Green light to double the size after massive boom in popularity thanks to stars
- Celebrities including Madonna, Demi Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow turn to Kabbalah for spiritual guidance
- More than 1,000 students a week now attend classes at the Center in central London, moments from Oxford Circus
- Popularity has prompted ambitious expansion that will see area of the grand, Georgian building double in size
Ever
since Madonna began wearing a piece of red string around her wrist in
the Nineties, Kabbalah - a mystical offshoot of Judaism - has attracted
an impressive list of celebrity devotees.
Actress
Demi Moore and former husband Ashton Kutcher are Kabbalists, while
there has been speculation that Gwyneth Paltrow's interest in Kabbalah
hastened the end of her marriage to Chris Martin. And One Direction's
Harry Styles is reported to be one of the most-recent A-list converts.
Now
the stars are set to have a new spiritual home. The Kabbalah Center, a
grand, Georgian building just moments from Oxford Circus in central
London, has been given planning permission to double in size after
witnessing a boom in the number of people turning to Kabbalah for
spiritual guidance.
Sanctuary: Plans for the expansion to the building in central London apparently show a new roof garden with glass panels, above
Light and airy: One of the rooms, as
shown in this artist's impression, boasts a number of large sky lights
and a curved, modern ceiling
Spiritual guidance: Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna are among a number of A-listers who follow Kabbalah
View from above: Westminster Council
has just granted the Center planning permission to double the size of
the central London site
But
while it might be the rich and famous that transformed Kabbalah into a
household name, it is the surging number of 'ordinary' devotees
following in their footsteps that has prompted the expansion of its
British base.
Attendance
at the Center has reached a tipping point. More than 1,000 students -
from City CEOs to teachers - now flock to join in a number of spiritual
classes every week.
The
surge in demand prompted the expansion project, dubbed 'the Ark', to be
undertaken. It has now received the go-ahead from Westminster Council.
Digital
imaging of the center's expansion reveal that the roof will be
transformed with a modern, glass-paneled extension - with long grass
planted outside ensuring the privacy of the A-list visitors.
Though
it is not clear what the new rooms will be used for, it appears that
many have been designed as mulch-function spaces that can be transformed
depending on the occasion.
There
is a theme of lightness and brightness throughout - with large windows
and glass panels inside creating the illusion of more space.
Modern touch: The Center, a grand,
Georgian building just moments from Oxford Circus, will have an
all-glass extension on the roof
Central location: The site, outlined
in red, has been visited by a host of A-list celebrities - and a growing
number of 'ordinary' devotees
Sleek finishes: In this digital image
of what the Center will look like, materials including glass, wood and
mirrored surfaces are used
The
spiritual mentor of the London Kabbalists is Marcus Weston, 41, a
former investment banker who is now senior teacher and trustee at the
Kabbalah Centre.
Mr
Weston grew apathetic toward City life, becoming increasingly
frustrated until he had an epiphany on the way to work 16 years ago.
He
ended up taking a course under Rabbi Philip Berg, the founder of modern
Kabbalah, and now devotes his life to teaching, proselytising and
charitable works. He has since held talks about the religion at
Buckingham Palace and the UN.
Speaking
earlier this year, he said that when he first got into Kabbalah, he
would often be the only one in his class. Now, he said, the Center has a
footfall of about 1,000-a-week.
Ambitious: Plans for the expansion, entitled 'The Ark', reveal that the central London location has a number of meeting rooms
Meeting point: A large multi-function hall, seen in blue, allows for large numbers of Kabbalists to gather
Accommodation: Floor plans for the expansion reveal that there will be self-contained living quarters included in the Centre
And
while teachers and nurses are among those attending the central London
centre, many of the devotees are well-known personalities in business,
sports and politics.
He
stresses that Kabbalah is a spiritual wisdom, not a religious one, and
some claim that this could explain why uptake is mushrooming.
It
is a practical system of ideas and insights designed to help
individuals gain more from life that can sit alongside any religious
faith, or alongside none.
Students
of Kabbalah learn to harness their full potential through various
classes that over time, teaching them to feel more in control, realize
the best version of themselves and reach a broader understanding of how
life, business and relationships work, according to the website.
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