Celebrate Pride Inside 2020

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LGBTQ, online pride events, Pride 2020, Pride events, Pride Inside, Pride London, Yoga With Paul

If you missed the glorious outdoor explosion of music, dancing, love and joy that is Pride Day then you need to check out Pride Inside where Pride events run until 10 July

Image: PrideInside.uk 

In ordinary years Pride is a global celebration and affirmation, with millions of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies fillings streets and squares around the world for a huge, joyous party.

Covid-19 has curtailed or halted many of the traditional gatherings. This creates an emotional, social and spiritual gap as, for many, this is a cherished opportunity to gather and find strength in solidarity.

Pride Inside was created as a way to gather, celebrate and empower the community through, “parties, performances and workshops from a kaleidoscope cast of LGBTI+ activists, performers and artists“.

Events include a master class on writing queer stories; a Bollywood hip-hop party; and
a discussion of love and anger with a queer black Buddhist.

For a full list of events — all free! — visit Pride Inside Events.

Photo by Toni Reed on Unsplash

Culture Tip: Digital Museum Tours

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British Museum, COVID19, London culture, London museums, Museum of London, Natural History Museum, virtual museum tour, Yoga With Paul

One of the best things about living in London is access to its vast and wonderful array of museums. If you’ve missed this aspect of culture don’t worry — you can still access it through virtual tours of digital collections.

Photo by Yuya Hata on Unsplash

British Museum

At the moment, you can’t walk up its historic steps but you can still walk through the British Museum thanks to its online The Museum of the World exhibit.

This immersive digital tour lets you follow a timeline of histories and cultures, or click to enjoy specific objects in the Museum’s collection from prehistory to the present.

Museum of London

This wonderful chronicle of our city is asking Londoners to share objects and first-hand experiences to reflect their lives during this time. The COVID-19 artifacts will form a record to ensure future generations of Londoners can learn about and understand this extraordinary period.

According to its website: “The museum is keen to focus on three strands of collecting: how the physical spaces in the city have been transformed – from a bustling metropolis to hushed streets – while the social and working lives of many have moved digital; the effects on key and home workers, and how children and young people are reacting to and coping with the changes now that many schools are closed.”

Natural History Museum

Few things are as fascinating as natural history, and the museum offers a compelling digital tour that will introduce you to some of the amazing exhibits. On its website you can: “Dive into the museum’s 80 million specimens with unique, new features: encounter a prehistoric marine reptile in virtual reality, discover pioneering Museum research in a short film, navigate the galleries in 360 degrees care of Google’s Street View team [and] take a tour of ten new exhibits tackling natural history themes.”

Have a tip for an online/digital cultural experience? Share in the comments!

 

 

 

Buddhism at the British Library

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Buddhism British Library, Buddhism exhibition London, London Buddhist, London exhibitions, yoga Buddhism, yoga meditation, yoga mindfulness, Yoga With Paul

I recently had the chance to visit the Buddhism exhibition at the British Library and it was a moving experience that took me back to my Sangye teacher training.

Photo: Paul Dobson

The exhibition — which runs at the British Library till Sunday, 23 February — amasses an incredible collection of art, manuscripts, devotional materials and even audio.

According to the British Library website:

Encounter the outstanding beauty of Buddhist manuscripts and artworks in the largest exhibition of its kind ever held at the British Library. Explore rare treasures from the Library’s collection including colourful scrolls, precious artefacts and stunning illuminated books spanning 2,000 years and 20 countries.

Meet the women whose stories are told through Buddhist scripture. Admire artefacts made by hand in a setting inspired by a Buddhist temple. From sacred texts written on tree bark, palm leaves and gold plates to exquisite silk scrolls of major sutras, follow the life of the Buddha and his previous incarnations. Find out how Buddhism was pivotal in developing writing and printing techniques, transmitting ideas and stories across Asia. Lose yourself in a natural soundscape.

Buddhism and yoga share many philosophical and spiritual connections. Naturally, it has been something that has attracted my interest and enriched my practice over the years.

In the past, I’ve blogged about my time at the Samye Ling Buddhist retreat in Scotland and the opportunity to visit Bhutan. These experiences connected me to Buddhism in a real way and brought it to life for me.

The core tenants of Buddhism — compassion, mindfulness, making effort for good — are applicable to our daily lives, regardless of our spiritual or religious views.

I urge you to visit the British Library if you have a chance, and immerse yourself in the powerful, transformative mindset of Buddhism.

