it just depends on the event . Every one is a little different .”
Depending on the type of session , sometimes circle leaders and participants bring drums , guitars or Native American flutes . There are also monthly sound baths with a journaling prompt or paired with breathwork . “ Each circle is a different vibe ,” Bond Gallen says . “ Some are receiving , some are participating , some are being very active in song and movement and so it just depends on which one you attend .”
Bond Gallen says she and her husband , James Gallen , have been “ blown away and blessed and we feel so grateful ” for the community ’ s response to what they ’ re offering .
“ It ’ s been better than we expected ,” Bond Gallen says . “ But we ’ re not trying , we ’ re just here . … We just want to organically be here , be a place for people to stop in on their lunch break or before they go to work or if they ’ re not working during the day and just need a breath or mindfulness or say hi to their neighbor . It ’ s just that simple . We want to keep it really simple .”
In September , when the summer winds down and there are fewer crowds , they plan to take the community connection out of the studio to Fisherman ’ s Cove . “ We ’ re going to do a silent disco that we ’ ll just offer complimentary for people to come and hang out , put on some headphones and dance and do a potluck again and just … [ celebrate ] that we have a little bit more Zen back in our town .”
The yoga studio and its students have also been banding together to protect monarch butterflies that frequent the plants outside the building . They noticed monarch caterpillars and worried they would be eaten by the birds or lizards . When the caterpillars appear ready to create a cocoon , one of the volunteers takes them home to a terrarium to keep them
safe until they turn into a butterfly and then release them at the butterfly garden at Heisler Park , for example .
“ We ’ re very intentional about the symbolism we see , this transformation happening , and we want the studio to feel symbolic of that ,” Bond Gallen says . “ As people are coming and taking care of themselves and tapping into their breath , we ’ re not doing anything . We ’ re just creating a space for people to come and relax . And as they relax and learn to breathe and just become more present , their own life naturally goes through a beautiful transformation . …
“ We want it to carry through and feel symbolic , actually , of the whole space like how our lives are always in transformation . Sometimes we go through seasons of resting and cocooning and growing inward and change and rebirth and sometimes we bloom and find our wings and we ’ re in motion and taking flight .” g
Neighborhood Hot Spot
A THEATER IS , BY NATURE , A GATHERING PLACE , AND THE REINVENTED SOUTH COAST THEATER HAS BECOME A COMMUNITY CENTER OF SORTS , OFFERING PLENTY OF ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES .
S outh Coast Theater , a newly revived beacon for community activity , opened just in time for the holidays last year following an extensive renovation of the historic building by electric vehicle company Rivian . In addition to serving as a showroom for Rivian , the 11,000-square-foot theater screens films , including some curated through a partnership with the Coast Film & Music Festival , and hosts other social events such as Toddler Time on Wednesday mornings .
Recent toddler events have included activities with Laguna Ocean Foundation : story time and modified yoga poses that mimic ocean creatures , followed by light snacks and a craft activity . Another toddler session featured a visit by the Orange County Bird of Prey Center , which rehabilitates injured raptors then releases them back to the wild .
Another event , on the day after the Olympic Games opening ceremony , was called Gold Medal Experiments , teaching scientific principles through Summer Games-themed activities for ages 3 and up . The theater also presented the Summer Games Opening Ceremony for locals to watch on the big screen July 26 , with cold brew coffee from Equator Coffees and corn hole tournaments . A concert by Laguna band The Great North Special was showcased on a different day . And a session called Five Senses Clay Play , with artist Jo Situ Allen , involved a silent , meditative walk to gather natural objects to imprint in clay .
Back in June , nonalcoholic beverage brand Grüvi debuted at the theater as part of Adventure With Pride , a mini film festival and panel discussion dedicated to uplifting LGBTQIA2S + voices . Guests were treated to a Rivian “ frunk ,” or front trunk , filled with the brand ’ s beers and wines . And a Save The Waves Film Festival took place at the theater Aug . 1 , featuring exclusive surf , environmental , adventure and documentary films as a fundraiser for the Save The Waves Coalition and World Surfing Reserves , with proceeds supporting that organization ’ s work to conserve and protect surf ecosystems .
Indeed , the South Coast Highway spot , right across from Main Beach ,
A panel discussion after the “ Seeding Change ” film screening at South Coast Theater
provides a central place for the community to gather for many different causes — or to take in a movie , which is in itself a communal activity much like gathering to watch a play or concert , everyone reacting to the same performance as it unfolds , laughing , gasping or applauding in real time without clicking a thumbs up icon and scrolling to the next video .
Next up is a screening of “ Moonrise Kingdom ” at 7 p . m . Aug . 3 . The film , set in 1965 on an island off the coast of New England , follows the search for a pair of 12-year-olds who fall in love and decide to run away as a storm looms .
JAN SCHRIEBER
40 LAGUNABEACHMAGAZINE . COM