I am one of many modern-day practitioners of energy healing; and to actually practice, I need to have the right equipment — specifically, crystals and stones.
So when I moved to San Francisco from Los Angeles not too long ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Bay Area seems just as down with crystal healing as SoCal. Even better, SF crystal shops have more variety than those in LA.
Basically, San Francisco is a New Age paradise. Here, you’ll find not only crystals and stones but also all sorts of spiritual pieces, including tarot cards, pendulums, sage, etc. I’ve collected my favorites for you so that the next time you’re looking to cast a spell or do some energy work, you’ll know exactly where to go.
1. Love of Ganesha
Location: Haight Street
Best feature: The meditation room
Crystals, crystals, everywhere. Every. Fucking. Where. Like, at most metaphysical shops, when you walk in, something from across the room may catch your eye and draw you in closer. But love of Ganesha is like a promising list of Tinder matches: it’s hard to pick which eye-catcher to follow through with. I drove my boyfriend mad by walking around the shop, touching every stone. It was comparable to being in the kitten section of a pet store. Since my main form of energy healing practice is through crystals and stones, this was heaven on earth for me.
One note: if you are looking for new oracle cards (which I was), pendulums or other metaphysical devices, this may not be your place. While the front half displays an amazing crystal and stone collection, the store’s midway point turns into more of a clothing shop, with traditional Indian attire for sale.
2. The Sword and Rose
Location: Cole Valley
Best feature: The garden entrance
To enter the Sword and Rose, you have to walk through a small, magical-looking garden and search for the dark wooden door at the end of the cobblestones. In fact, the entrance was so dark that I wasn’t sure if the store was open. It turned out the (lack of) lighting was an intentional feature to provide “ambiance.”
This store is extremely small and reminded me of Merlin’s attic in Disney’s The Sword in the Stone (so many swords). Behind the counter sat a diminutive older man tending to powdered incense while talking to a customer about the movie Avatar. “This incense will let you feel the emotions of others,” he promised.
New Age in the extreme, the shelves boast healing jewelry, incredible pendulums, a vast collection of oracle and tarot cards, wands and much more. Still, I walked out empty handed. It must have been something about the energy in there, but I didn’t feel particularly drawn to any of the pieces. Compared to Love of Ganesha, where the employees were so warm, this store felt cold. I suppose it depends on what type of experience you’re hoping to have. The Sword and Rose has a more classically witchy or Wicca feel.
3. Crystal Way
Location: Castro
Best feature: tarot readings
My last stop for this round up was Crystal Way, located in the heart of the Castro. This shop was all about the look-don’t-touch vibe, as most of the crystals were large, expensive pieces sitting behind glass. They have a small section of polished stones, yet they offer very few raw pieces. Some online directories actually list Crystal Way as a jewelry shop, and they do have a beautiful collection of healing necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings featuring various stones and styles.
The man behind the counter was extremely knowledgeable about how to take care of crystals and use them for healing, and he had the most incredibly contagious positive energy. The best part was when a fluffy black cat lay down at my feet, completely content in his home, regardless of the numerous strangers walking about. While not inexpensive, Crystal Way has amazing energy (in more than one way) and is a great place to get a reading done.
