Attending a “Mind, Body and Spirit” (MBS) Show? Here’s 5 Things to Keep in Mind

Over the years I’ve been to some of the biggest and the best – and perhaps, surprisingly, one doesn’t necessarily mean the other!

Many years ago, I went to one of the biggest Mind, Body Spirit shows (sometimes called “Mind, Body, Soul” fairs), which was in London at that time, and paid a lot of money to be part of the community for the weekend. As much as anything, I was excited to see what it was all about. 

In that case, it transpired to be more of a commercial opportunity for the company organising, and an example of how this work is sometimes viewed as an ‘industry’ rather than a calling. It’s been my experience that local shows tend to be more about helping people, than a money maker. Regardless of size, I’ve always met some lovely people at these events.

Based on my experiences, here’s some things you might want to keep in mind if you’re thinking about attending a show.

How to Find a Fair

There are lots of ways to find MBS fairs, and as you’d expect they’re mostly advertised on the internet these days or via social media; you could simply search MBS fairs or shows in your local area. 

If the organiser takes their event seriously, they will make marketing a priority and have active social media and probably a website that gives information about what’s on and where, though that will obviously be within their budget.

Many of the smaller event organisers I know, rarely make much in the way of “profit” out of these events, because they’re doing it out of the kindness of their heart. That said most will usually make sure that information goes up locally well in advance, so that people know a show is happening. There are reasons some of these events are advertised last minute, one is that there is still a lot of stigma in exhibiting at these events, so for people’s safety sometimes the advertising is done as close to the event date as possible.

1. Price

Entry cost for shows can vary. I know some organisers that don’t charge entry at all, although it’s reasonable to expect them to charge something because they often have to pay for the venue hire (often in advance) and may not make much from renting space to an exhibitor. 

Entry price is usually less than £5 per person, but that will depend on the venue. i.e. you’d expect to pay more for show entry in London where tickets can be as much as £25 per person – and possibly even more – though that will often include a “goody bag”.

2. Exhibitors

You can generally expect a wide range of stall holders. In all the years I’ve been attending shows, there is usually a good selection of readers and retailers, from people selling crystals, oracle cards, books and singing bowls. There may also be people offering other services like aura imaging, Reiki and even things like graphology (handwriting analysis). 

Sometimes, organisers will advertise in advance who is exhibiting, especially if they have a website, although most people go to shows out of interest to see what’s on offer. So have a think about what you’re hoping to get from the fair and if you can, you could contact the organiser in advance to see who will have a stall.

3. Presentation

If you’re thinking about approaching a stall holder on the day, and particularly if you’re thinking about having a reading, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Look at the stall. If they care about your experience and what they do, the exhibitor will care about how they look. They’ll dress their table; this will include not just things like a table cloth but they’ll usually have a banner and business cards about where you can find them. They’ll usually have a Facebook page and possibly a website. Keep in mind that for many people this will be what they do in their spare time, and many still have to protect themselves because there are still sadly some who wrongly associate this work as “d*vil worship”; as someone who explores dreams, I’ve been wrongly accused of that in my time, when usually many exhibitors are just trying to help.
• Less is more. Retailers will often have lots on their stalls because they’ll be trying to make the most of the space available and make their costs back over the weekend. They might sell a combination of jewellery, candles, incense and other things that align with a spiritual life. Having said that, I’m sometimes wary of stall holders who try to be all things to all people. So if they say they have a list of 30 services on their banner or in a brochure, I’d want to know what they actually specialise in.

4. Ask the Organiser

Often the person taking your entrance fee can give you a steer when you arrive about how to make the most of the fair. They might say things like walk around a few times first to get a feel for what’s in the room and go with your intuition. (I’ll write more about that another time). 

You can also get a feel for the motivation for the event by the person on the door. I asked one of the organisers, Claire who runs Guided by Lightworker Events why she does the shows and she said: “I want to provide a safe and nurturing space for all to heal, find direction and comfort in the energy of spirit. Bringing like minded people together, creating friendships”.

“I want to provide a safe and nurturing space for all to heal, find direction and comfort in the energy of spirit. Bringing like minded people together, creating friendships”. Claire, Guided by Lightworkers Events

It’s one of the reasons I love attending Claire’s shows, because guests genuinely often say what a lovely vibe there is. 

5. Protect Your Energy

These events shouldn’t be overwhelming. There’s often lovely music playing in the background, good conversation and healthy laughter, and people generally there to help. No one should be pressuring you, making you feel uncomfortable in any way or pushing their agenda. That said it can help to ground yourself before you go in and have some idea about what you’re hoping to achieve.

Most of all remember that shows can be a wonderful, spiritual experience so keep an open mind and most of all go with the intention of enjoying yourself. If nothing else, consider it a nice self-care treat.

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Delphi is the author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now on Amazon and Hive.  You might also like Monday Mojo™. The Dreams Maven™ is part of the Helping You Sparkle™ portfolio.

© Delphi Ellis 2023