Read more: Baldwin & Buddhism – summer reading, What ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ means

Photo: Paul Dobson

 

 

Free Wembley Park Fireworks

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Bonfire Night London, Diwali London, free fireworks London, Light up the Night, London fireworks, Wembley Park, Yoga With Paul

Fancy a few more fireworks? Head over to Wembley Park on 10 November for
Light Up the Night, its dual celebration of Bonfire Night and Diwali.

Photo by Mike Enerio on Unsplash

These days, most Bonfire Night fireworks shows seem to require tickets. Maybe it’s an inevitable result of increasing attendance, or something, but it seems a tiny bit of a shame — as fireworks used to be a spectacle for everyone to enjoy together.

After all, occasions like Bonfire Night aren’t just about fireworks, they are about community. In this vast city, it is easy to lead separate lives from our neighbours, so it’s important to make the effort to get out occasionally and take part in local events.

Light Up the Night is fantastic because it embodies London’s past and present. The combination of English history with Asian culture reminds us that Britain is a vibrant, mixed country built from the lives and joys of people from all over the world.

There will be street food, live music, a light parade and of course a fireworks show!

Wembley Park 

• Entry: free
• Times: Entrance from 4pm. Light parade at 6pm. Fireworks at 7pm.
• More details: https://www.wembleypark.com/news/8-things-to-do-at-wembley-parks-fireworks-spectacular-light-up-the-night

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

Ocean Film Festival London

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environment, London events, London film, Ocean Film Festival, Yoga Holiday With Paul, Yoga With Paul

Having spent some incredible time by the sea this summer, I’m missing the glories of the ocean. Luckily, the Ocean Film Festival, which is touring the UK in October, has a range of shorts that capture the splendour and fragility of the high seas.

The Ocean Film Festival splashes down in London 14-19 October.
Tickets and venue information are online here!

Read more: 5 benefits of hitting the beach, Karma yoga

Culture Under Attack @ IWM

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art, culture, Culture Under Attack, London events, London exhibitions, music, Yoga With Paul

One of the many fantastic things about London is that it offers so many opportunities to expand our minds and engage with other people and cultures.

Right now, at the Imperial War Museum, is a fascinating series of exhibitions and events called Culture Under Attack that looks at the relationship between culture and war.

This might sound gloomy but in fact the exhibition is celebration of the power of music, art, photography and dance to resist the horrors of war.

Photo by Austin Prock on Unsplash

According to the IWM website:

Culture Under Attack is a season of three free exhibitions, live music, performances and talks at IWM London that explore how war threatens not just people’s lives, but also the things that help define us. Telling stories spanning 100 years, Culture Under Attack reveals why some try to erase or exploit culture, while others risk everything to protect, celebrate and rebuild it.

Among the exhibitions, is Art in Exile which shows how cultural treasures in British museums and galleries were evacuated and protected during the Second World War.

There is also an exhibition called Rebel Sounds, focused on music:

Discover artists who have risked their lives in times of conflict for the music they love in Rebel Sounds, our powerful new exhibition at IWM London.

From Hitler’s persecution of swing and jazz groups to the ban of music in Northern Mali under Islamist rule in 2012, oppressive regimes have tried to erase forms of culture and expression. In spite of this, there have always been those willing to risk everything to protect their threatened culture.

Culture Under Attack exhibitions are free and run from now until 5 January.

More information at the Imperial War Museum’s page.

Dior – Designer of Dreams

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Christian Dior, culture, Dior Designer of Dreams, Dior haute couture, London exhibitions, London fashion events, V&A musuem, Yoga With Paul

As a card-carrying V&A member, and fashion buff, I’m thrilled the Christian Dior Designer of Dreams exhibition has been extended till September.

Covering 70 years of stunning haute couture, Designer of Dreams is breathtaking. From the bold post-War designs that brought Dior fame, through the extravagant artistry of John Galliano, to the sharp-edged elegance of Raf Simmons and the dreamy yet daring modernism of Maria Grazia Chiuri, it really is something to behold.

Rebecca Gonsalves, writing in Culture Whisper, said:

Inspired by the Parisian exhibition Christian Dior: Couturier du Rêve held at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs in 2017, Designer of Dreams has been re-imagined and updated to offer London fashion lovers a wholly new experience. A wealth of new content has been selected from the archives of the V&A and other British fashion museums, as well as private collectors and the House of Dior itself.

When Christian Dior debuted his New Look in 1947, it was viewed as a shocking antidote to post-war austerity. Oriole Cullen, Fashion and Textiles Curator at the V&A, sees this exhibition as something of an antidote to the Brexit doom and gloom, providing a much-needed opportunity for escapism. The New Look remains a key focus, but this exhibition is certainly not stuck in the past. Rather, it unites designs from the seven decades of the storied house, including those governed by current artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri who has won plaudits for her modern, feminist interpretation.

