When I signed up for a 1.5 hour meditation session (£30) on a Saturday morning in Hyde Park it seemed like a good idea. But getting up early and travelling into London I was less sure of the wisdom of my decision. However, I emerged from Knightsbridge tube station blinking into the sunshine to find myself on Serpentine Walk which means that I was literally a minute’s walk from Hyde Park.
I was early! The sun was shining and I walked towards the Serpentine watching the low flying geese overhead and all the joggers and ski-skaters around me. The Serpentine Café was buzzing and I bought a cup of sublime caramel cappuccino and a slab of lemon drizzle cake and watched the bright sunshine over the frozen lake and smiled to myself at the quizzical looks of the ducks and swans standing on the ice. This meditation lark must be good because I was feeling great and hadn’t even taken the class yet!
I looked at the map outside to work out how I got to the Outlook centre and set off across the wide open grass areas watching all the happy people with their dogs and kids. Finally I reached this rather new looking building – a sort of modern log cabin surrounded by gardens and standing stones. The Royal Parks staff were welcoming and directed me inside. As I was early I grabbed a cup of tea, admired the sunny wooden modern space, noted that Sting and his wife had sponsored one of the rooms and had a chat to the co-founders: Rich Pierson and Andy Puddicombe.
Andy – who leads the session – is a warm, friendly guy and completely normal (was I expecting a weirdo?). The Times called him “Britain’s top meditation guru” and he casually dropped into the conversation that he had studied meditation for 10 years as a Buddhist monk. I had been promised a “no tree hugging” and a “no religion” session and I was reassured by his manner.
At 11am the room was filled with about 80 people – most were in their early-mid 30s but there was really just about every sort of person present – young, old, male, female, straight, gay, professional, geeky, wealthy, average - some were alone, some in couples and even a few in small groups.
Andy’s talk was accompanied by some modern, tech age but accessible visuals and he started off by tackling the common myth that meditation is just for yogis. He explained that it was really about mindfulness (or “being completely in the moment”) and did some fascinating juggling to demonstrate how to do something in a relaxed way but with focus and skill.
He took us on a whirlwind tour of some scientific data (impressively with support from Yale and Harvard Universities) that showed those who meditated regularly had managed to alter their brain structures and were actually happier people. He gave a nod to the way in which meditation could ease both physical and mental conditions and increase learning and performance. It can even help with weight loss, stress, addiction, fitness and insomnia. The literature mentions that Andy is the only NHS approved meditation practitioner so I guess that provides external verification of his credentials.
There were a series of short, fun animations addressing some of the key points of meditation and then he asked us to relax, sit comfortably and breathe slowly before guiding us through our first 10 minute meditation. I was afraid that I would fall asleep but managed not to. I have to say that I ended the exercise feeling really calm and at peace with the world. It seems that everyone else had a similar experience. It was really rather refreshing.
At this point he asked us to take out the two tiny bars of chocolate that we had been asked to select when we arrived. He took us through looking, feeling, smelling and finally eating the chocolate in a way that really directed our attention on the experience. I have to say that I have never quite enjoyed such a small piece of chocolate so much and will think about this experience next time I start gobbling my way through a pack of peanut M&Ms.
Towards the end of the session Rich described the SmartPhone App (which I immediately downloaded) and described the free and the subscription meditation services. He explained the various activities being undertaken with leading corporations – including the Virgin Atlantic meditation channel and the Twinings Tea “Back to you” campaign. Books and TV programmes were on the list.
He also mentioned the joint programme with the Royal Parks and indicated that there were a series of walking podcasts for each park that were triggered by the GPS system when you were near. I really liked the way that the latest technology has been used to make an ancient skill more accessible in the modern age. I was also impressed that – although they didn’t mention it – they donate their profits to charity and provide services free of charge to charities such as Centrepoint and Rokpa to help young people.
As I walked back across the park towards the tube station I definitely felt lighter and happier and with a greater sense of peace. I’m fairly sure that I will take the time out to meditate – even if I don’t quite manage it every day.
Further sessions at The Outlook are planned, take a look at:
http://www.supporttheroyalparks.org/news_and_updates/news/416_get_some_headspace_with_the_royal_parks_foundation
http://www.getsomeheadspace.com/
