Photo: Geneva Pattison
By Geneva Pattison
This November saw the return of the Dublin Mind Body Experience to the RDS. This holistic fair has been travelling the length and breadth of Ireland for a number of years now, and the recent Dublin event did not disappoint.
As you may have guessed, the fair provides an outlet for spiritual healers, herbalists and practitioners of alternative medicine to showcase their skills and wares to the public. The RDS hall played host to a total of 183 exhibitors promoting a more holistic take on wellness and how we live our lives.
Upon entering the hall, the three tables full of colourful crystals, geodes and fossils from the vendor Stone Age Ireland, stood out immediately to me. Crystal healing is a form of holistic therapy that utilises semi-precious stones to draw out negative energy from your body or your psyche.
Some people invest in gemstones to ward off negativity from the outside world or to protect from “psychic vampires”. Whether you believe in the power of crystal energy or not, it’s difficult to refrain from being drawn towards the glittering splendour of these natural objects.
Some of these gemstones have taken up to a billion years to form in the most hostile of environments. When you see the enchanting result of ancient atoms creating uniformity and order from chaos, it makes it easy to see why so many people swear by healing crystals. Maybe they can foster closer human connection to the vibrations of the earth.
Finding metaphysical balance is just one element of holistic practise. Another facet of utilising alternative health methods involves herbology and plant medicine, both of which were well represented at the event.
Topical organic herbal creams to aid different skin ailments were available to test and purchase from various stalls. Wild Herb Elixirs from Wexford had a few specialised products on offer. The first being a calendula and rose infused balms for all round skin restoration. Another salve offered relief to athletes’ sore muscles through the use of black pepper, comfrey and mint.
These are plants that have been used for thousands of years and have even been employed for their benefits by mainstream skin care brands too.
Another exhibitor of herbal goods for external use was ReHerbal. Again, this maker of natural skincare specialised in just a few items for face and body. Their lavender hand cream was formulated with vitamin E and olive oil to soothe and nourish tired hands.
For the body, ReHerbal offered a calendula cream. Calendula is a flower renowned for its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties when converted into an oil, making it ideal for healing many skin issues.
Gentle physical activity plays a large part in holistic living, and it was a theme prevalent throughout the hall. There were group yoga classes being held at the back of the hall throughout the day, with various different types of yoga being practised, including laughter yoga on one of the days, as led by practitioner Simone Mesching.
This form of yoga is the practice of inducing voluntary laughter for its physical and psychological benefits and seemed like a particularly interesting one to explore further. Reading up on the benefits of laughter yoga, I was surprised to learn that around 15 minutes of deep belly laughter is the equivalent to 10 minutes running.
There have been scientific studies conducted on the benefits of laughter yoga among older people and people with physical or cognitive difficulties.
It’s not the case for everyone but, in general, as we age our muscle mass lessens and our physical energy falters to a degree. Similarly, people with limited mobility or those who have to be supervised by a carer can often be somewhat left behind when it comes to maintaining regular fitness.
The studies show that laughter yoga is a safe, low impact form of exercise and uncomplicated breathwork that can be utilised by anyone. If the thought of yoga didn’t appeal to some people, Tai Chi was another option to explore at the event through the Tai Chi and Wellness academy run by Rosaleen Fadden.
There was a section at the event where booths lined the walls. Rows of seats filled with people waiting pensively faced these particular stands. This was the psychic, medium, and clairvoyant area of the event and I think it’s fair to say that many people will consult a clairvoyant at some point during their life.
Their reasons could be driven by sheer curiosity, the desire to communicate with a deceased loved one or to get guidance for their future. It’s a very personal decision to make.
People searching for confirmation that they’re on the right path in life or for some kind of confirmation of an after-life may derive a sense of peace from a spiritual reading. Whatever you may believe or not believe, this area of the event seemed very popular.
Overall, the Mind Body Experience fair is definitely worth visiting. Whether you’re sceptical, in search of meaning or interested in alternative beliefs and ways of life, the wide array of wellness enterprises to be explored definitely broadens the mind. I certainly left feeling calmer and more enlightened.
For more information on the Dublin Mind Body Experience, visit their website https://www.dublinmindbodyexperience.ie/
