Month: April 2018

Working Class Hero

~ Urban Dandy London ~ Leave a comment

I was once a working class hero

today that counts for zero

for we’re all now slaves to Pharaoh

building pyramids of avarice, of greed

 

Some talk of revolution

most are disillusioned

looking for a solution

not buying the great delusion

 

I can see where it’s all going

the fruit of seeds we are sowing

so slowly, without knowing

minds that have stopped growing

in the midst of such confusion

craving freedom’s restitution!

my purposeful existence

offering ‘old contemptible’ resistance

 

M.C. Bolton, April 2018

 

 

Urban Dandy Meditation #2

~ Urban Dandy London ~ Leave a comment

Urban Dandy Meditation #2 was on 29th March 2018 in Notting Hill. You should have come.

UDMed2

A new venture, aimed at people from North Kensington and further afield to engage in the practice of transcendental meditation and to stimulate discussion and creativity.

The theme for the second Urban Dandy meditation event was ‘What is freedom?’

Within this broad theme, the class considered the question ‘What kind of freedom is experienced in transcendental meditation?’ 

The group discussed the tightrope of being in the world, grappling with a plethora of pressures and seeking truth, whilst simultaneously not being fully of this world, and the resulting question – ‘If I’m not of this world, what am I of?’     

“I”

All participants reported that meditation facilitated a letting go, including of conventional understandings of the concept “I.”

This concept “I” can represent habitual roles, identity via nationality, religion, social class, political affiliation/non-affiliation, a strong identification with physical appearance, opinions, resentments, or taking a view of oneself as superior/inferior to others…

A human tendency is to spend energy looking for recognition and affirmation by playing any number of roles based on these identities, both consciously and subconsciously. We can deploy our energies fending off threats to these identities…

However, if these roles are seen for what they really are – habitual thought patterns – this energy is released and can be directed to benefit the whole person. 

Patterns

In meditation, socially constructed identifications become more noticeably insufficient and, over time, distance is established between them and the observer – the identifications start to be viewed as patterns created by the mind rather than absolute truths.

Underneath the choppy waves of these thoughts and beliefs is a deep ocean of stillness. In meditation, this ocean is accessed and experienced directly by letting go of expectations and letting go of reliance on thought as a way of knowing oneself.

This is what transcendental meditation offers access to…it is experiential, not intellectual, making it subtle, powerful and effective.

An experience of freedom in Notting Hill…but it didn’t stay in the building, a drop of it traveled with each participant into the night… 

 

By Tom Charles

@tomhcharles

Thanks to AC

Art by Angel Lewis

Writing/Poetry Workshop #2

~ Urban Dandy London ~ Leave a comment
IMG-20180403-WA0000_2
Photo from Baraka

During the Easter holidays, Urban Dandy held its second writing and poetry workshop for 20 children from across Kensington and Chelsea at Canalside House on Ladbroke Grove.

In collaboration with Baraka Community Association, Urban Dandy delivered two one-hour sessions. The first hour was on self-expression through writing with skill and purpose. The children discussed the importance of language, and the motivations behind the words they choose.

They looked at different types of writing, tone of voice and having a clear aim. The children also learned key techniques such as planning, finding a ‘hook’, writing with depth by backing up arguments and valuing and nurturing their own voices and opinions.

The young people then wrote their own pieces, which ranged from articles to adverts.

The second hour was a poetry workshop. The children heard from Urban Dandy’s Mark Bolton, who read some of his own poems and recited the famous ‘I Am Somali’, written by the poet Yam Yam. Mark outlined some of the techniques he employs in writing his poems, but again the emphasis was on the children’s expression of their own thoughts and feelings.

Each child then wrote and read out their own poem, with their styles ranging from conventional to acrostic to haiku, with the participants receiving warm applause. 

We will showcase some of the children’s work here soon. For more information on Urban Dandy’s workshops, contact us via our Facebook page.

 

Tom Charles

@tomhcharles