Crystals, meditation offered at new cultural gift shop

ASHEBORO — Are you stressed, depressed or have a feeling of unrest? A mother-daughter team in Asheboro may be able to help you.

Denise Boswell and her daughter Brittany Luck opened The River Willow: Your Spiritual Haven on Feb. 22 at 1528 Zoo Parkway, Suite F. 

They use stones, crystals and gems with the belief in the unique healing and vibrational properties that each specimen carries. 

The River Willow, named after Luck’s son River and daughter Willow, is described as a “cultural gift shop” with plans in the summer to offer meditation classes and workshops for crystals.

Prior to the opening, Luck said, they had to go to other cities to find the types of crystals and gems they carry.

The products range from raw and polished stones to spheres, tumbled stones, points and towers.

If you’re not into the healing powers of crystals and meditation, you may find the beauty of the products enough to brighten up your home. Or you may find gems as jewelry.

Luck said that she became enamored with rocks, trees and nature from a very young age. She said she began “collecting stones and gems without any known reason why I was so drawn to them.”

As she got older, Luck said, “I began to understand the unique healing … properties” of stones.

Boswell has been an avid spiritualist for years and decided to leave the corporate world to join her daughter at The River Willow. She’s currently working to become certified to lead group meditation. 

Boswell’s husband, Matt, works part-time at the shop as a craftsman. He cuts and polishes stones and does repair work, among other duties.

“People, I find, are drawn to certain types of stones,” Luck said, “something they need, spiritually or emotionally.”

“According to science, everything carries energy,” Boswell said. “People can meditate on the intention they want, whether it’s love or relationships. They can carry a stone or keep it at home or their office. They can take it near their bed if they have trouble sleeping.”

“We decided Asheboro could use this and people have responded,” Luck said. “We want to bring all good intentions together so that everyone has a safe place to come and not feel judged. It’s a spiritual haven where anyone with any religion can come. It’s a place to come and lock the world out.”

“The meditation classes will be to quiet the madness,” Boswell added. She’ll soon be certified for classes in meditation and mindfulness.

“Its been amazing,” she said, “how people have come with open arms and excited.”

Many of the stones come from Asheville but others are imported from Madagascar, Brazil and China. But the two owners were excited last week about plans to go to Hiddenite, NC, during the weekend to hunt for gems. Boswell said Matt planned to bring quite a few back to shape and polish.

The River Willow is open Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon-7 p.m.

You can find much more information at their website, www.theriverwillow.com.

Also, visit www.healthline.com/health/meditate-with-crystals to learn about using crystals