I’m certainly looking forward to soaking up the style and splendour!

Got a tip for a great exhibition or event? Share in the comments!

 

Victoria Park Easter Race

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London events, London fitness, London running, outdoor fitness, Victoria Park Easter Race, yoga events, yoga runners, yoga running, Yoga With Paul

Spring is a great time to enjoy the mental and physical benefits of outdoor exercise. Lots of yogis I know are runners, and vice versa, and if you count yourselves among them, you should check out the Victoria Park Easter Race.

This running event on Good Friday, 19 April offers 5k, 10k and half-marathon distances, so it is ideal for everyone from fun-runners to serious pavement pounders.

Outdoor running at its best

It is also a great chance to enjoy one of London’s iconic parks. In our busy lives, it is easy to miss out on the wide variety of wonderful spaces London offers. Stepping out of our routine to participate in events like the Easter Race is a great way to connect to the city, and to meet new people.

“The wide, flat paths of Victoria Park make for the perfect opportunity to test out a new distance or go for a chip timed personal best over the 5k, 10k or Half Marathon distance!” says the website.

The miles will be accurately marked out with sign posts and there will be plenty of helpers to keep you on track and cheer you all the way to the finish line.

Entry is £22 and  includes:

Free official race photos, Chip timed results, Unique Easter themed medal, Water,  and Fruit & Flapjack when you finish.

Click here for full information and entry.

Train with these yoga tips for runners, yoga for barefoot running, and yoga poses for strong knees.

Know about a fun outdoor fitness event? Share in the comments!

 

WOW and the New Masculinity

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Festival New Masculinity, gender, International Women's Day, London events, men's health, mental health, Southbank Centre, suicide prevention, Women of the World, WOW, Yoga With Paul

There are two great events in London this month that focus on gender, society and culture. The first is WOW — Women of the World — on 8 & 9 March at Southbank Centre.

The programme includes two very special conversations, including on Friday 8 March – International Women’s Day – with Angela Davis, and with Naomi Klein on Saturday 9 March, as well as two full afternoons: WOW: What Now? and WOW: What Next? led by Jude Kelly – and more.

WOW has held 65 festivals in 5 continents over 30 locations in over 15 countries from Baltimore to Brazil, Cardiff to Karachi, and further across the UK, Australia and the USA, reaching over 2 million girls and women, and men and boys too.

The WOW Foundation is an independent organisation working to build, convene and sustain a global movement that believes a gender equal world is possible and desirable through WOW festivals and empowering women and girls.

The second event that caught my eye is the Festival of New Masculinity. This is a series of events that focus on men’s mental health and, especially, suicide prevention.

 There’s a packed programme of events including brunches, workshops led by the trans community, panel talks on music and mental health, live podcasts and secret gigs with a portion of all ticket sales going to the suicide prevention charity Calm.

Know a great event happening this month? Share in the comments.

Yoga = CommUnity

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Help Refugees, human rights, Imads Syrian Kitchen, London pop-up restaurant, London volunteering, refugees, yoga community, yoga philosophy, Yoga With Paul

Yoga means unity. Every practice is individual but it shouldn’t be solitary. Part of growing as a yogi is extending the benefits we experience to others, in whatever form possible.

I recently spent an inspiring day volunteering at Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, participating in a fundraiser for Help Refugees.

Imad is a wonderful spirit, a refugee himself who is using his skills as a chef and restauranteur to aid others who are struggling to reach safety and rebuild their lives.

It reminded me how closely linked we are as humans. We can’t ignore what’s happening around us, or the needs of others, because we are all connected. We live here together, on this planet, in this moment. We have a daily opportunity to make the world a better place by how we choose to relate.

By participating in our community, we embody the true meaning of yoga. The inward unity of mind-body-spirit that we seek in the studio becomes woven into the fabric of our relationships with others. It truly makes a difference.

Even if you don’t have time to volunteer, there are lots of ways to engage with your community. It might be as simple as helping a neighbour, making a donation or signing a petition to support a good cause. Whatever you can do, don’t wait. Do it!

More about Help Refugees

Help Refugees started as nothing more than a hashtag in August 2015. A group of friends wanted to raise and fill a van full of donations to take down to Calais. Within a week, we had raised . We were soon receiving 7,000 items every day.

Fast forward three years, and we have helped over 722,500 people, managed over 25,000 volunteers, and we support more 80 projects across Europe and the Middle East. We have established a fieldwork first, networked approach to giving aid, establishing local networks and working with local partners to deliver projects.

Click here to learn more and get involved!