London has a brand new place for those who love body and mind wellness, yoga practice and healthy living. It’s for those who want to join a friendly and caring environment with an artistic edge, made by people who absolutely love what they do and offer a full experience that goes beyond the simple ‘hour of yoga class in a crowded gym’. A place to leave the stress of the city life behind, nourish our spirit and reconnect with ourselves in the best way possible. This place is called LEVELSIX Peckham.
The brand new yoga studio was founded by the combined forces of yoga teacher Will Wheeler (read his lovely interview for Wandertalks here), with lawyer Ben Rose, project manager Tania Eber and chef Woody Pike. The four decided to make their vision come to life by joining the vibrant and interesting hub of Peckham Levels, a beautiful project to transform an unused multi-storey car park into a creative space for artists, new businesses and for the community to come together, in a new and organic exchange of energy, art, good vibes and… good food! “It took a year and a half to go from concept to the official opening” says Will Wheeler, while we sit at the big table in the warm and cosy café area at LEVELSIX, “and it was so exciting to see the project come alive bit by bit, month after month: it required – and still requires – a deep commitment and a lot of energy, listening and engaging with what people want and look for, to be sure we are shaping our project in the right direction… But when we finally launched LEVELSIX back in December we were amazed and happy with the great response we got”.
What makes LEVELSIX different from the other yoga studios in London?
The answer is pretty simple: LEVELSIX offers a wholesome experience of yoga, wellness and healthy food for EVERYBODY. It’s an inclusive environment, familiar and accessible, with a timetable that collects the finest yoga teachers in London. “Everyone is nice!”, Will says with a smile, and I can confirm it after attending a lovely class of Vinyasa Flow with the extraordinary Mischa Varmuza, who shared with us her passion and knowledge of mantras and yoga culture. There’s a clean and incredibly bright atmosphere at LEVELSIX, and you breathe it as soon as you walk in. The two studios, spacious and open, offer the perfect dimension for practice, whereas many other yoga places in London tend to fill up their timetables with tons of classes, crammed in minuscule rooms, missing the point of yoga entirely. There’s also a room for wellness treatments, such as acupuncture, sport massage, therapeutic massage and energy healing, that will be launched this week.
The experience at LEVELSIX is enriched even more by the partnership with some of the best brands in the sector: you practice on yoga mats by Lululemon, shower with a fresh and voluptuous bergamot shower gel by Malin+Goetz and sip on the hot premium teas of Rare Tea Company.
Another important factor that contributes to the success of LEVELSIX is the beautiful café and the healthy food offering. And we are not talking about pre-packed protein bars and bottled juices here: at LEVELSIX, chef Woody Pyke combines the best seasonal, fresh and organic ingredients (as local and km zero possible) creating a varied and brilliant vegetarian and vegan menu that nourishes your body and spirit. Breakfasts, soups, lunch bowls, smoothies… all prepared with art and care in front of your eyes. The café area has an industrial vibe, made homely and eclectic by colourful printed cushions, candles and yellow daffodils, and it really invites you to take your time before and after attending the class: you can sit down anytime and indulge in one of the heartwarming bowls of gorgeous food (I highly recommend the chickpea tagine with quinoa, labneh and rich creamy yoghurt, and the turmeric latte, which is the tastiest I’ve ever tried) and relax your mind (or nose around the big jars of sauerkraut, kombucha and yoghurt that chef Woody prepares and ferments in-house).
Attention to the yoga practice is the strong backbone around which LEVELSIX is structured. The studio offers Vinyasa Flow (gentle & dynamic) classes, Pilates, Restorative, Kundalini, Hatha and Yoga Nidra. Every Friday evening yoga teacher David Kam teaches an unmissable Candle Lit Vinyasa Flow class, and more events, Yoga Brunches, workshop and day-retreats are on the schedule for the near future. We talked about ‘inclusivity’ as a key element of LEVELSIX, and this translates practically into the aim of shaping up their classes around the needs of all levels (beginners, intermediate, experienced), offering a community programme with deals and promotions, and classes especially designed (yoga for kids, classes for sight impaired, and more).
On the 16th of March, LEVELSIX will host a delightful event, a Mythical Flow Workshop and Dinner with Tanja Mickwitz. Incorporating storytelling into the asana practice, mentor and teacher Tanja will take you for a journey through Indian mythology, mantra and mudra, providing you with a deeper understanding of yoga, as well as yourself. After the workshop, you will be served a freshly prepared organic seasonal supper in the LEVELSIX café. For more information you can visit the event section on the LEVELSIX website or call 020 39411950.
I’m already looking forward to my next visit to this gem of a place. I recommend you to take advantage of the great introductory offer for newcomers at LEVELSIX: 2 weeks of unlimited yoga (14 calendar days) for only 20 £, a price that is lower than a dinner out in London, to enjoy the City’s latest and hippest yoga place to the fullest.
See you all at LEVELSIX Peckham!
[LEVELSIX Floor 6, Multistorey Car Park, 95a Rye Lane, Peckham, London SE15 4TG]
The Artful Wanderer 