Looking for a good revenge spell or an in-depth understanding of your astrological birth chart? Can a decent tarot reading tempt you, a healing crystal or just interested in paganism? Author Tobsha Learner finds five of the top occult and magic shops that will rock your supernatural world*.
1. The Astrology Shop
If you're wondering how mercury in retrograde is affecting your day trading, or where your girlfriend's moon is, this is the place. There are over a 1,000 titles on astrology both for the dedicated and the layperson. You can also order printout astrological charts by world famous Liz Greene or Robert Currey: from relationship to next year’'s aspects. There's a whole shelf on Lovestrology, and famously Robert Downey Jr came in to find out whether his girlfriend was a match... they're still married. Britney Spears also visited at the beginning of her career for a birth chart reading. Other great magicware include: a Palmistry hand with astrology explanations, astrological glyphs pendants, birthstones pendants, astrolabes, pendulums and ephemerides.
The Astrology Shop, 78 Neal Street, WC2H 9AP
2. The Atlantis Bookshop
If you’re after a cauldron, chalice or Obsidian Sphere — this is where to come. A staple amongst the Wicca folk, the Atlantis Occult Bookshop has been around for almost 100 years and has been run by three generations of witches. The controversial 'Father of Wicca' Gerald Gardner held his coven on the premises before witchcraft was even legal and even Aleister Crowley was once a regular customer. Apart from a great range of occult books it boasts an excellent collection of magicware at reasonable prices — from small charms to crystal balls to palm stones to some extraordinary bronze statuettes of Wicca deity Baphometh. Something for the budding witch to the outright sorceress.
The Atlantis Bookshop, 49a Museum Street, WC1A ILY
3. Treadwell's Bookshop
The atmosphere of this bookstore cum hub centre for all things mystical is somewhere between Hogwarts library and an upmarket 1970s squat. Amongst other services, their tarot readers are personally headhunted by those in the biz. You can opt for an hour or half-hour (£70, £40) and there are six in-house tarot readers, all with different cultural and occult influences. The readings cover the next three to nine months and Treadwell's have a strong code of ethical practice. The reading room is womb-like as well as soundproofed for guaranteed confidentiality. Treadwell's also offer tarot reading courses and have a great range of tarot cards.
Treadwell’s Bookshop, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, WC1E 7BS
4. Urban Buddha
The Urban Buddha is an oasis of tranquillity situated on the frenetic Fulham Road. The perfect sanctuary to source a crystal to potentially reinvigorate the most flagging chakra, vanquish Brexit rage or heal a heart. From Rose quartz for protection to Tiger-eye to black Tourmaline to the golden-white Citrine — the merchant stone that is said to help increase both self-worth and wealth, there is little you cannot buy here. Most impressive are the beautifully resonate crystal singing bowls (a serious investment at £250). The crystals come in all sizes and range from £3.50 to £5,000 for a magnificent one and half metre tall natural quartz column. Having ghost or negative energy issues? They also sell magical herbs white sage and yerba santa to exorcise and cleanse.
Urban Buddha, 755 Fulham Road, SW6 5UU
5. Watkins Bookshop
The mecca of occult bookshops in London, Watkins is over 100 years old, and consists of two levels packed with well-marked sections on everything mystical and esoteric. Started by John Watkins who was the librarian for Madame Blavatski's Theosophical society, the shop has boasted some very famous customers from Yeats to Mick Jagger — a regular in the 1960s. They have a particularly wide section on paganism and shamanistic cultures from Siberia to Africa, with some fantastic talismans, runestaves and amulets, ranging from a dead sexy granite Willendorf Mother Earth statuette to more reasonably priced pendants of the pagan horned deity Cernnunos and every pagan ceremonial accessory in between.
Watkins Bookshop, 19-21 Cecil Court, WC2N 4EZ
Tobsha Learner’s latest novel The Magick Of Master Lilly is published by Sphere and is available now at all good bookshops and online.
*The views and beliefs of the the author don't necessarily reflect those of Londonist. But for those who believe in the occult, we hope you find this article helpful.
