A Tibetan bowl sound healing session paired with live classical music in the Painted Hall? Yes please.
You’ve danced, discoed and dined your way through London this summer… but what if your next night out was actually a lie down?
Enter Lie Down and Listen, a serene sonic escape set inside one of the most awe-inspiring spaces in the capital. On Friday 4 and Saturday 5 July, the Old Royal Naval College is opening up the Painted Hall (often called Britain’s Sistine Chapel) for an evening of meditative calm. The event combines the warm resonance of Tibetan singing bowls with live performances of classical music, including Vaughan Williams’ transcendent The Lark Ascending.
You’ll recline under the Hall’s soaring Baroque ceiling while violinist Philippa Mo and accompanying musicians play a gently curated set of calming suites. The result is something between a concert and a sound bath: an experience designed to slow your breath, still your thoughts, and leave you somewhere halfway between sleep and bliss.
The Painted Hall is already one of London’s most quietly spectacular venues, but this takes its atmosphere to another level. With just two performances each night, and sessions limited in size, this is an intimate experience built around rest and reflection. There’s no performance anxiety here. Just bring your stress, your tired limbs and maybe a soft pair of socks.
If the city’s usual wellness fare doesn’t quite cut it, or you’ve always wondered what it would feel like to drift off to live Bach while surrounded by 40,000 square feet of Baroque grandeur — this might just be your ultimate unwind.
The London x London Take
There’s relaxing — and then there’s lying horizontal under Sir James Thornhill’s ceiling while a violinist plays The Lark Ascending. Lie Down and Listen might be one of the most unexpectedly soothing things you’ll do in London this summer — especially if your nervous system needs a break from Tube strikes and group chats.
Need to Know
What: Lie Down and Listen — Tibetan sound healing + live classical concert
Where: Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
When: Friday 4 & Saturday 5 July 2025
Session times: 6:30pm & 8:30pm each night
Tickets: Available via ornc.org
Good to know: Wear something comfy — and be ready to fully switch off
