Shop Hop is a monthly column that shines a spotlight on small local retail businesses in and around Nashville.
Six women were sitting on the floor when I walked into Nashville Crystal Store in Berry Hill, and in an effort to not trip over them, I barely glanced at the bright-yellow walls lined with wooden shelves displaying careful but dense arrangements of crystals and polished stones.
A woman greeted me with a smile — “Are you here for the meditation?”
I have used the popular meditation app Headspace exactly once in my life, and I started playing Candy Crush halfway through the relaxation track. I tried Calm, with which you stare at a circle that gets smaller and then larger, but when I focused on my breathing, I started to think about what would happen if my lungs stopped working and whether or not that would be a good or bad way to die.
I am not a relaxed person; my brain is not a relaxed brain. I didn't come for a meditation class, no, I had just come to ask about a crystal a friend gave me and maybe find something shiny and pretty to put on my desk. Still, for some reason, I said, “Maybe? I have never meditated before!”
Before long, I was sitting in a circle of 10 — some people were on the floor, others were in chairs — and the shop’s owner, Ataana, was slowly pacing around us, gently urging us to fill ourselves with light, let go of stress and negative thoughts and, ultimately, pour that bright light back into ourselves and the earth.
At first my mind swirled with all the things I had to do — thoughts of deadlines, errands, chores and emails shut out Ataana’s gentle guidance. But at some point, and I’m not sure when, my mind dumped all that noise. I was able to see that bright light. My breathing felt deeper and slower; the tension melted from my shoulders. By the end of the 30-minute session, I felt calm.
I’m as surprised as you are!
After the meditation class, I browsed the shelves. Employees were busy arranging things — the shop had just moved downstairs from their upstairs suite at 2819 Columbine Place, and it was its first day in the new storefront. When one woman spotted me gazing at some beautiful blue crystals, she came over to tell me more. It's called celestite, she told me, and it has an especially high frequency — which sounded like nonsense. She encouraged me to hold it.
I have held many a rock before and felt absolutely nothing. Some of my friends who dabble in crystals have tried in vain to introduce me to their healing powers. But as soon as the Nashville Crystal Store staffer put that celestite in my hand, I became aware of my upper chest and collarbone.
“Where do you feel it?” she asked.
"In my collarbone-throat area?" I said, as if I didn’t want to give the wrong answer to a pop quiz.
She nodded. “It’s a throat chakra,” she said, known for its uplifting and calming properties. I held it a bit longer. Maybe it was the rock, maybe it was the meditation, but I felt good.
I left without the rock, unsure if I bought the whole crystals thing. Throat chakra? She might have made up the phrase, for all I knew. But I did some Googling when I got home, and she was not bullshitting. Celestite is a throat chakra! It can help with communication, and it's also good for mental balance and clarity. Its high vibrations are thought to make the holder of the crystal feel calm and good.
Holy shit. Am I a crystal person?!
As for the meditation class, I can’t say I’ll be a regular at their 1:30 p.m. Wednesday sessions, but it did only cost a buck. Plus, the resulting good mood managed to last the rest of the day (especially impressive given that I had to drive through Green Hills traffic on the way home). If I do end up trying it again, I'm definitely gonna buy that pretty little rock, too.
Nashville Crystal Store Berry Hill
2819 Columbine Place
Nashville, TN 37204
Daily noon-6 p.m.
