Meditation bar opens in Paris

We’ve had cats, oxygen, nails and naps. Now a new bar for meditation has opened in the capital.

The bar is the first of its kind in Paris and is well adapted to fast-paced modern life. It fits easily around an office job, with short sessions of 30 minutes in the morning, midday and evening.

Before starting a session, you leave your possessions (including your phone, of course) in a locker. There’s a room for solo meditators (€5/free for members) but for the uninitiated there are guided group sessions where you take a seat, close your eyes and listen to an instructor.

You’ll be encouraged to become aware of different parts of the body, to focus on the breath and observe any thoughts and feelings which arise. The sessions have themes, ranging from work, choosing emotions, the breath, even erotism.

Christine Barois is a psychiatrist who launched the meditation bar. She hopes to spread the message of the scientifically proven benefits of the practice, likening it to a mental maintenance task similar to brushing your teeth ‘to avoid cavities’.

Ms Barois says our brains are overworked and we must learn to manage stress. Her and her team of qualified teachers use meditation to help people boost their performance, be more creative, focused, to listen and simply be in better health.

Bar à Méditation. 5, rue Gaillon (IIe). Open from 8am-7pm. Guided sessions are Monday to Friday 8-9.30am, 12-1pm and 5.30-7pm. €15 for a taster session, and €20 thereafter.