| A Place to Find Yourself Metaphysical Emporium observes its 5th Anniversary by Michelle Flipp Today, even more than five years ago, people are searching deeper for answers. People are looking for inner strength, more meaningful connections to their own selves, others and a higher power. The Metaphysical Emporium’s goal is to be a welcoming safe haven where everyone can explore spirituality, alternative healing techniques, wellness and metaphysics. Karen Neihart is the creative force, and owner, behind this energized space. Karen’s desire to open the store came from her love of astrology and very positive experiences with alternative healing methods. Her focus is to offer similar information and experiences to others — and ultimately create an atmosphere that nurtures one’s spiritual path. Karen and her array of practitioners are on the right path. Walking into the shop, customers are faced with a delightful dilemma: This way or that? The Metaphysical Emporium encompasses two separate, yet complementary, suites at 4711 Clark Ave, in White Bear Lake, Minn. To the left is where one can find an abundance of specialty items for sale. To the right, you’ll find the Wellness Center, a large classroom space capable of holding 80 people, and four private practitioner rooms. The variety of services and specialty items offered keeps customers coming back for more. A wide array of items regularly find their ways to the perfect home: jewelry, crystals, essential oils, flower essences, angel and Buddha statuary, incense, hand made drums, tarot decks, singing bowls, pendulums and Feng Shui. A full selection of audio and videotapes for rent, plus shelves of books are available for personal use in the comfort of your own home. This suite is also where you can order a variety of Astrology reports, handled by Karen. Take advantage of the fully stocked Tea Bar, a great way to relax, and enjoy your shopping at a more leisurely pace. The shop also does a larger than normal amount of special order business, finding everything from special teas to hard to find books for their customers. The shop relocated two years ago, after outgrowing its old space. The Wellness Center, a space Karen had long envisioned, finally came to be at their new home. In this second suite, people wishing to bring harmony to their body, mind and spirit can schedule Aromatherapy, Ear Candling, EMF Balancing Technique®, Energy Work, Microdermabrasion, Qi Gong, Reflexology, Reiki, Shiatsu Massage, and Therapeutic Massage appointments. Classes and workshops are held regularly on everything from Aromatherapy to Yoga. This is also the place to find an abundance of resources and information for in-house and area alternative health practitioners. On most days, one of the 15 practitioners of various intuitive arts, healing or bodywork therapies are available to take walk-in and pre-arranged appointments. A much-anticipated addition to the Wellness Center is newly opened. The Mandala Room was created as a way to rejuvenate body, mind and spirit. This offers therapeutic packages combining Light, Color, Scent and Sound Therapies, to be savored individually or in combination. First, start with a Chi Machine session, and then relax into a fully reclining chair while wearing a warmed Aromatherapy Herbal Pack on your shoulders to release tension. Soak up 20 minutes under a full-spectrum light box (used to help Seasonal Affective Disorder), or a chakra specific color, while listening to a guided meditation tape or healing music. Inhale the aromatherapy scent permeating the room. Continue the healing process with an intuitive reading or bodywork session with one of our practitioners. As Karen looks toward the future, she sees the space between mainstream healing and alternative healing therapies overlapping, even merging at times. Her openness to new techniques in alternative healing and integration of their use into a sound base of therapies secures the shop’s future. She has seen doors open and lights go on for people previously unfamiliar with their own spirituality. Her positive outlook and belief that everyone has their own way to finding their spiritual path is evident in the feeling of the shop. Karen and her husband, Chuck, who also works at the shop full time, are 1960 graduates of North High with a deep sense of commitment to the area. They hope to keep serving both their local customers and those that come from all over the metro area. The Metaphysical Emporium will be celebrating five great years on February 2 with an Intuitive Arts Anniversary Fair. Come to experience a gathering of many practitioners and readers; demonstrations of light color therapy, singing bowls will also be performed. Call the Metaphysical Emporium at (651) 407-8599 for information. Shop hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Michelle Flipp is publicity coordinator for Metaphysical Emporium. Copyright © 2002 Michelle Flipp |
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