09/27/2026
Autumnal Sunday Musingsā¦
I often hear whispers of āWitch Shopā when people are browsing the store. And we have been asked many times, āAre you a Witch?ā We laugh, deflect, then say that we would have burned at the stake a few hundred years ago for the Healing Arts work we do. And I donāt like titles as they are the Egos desire to feel special. And Iām not interested in being defined by someone elseās interpretation of my own rich, personal inner spiritual life. People will think what they want regardless of the answers I choose not to give.
But I do practice my own sort of magicā¦
As you get out of your car and walk down the sidewalk here at the Market, you start catching subtle hints of a slightly smoky, exotic scent. You follow your nose and are drawn in my front door.
And suddenly, all your senses come alive. The faint whiff you followed turns into a cacophony of fragrances. Incenses, Herbs & Oils swirl and mingle in the air to make their unique perfume synergy not found anywhere else on Earth. The vintage sounds of music you'd hear trilling in a Parisian Market joins the scents for a dance around you. And then your eyes take in the Atmosphere. The gorgeous original Tin Ceiling tiles shine in all her silvery glory - a beauty who has not lost her luster in 154 years. She drips with beautiful jeweled chandeliers imported from across the globe. The low, warm amber lighting envelops you in a cocoon of relaxed softness. You start browsing, and you feel your pulse slowing. The shop is already offering up it's healing to you. This doesn't feel like something you'd find in Wheeling. Or are you just experiencing a sliver of the city from a bygone Era? The thought slips away as you are distracted over and over by all the unique and odiferous wares that fill the shelves. And then you get to the Teas. Hundreds of Jars! You read the bottles, you smell their contents, & perhaps get a taste sample. You are overwhelmed with the dizzying amount of choices. You just popped in for a moment, yet here you are, not even know how much time has passed, and you just want to leisurely linger longer. You have become intoxicated by the shop. It's delicious, and you haven't even reached the Realm of the Salt Sanctuary yet...
This is Sensory Sorcery. A type of creative magic that evokes wonder through all 5 of your senses- smell, hearing, sight, taste & touch. And all the puzzlement over the curious things has caught you in a web of Wonder Weaving. It's a magic to delight your senses, fill you with awe, pique your curiosity and detach you from your normal reality for a bit. Synesthetic Magic blurs the lines between what you see, hear & feel to create an unforgettable, dizzying sense of wonder.
I'm here weaving a cocoon where you can feel safe to allow yourself to detach, relax and allow your own journey of healing, wonder & wellness to begin. Or perhaps to simply escape, experience a bit of child-like wonder & just take an aromatic detour from your reality for a little while.
Under The Elder Tree is so much more than a store- it's an Experience.