For Those Who Seek: Queen of Cups

Tracey Briscoe, Owner of Queen of Cups, enjoys astrology. This, explains her store manager, Dana Comella, is what drew Briscoe to opening her own Spiritual Apothecary and Curio Shoppe in North Portland a few months ago. A small shop nestled just around the corner from PCC Cascade, Queen of Cups (QoC) is warm and welcoming. As soon as you enter you feel a sense of calm wash over you, like entering a good day spa. But this a more of a spiritual spa, though you can buy goodies to take home and do home treatments like QoC's housemade bath salts, scrubs, teas, body splash and toilet water.

QoC's line of fragrant goodies contains organic herbs, essential oils and kosher salts and their toilet water starts with a base of all natural witch hazel. The art work on the walls is for sale and done by local artist, Lela Elam who paints visions of Mary as well as astrological works.

Elam's work seems to fit right in with Briscoe's vision for her shop as QoC is equal opportunity, whatever the faith or spiritual beliefs you may have. There are Bibles as well as books on the metaphysical, Tarot, astrology and runes. Intermingled between the tiny saints, prayer guides and Catholic ritual candles there are kits for everything from drawing love, success and money to incense, calendars and anointing oils. The candles, and kits serve as "beacons of intention," according to Comella, which the staff at QoC will assist you in anointing with special oils that will help focus that intention on the things you want in your life.

Amidst the Moon, Power and Vision tea and Rose Face Cream, QoC also carries pendulums that correspond to the seven Chakras, colored rabbits' feet and natural stone and Tibetan Chakra jewelry. There are treasures lurking everywhere in this little shop. Hidden among the Besom (a type of broom, commonly associated with witches, that are said to help protect a house from evil or negative energy if placed correctly) is the Nimbus 2000- which for all you Harry Potter fans needs no explanation.

But the most exciting thing about QoC is the people. Folks who work here are believers (of one kind or another) and in a world where it seems cynics rule it's truly refreshing to come in contact with folks that not only believe but whose goal it is to try and help you get what you want in life. There is no hard sell here. Only people interested in sharing knowledge, inspiring learning and hoping to open some minds, all while having a bit of fun.

And here's where the fun really comes in. QoC has a stable of psychics, life coaches, tarot, tea leaf and astrology readers (by appointment or on-call) like Robert Smith, who did a quick reading of my astrological chart that was shockingly, spot-on. Among these practitioners, QoC employs an in-house psychic, Jodi Snyder, who does the complimentary rune reading of the day for each customer. Snyder is an eighth generation psychic reader trained from childhood, in a family of Theosophists. (Theosophy comes from the Greek meaning "God Wisdom." Theosophists, like QoC is all inclusive, as they believe that all religions have a piece of the truth. The also believe in the tenants of oneness or a universal brotherhood, accepting of all; the study and comparison of religions, philosophies and science and that nothing in nature is by chance.) As the emblem of the Theosophical Society reads, "There is no religion higher than Truth."

That thought would be right in line with those of Walt Whitman, who said, "Whatever satisfies the soul is truth." Queen of Cups is a great place to explore that concept. Who knows? You may just find your truth.