any tips for our readers?

I recommend a little bit of nature where possible, and yes its possible even in the heart of London. There are many hidden and beautiful gardens. Hampstead Heath has several seemingly hidden and secluded spots. Walking along the canal can be an exquisite meditation in and of itself. I like to go to the water, I know how good it is for me. The Thames at low tide near Blackfriars, gives you an experience of beach and cityscape views. I love the city views of London from Alexandra Palace, Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill.

 

If you are interested in finding out some more information about Kundalini Yoga Studio or would like to sign up to an upcoming class you can visit: kundaliniyogastudio.co.uk or you can follow them on Instagram @Kundaliniyogastudio_bloomsbury

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