- Title: Brits de-stress through meditation at top of London's Gherkin building
- Date: 21st May 2019
- Summary: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 21, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF THE GHERKIN BUILDING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MEDITATING IN GROUP 20 FENCHURCH BUILDING KNOWN AS 'THE WALKIE TALKIE BUILDING' SEEN FROM WINDOW MAN MEDITATING VARIOUS OF WILL WILLIAMS, MEDITATION LEADER AT BEEJA MEDITATION, ADDRESSING PARTICIPANTS DURING MEDITATION SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (English) WILL WILLIAMS, MEDITATION LEADER AND FOUNDER OF BEEJA MEDITATION, SAYING: "So, we've chosen the Gherkin because A it's an iconic building in the heart of London, you know, it's right in the city in the place where you might think meditation is least applicable and yet it's probably the most applicable because it's an adrenalized environment. And secondly we're in this beautiful space where we can sort of see across London and get a sense of perspective." GROUP MEDITATING IPHONE LIVE-STREAMING SESSION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MEDITATING IN GROUP SIGN READING (English) "beeja / meditation for everyone" WILLIAMS SPEAKING DURING SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (English) WILL WILLIAMS, MEDITATION LEADER AND FOUNDER OF BEEJA MEDITATION, SAYING: "World Meditation Day is a hugely significant event because there is this, every human being has this amazing capability to tap into something very precious inside that helps you be calmer, stronger, clearer, more creative and more productive and given the rigours of modern life that's super important." WOMAN MEDITATING TOWER BRIDGE SEEN FROM GHERKIN WILLIAMS SPEAKING DURING A SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRANCESCA LOUIS, CONSERVATION RESEARCHER, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MEDITATION SESSION, SAYING: "Yeah definitely, I think, I meditate most days anyway so it's kind of part of my life but yeah amazing to be able do it here in you know the city of London where it's so busy and yeah it just really brings a peace of calm to your kind of busy morning." (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATALIE BURN, ILLUSTRATOR, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MEDITATION SESSION, SAYING: "Yes, that's how I found meditation because I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and I found getting the tubes really, really difficult and when I started getting into meditation my anxiety reduced a lot and yeah it's a huge part of why I can like deal with London for sure." GHERKIN CEILING LONDON SKYLINE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT SEEN FROM THE GHERKIN (SOUNDBITE) (English) WILL WILLIAMS, MEDITATION LEADER AND FOUNDER OF BEEJA MEDITATION, SAYING: "Meditation can help Londoners and anyone living in a busy, urban environment because you don't need a quiet, dark space to be able to do it. You can start doing a technique in your mind and immediately the alarm system in your brain, the amygdala starts calming down, your nervous system starts going into a balanced state of activation and you can find an amazing state of relaxation, peace, calm and neurological coherence and neuro-chemical balance no matter what's going on around you." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MEDITATING IN GROUP CANARY WHARF SKYLINE WOMAN MEDITATING / PLANT WOMAN MEDITATING IN GROUP PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREETS OF LONDON LIFTS MOVING INSIDE THE LEADENHALL BUILDING PEOPLE MOVING ON ESCALATORS
- Embargoed: 4th June 2019 14:35
- Keywords: World Meditation Day meditation Gherkin building London stress relaxation group meditation Gherlin
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Society/Social Issues,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001AFUGCBD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: At the top of London's iconic Gherkin building participants took part in a meditation session on Tuesday (May 21).
Far above the hustle and bustle of the city, the intimate session was led by founder of Beeja Meditation, Will Williams as part of World Meditation Day.
"We're in this beautiful space where we can sort of see across London and get a sense of perspective," Williams told Reuters.
After experiencing insomnia Williams turned to meditation and found it beneficial for his well-being later inspiring him to pursue it as a profession.
"Meditation can help Londoners and anyone living in a busy, urban environment because you don't need a quiet, dark space to do it... immediately the alarm system in your brain, the amygdala starts calming down," he explained.
Sat on a colourful meditation cushion, participant Natalie Burn explained how turning to meditation has helped her cope with living in London.
"I found getting the tubes really, really difficult and when I started getting into meditation my anxiety reduced a lot and yeah it's a huge part of why I can like deal with London for sure," Burn told Reuters.
Beeja Meditation teamed up with meditation group Unify to live-stream the event and a second meditation session will take place in Vancouver, Canada later in the day.
(Production: Alex Fraser, Ella Wilks-Harper) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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