An Interesting Cross Section of the Midwest

An Interesting Cross Section of the Midwest

I just returned from five days in Grand Geneva, WI. Grand Geneva is located about an hour from Milwaukee and 90 minutes from Chicago. I was teaching at the Yoga Journal Conference. Over 900 people attend from all over the country but a large majority are from the Midwest. I went with my radar up for tracking a general reaction to the current state of our country and I was especially watching for reaction to our economy. While I realize that people who practice yoga are not necessarily mainstream, they represent an interesting cross section - generally well educated, care about the state of the world and fairly well-to-do. They also offer an interesting economic snapshot because attending a yoga conference certainly falls within the category of discretionary spending - something which is currently on a steep decline.

I watched the conference from two perspectives: from the Yoga Journal's perspective and also from the perspective of the attendee's. Here are some observations:

For Yoga Journal:

1) Registrations were slow coming in, causing the conference planners to fret and scramble in the weeks preceding the event. When all was said and done, attendance reached the range they were hoping for - albeit on the low end. This was quite a feat considering both the economy and the conference fell during prime spring break weeks. The latter is perhaps even more surprising because about 85% of attendees were women, many of which I suspect are mothers.

2) Corporate sponsorships were down from other conferences and the size of the marketplace for vender goods was much smaller. Clearly this was a worrisome trend for the conference planners. I was also told that the number companies advertising in Yoga Journal's magazine has also reduced.

3) Overall, I believe that the conference planners were relieved at the overall success and attendance at the conference.

1) There were many references, both in casual conversation and in the programming, i.e. lectures and actual classes, to the economy, to the fear and uncertainty that it was causing, and to the "tough times" we are living through.

2) There was less eating in restaurants. I saw more people eating groceries they had bought off site in a variety of places, including hallways and open areas.

3) I was on a panel with three very high profile teachers entitled "Yoga as a Tool for Helping You Through Challenging Times." This was a final day offering for all conference attendees and was very well attended. The two questions were: a) How can yoga help when you are experiencing something acutely traumatic - anything from the loss of a loved one to a major loss to your financial worth, to the loss of your job? b) How can yoga help with fear in general and in particular with the economic times and with health issues? These questions sparked some very insightful, very moving, but also very funny comments from the panel. The panel was taped and at least the audio should be available in a few weeks online at www.yogajournal.com. It had content that is relevant for all, not just yoga students.

One of the important themes that came out of the panel might seem paradoxical: When times are tough, it is even more important to practice extra self-care. It may be the last thing that you think you should do, but in fact it is probably the most important. What is at issue is much more than solving the problem in front of you. The issue is also how are you treating your loved ones during stressful times, for example are you able to be truly present with your kids? The issue is being able to stay focused on what is truly important, on the things that you can actually control. Paradoxically, it is some degree of self-care that gives you the strength to give to others when things are challenging Taking the time for self-care is a practice that yoga practitioners already have established. It is a discipline, not a luxury, and it is something I wish for everyone.

This week I leave for Toronto, Canada and another yoga conference. I will report on what I see.