Let’s Get Metaphysical: Mysticism in Casper (PHOTOS)

Driving uptown from Wolcott, on the right-hand side is a building with several small businesses; one of which is Meraki Metaphysical.

Up the stairs and through a beaded curtain is a room full of glittering stones and crystals. Books on astrology and the zodiac line the walls.

The smell of incense is strong. The store manager tells me it's nagchampa—for good energy, of course. You won't find any ouija boards here. Good vibes only. No curses, no hexes, no dark magic.

Serenity Johnson invites me through another beaded curtain into a dim room. We sit on antique emerald-colored chairs. Pop music plays in the background. "This is where the magic happens" she says.

Johnson is the store manager. She looks like a fairy, sitting neatly in a chartreuse tie dye dress with giant blue eyes and smoky lavender hair.

She moved to Casper in 2019. Her last job was working at Ridley's and she couldn't wait to do something else. Finally, a part-time position opened up and Johnson gradually worked her way up.

Her love for all-things-metaphysical started at the age of six when her brother brought home a book about crystals.

"Imagine a little girl coming up to you and saying 'If you wrap an amethyst in dog hair it can stop snake venom.'"

According to Johnson's father, her great grandmother had premonitions and her Aunt Kelly could speak with the dead.

High School was sometimes a bit awkward, she shares: "During lunches I read the [tarot] cards for money. I was that weird girl."

On her way home from school she used spells to forecast what loomed ahead.

There's a table for tarot readings between us, and since Johnson is an experienced reader...

She shuffles a deck of mushroom cards.

Takeaways: Something's about to go down and I'm supposed to roll with it. I am also supposed to relax (ughh). A puffball mushroom turns up on the last card, reinforcing the message that I'm holding onto something too tightly. "Let go, exhale..." she reads.

Other services include reiki, rune reading, and shadow work; for that last one, the Prince of Darkness (he's really a ray of sunshine, says Johnson) puts customers into a meditative state to help them reach their deities and inner turmoil.

Casper strikes me as a mystical place--not just because it's the name of a friendly ghost, but I have my reasons. There are over half a dozen metaphysical shops in the area selling everything from patchouli to love potions:

Pan's Grove, Wonder!, Crescent Moon Co., Diamond in the Rough, Sway's—just to name a few.

In fact, you can find a bevvy of them at the Casper Holistic Expo in September.

I knew Casper was rich in artists, musicians, and punks, but I had not realized its prolific community of mystics, witches, and oracles.  Some more serious than others.

The owners of the store, Natalie Meraki and Kyle Lee, are in Arizona. Over the phone, Meraki tells me that she and her boyfriend moved to Casper from Portland to be closer to family.

While searching, they were hoping to find a space that would be inviting to all crowds. The metaphysical community is not large, but they do have their regulars.

"We're just a bunch of weirdos," says Meraki. When they found the Wolcott location, it seemed like the perfect fit. Bright lights flood into the store from eastern windows, helping create a happy, warm spot. The building is rich in history, and Johnson would tell you that spirits roam the hallways, humming.

Meraki shared a poem she wrote about the shop:

"In the beginning, there was a vast sea of darkness. A vessel appeared. The vessel was not existent of obligation, it was a gift given freely of gratitude. An abundance of equal love for anyone whom chose it, fueled by its name, Love Boat..."

While the store has been a vision come true, Meraki and Lee plan to sell. They are hoping the right person comes along and can keep things going for the community it serves.

Meraki herself designs tarot decks. You can find her merch here.