Yoga Inc.

I haven't gone back to the Toronto Yoga Conference in years. Hosted at the Metro Convention Centre, it was a little too noisy and industrial. The smell of commercial-grade carpet shampoo was not a good addition to a yoga workshop. Saturday afternoon, I decided to drop by, not to participate in any of the workshops, but to check out the main Hall where the vendors ran their booths.

Once upon a time, yoga was (for sexist reasons) the exclusive domain of men. At least here in the West, it has become the total opposite. So it was with bemusement that I wandered through booths and booths offering feminine practice wear, day-to-day wear (yoga-inspired wraps, dresses, and pants), and jewelry. Another major category aimed at women was healthy food options: weight loss regime, cleanses, organic food and drinks, and what seems to be the next big thing, coconut water.

Beyond the yoga mat, and even the now quotidian props such as blocks, straps, and bolsters, there are thin yoga mat towels for hot yogas; plastic spongy pads for sensitive knees; toed socks; and perhaps the greatest indulgence yet: an $1800 chair, equipped not with arm rests, but adjustable knee rests so that you might comfortably sit cross-legged all day at the office.

Health-related practices are also a big selling point: ayurvedic diet, thai massages, shiatsu, and spinal assessment abound. There are also yoga vacations to exotic locales. For those wanting a break, there is a vegetarian food court; a garden court where half-hour classes are given, though how you can practice in such a din is beyond me; and a culture court, where performances of yogic chants, singing, or Indian dance are show-cased.