SYLVIA THOMPSONtook the temperature at the Mind, Body, Spirit Fair in Dublin last week in an effort to establish what attracts people to such events
‘THE LOST Art of Being Happy”, “You Can Heal Your Life” and “The Answer is Simple – love yourself, live your spirit”. Just a sample of the titles from the vast array of books on sale at the Mind, Body, Spirit Fair in Dublin last week.
An estimated 7,000 people attended the four-day fair in the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin. And up to 2,500 people went along to a similar event in Cork the previous weekend. Next October the second round of Mind, Body, Spirit fairs will probably draw similarly large numbers. So, what attracts so many people to such events?
“Ninety per cent of the people here are women and many of them are looking for something new and different to take them away from the ordinary banality of their recessionary lifestyles,” says stallholder John Doherty from the Beehive School of Contemplative Living.
“People are looking for a feel- good factor. They’ve tried money, lots of holidays and some even have tried drugs, but they are finding that these things are not bringing them contentment,” says Sandra Vickery who was representing the Reiki Federation of Ireland at the fair. “More and more people are looking for support of complementary therapies,” adds Vickery, who works in a bank and practises Reiki part-time.
In many ways, the Mind, Body, Spirit Fair is a little overwhelming for visitors due to the diversity of sounds, smells and sights competing for people’s attention in an indoor environment. Sacred music becomes drowned out by a medley of voices while smells of incense leaves one less willing to taste the freshly squeezed juices.
Visitors move from stand to stand, some stopping to buy books, earrings, wind chimes, South American dream catchers or crystals. Others engage with stallholders, having their tarot cards read or seeking spiritual guidance of one sort or another.
Visitors to the fair could also take taster sessions of chiropractic, iridology, kinesiology, shiatsu and various forms of massage. These taster sessions were carried out at various stalls throughout the fair, some in full view of passersby and others more discreetly set back.
Aromatherapist and reflexologist Bernie McEnerney was among those attending the fair. “I think it’s very impressive but I expected to see more holistic health centres represented,” she says. “It’s all very spiritual and I would question the suitability of an environment like this for people to sample therapies,” she adds.
The Mind, Body, Spirit Fair has a larger number of psychics, clairvoyants and spiritual healers than its competitor, the Rude Health Show which is organised by the Irish Association of Health Stores and held in the autumn.
There was also much talk of the notion that in 2012, the world will face “unprecedented mental and spiritual transformation coinciding precisely with the Earth’s passage through great physical upheaval” but we’ll leave that for another day.
Stallholder Paul Congdon says people visiting his stall have been particularly interested in networking. "We are finding people coming to us are interested in self-development and meditation," says Congdon, who is the publisher of Positive Lifemagazine.
“It’s been good as a stallholder, but the fair itself can be draining for people looking around. There’s a bit of a funny vibe. The Rude Health show in September is more mainstream, giving people access to a healthy lifestyle through good nutrition,” he says.
Meanwhile, John Doherty says he’s not sure if he’ll book a stall again next year.
“I think many of the people attending this kind of fair are looking for the magic wand experience. It’s an escapism. I’ve been all round the magical universe myself and it took me years to ground that.
“It’s great to have magic in your life as long as your feet are on the ground,” he says.
“The mysterious approach is attractive and it offers you something better for the future, but I’m more interested in helping people to make friends with and come to terms with their current situations.”