New Crystals and Curiosities Shop is Raising the Vibration of Downtown The Dalles
“Everything in life is vibration…Everything is energy and that's all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality.”
- Albert Einstein .
The Dalles now has its own local, ethically-sourced rock shop, owned and operated by life long The Dalles resident, Amanda Polehn.
By Cole Goodwin
Starseed Curiosities and Gifts, at 404 Washington St., The Dalles opened in February and is vibrating with mystical energies.
“Essentially everything has a frequency, everything vibrates at a certain frequency,” said Amanda Polehn, owner of Starseed Curiosities and Gifts.
“And crystals have very high vibrations. So, if you are carrying a piece of stone in your pocket and you are connecting to the frequency of that high vibration, that can have an impact on you and how you interact with the world around you.”
Or as Albert Einstein put it:
“Everything in life is vibration…Everything is energy and that's all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality.”
People have been using crystals in fashion, spiritual, healing, and wellness practices since time immemorial. There is just something about these colorful shiny rocks that inspire beauty, curiosity, whimsy, wonder and fascination. A lot of scientific and metaphysical study has gone into how certain frequencies of vibration can heal DNA damage, cancer, anxiety, open and cleanse chakras and more.
People can use crystals in many different ways.
“Crystals can be used in meditation, manifestation and for grief, and protection,” said Amanda. “I wear black tourmaline every day because it kind of creates an energetic bubble around you that relieves negativity and reduces anxiety.”
Amanda Polehn wears a black tourmaline point necklace and earrings.
Amanda Polehn was born and raised in The Dalles.
A mother, business owner, and rock enthusiast, she was inspired to start selling crystals, tarot cards, soul care planners, houseplants, candles in every color of the rainbow, botanical bath teas, elixirs, and other self care and soul care supplies for a number of reasons, including financial independence and spirituality.
“I had some super significant life changes take place over the last year and a half,” said Amanda. “I had a lot of personal deconstruction around pretty much … everything. Including a divorce and my role as a stay at home mom changing, and I needed some direction and something to do. And I needed to prove to myself that I could do something else. And I had also deconstructed a lot of my past religious beliefs and grew into a different spiritual mindset. And I’ve always had retail and service industry jobs, so that came naturally to me.”
And then over COVID her kids started playing a fun game in their backyard that added to her inspiration.
“My grandma used to sell crystals and my other grandma was a rockhound so we have a lot of crystals and rocks around,” said Amanda. “And so the last couple of summers, my kids would set up this pretend rock shop in our backyard and ask me to come buy rocks from them.”
”So, then all these little things started to piece together and I started having this vision of a crystal store.”
She also wanted to create a space for the spiritual community to gather.
“Finding ways to facilitate the spiritual community being able to come together became my driving force,” she said. “I think there is just a need for a spiritual community hub like this.”
Amanda began to envision using the store as a connective space for people to attend classes, tarot readings, crystal workshops, DIY classes, wellness classes, and spiritual celebrations and get togethers.
Once she had the vision, she just needed the name for the store.
“So, one of the first spiritual books I read was called Letters to a Starseed by Rebecca Campbell,” said Amanda.
Letters to a Starseed is a book that, like Amanda, was concerned with asking the big questions: What is the soul, where did it originate from and why has it chosen to come here at this time?
“And I’ve always been fascinated with the fact that we all have the same DNA as stars and are made of the same stuff as stardust, and so it just kind of popped into my head when I was coming up with the name.”
Then when a space became available in The Dalles she knew it was time to take the jump and start her business.
It turned out to be the right move.
“Every week now, people are coming into my shop and saying “I can’t believe you’re here in The Dalles, and I’m so happy you’re here,” said Amanda.
“The people who come in here are just different, I would say, almost like what society would call outcasts. And when they come in here their faces light up and they can know they are accepted in this space. And that makes me feel really good.”
Amanda and a customer had a good chat about air plants and arachnids.
“A lot of people that have come in have found a little bit of healing just in talking to other people that are here who maybe are going through the same thing they are or have been through similar things,” said Amanda. “Not feeling like you’re alone in itself can be healing.”
“I’ve always had a desire to help other people,” said Amanda.
“And when people leave my store feeling like I’ve given them something to help with their anxiety or something for them to hold on to which can help ground them and get them through their day, that feels really good, that feels like mutual aid.”
Amanda’s oldest child says she hopes to work in the shop one day as “her first real job.”
Lucy Polehn helping her mom set up the shop.
If Amanda’s child takes over the shop one day, it will make for three generations in the business of crystals.
Amanda shared that having intergenerational knowledge about the crystal business can be useful for a number of reasons—including not buying products that harm the earth, and getting duped into buying fake products.
“I am trying to be really intentional about sourcing. All of my stones are from ethical and reputable vendors,” said Amanda. “I try my best to order from people I meet in person, so that I can be sure the quality of the stones are legit. I have a local crystal person that I am collaborating with who has been in the industry for decades. And there are also some small women-owned businesses that I like to support by purchasing from them.”
Malachite is the “travel stone” it is used to bring good luck, pain relief, trauma relief, and heart opening.
Amanda warns that buying crystals from Amazon might not be a good idea.
“I don’t buy from Amazon because most of the crystals on there are not real. And also I want to make sure I am not purchasing stones, sage, and palo santo from corporations that are contributing to overharvesting, unethical harvesting, or cultural appropriation,” said Amanda.
“I try to be mindful. I want to make sure that everything I carry here is not damaging the earth or damaging culture,” said Amanda. “I try to only carry products that are helpful and not harmful.”
These elegant fire staters were wild crafted in Eastern Oregon.
Amanda said that now that the business has been open for three months, it’s really starting to sink in that she’s proven to herself she could start a business.
“I’m just super proud of myself for doing this and achieving my goal. It was big and brave,” said Amanda.
“I’m grateful I had a lot of people that supported me. I couldn’t have done it without them. There were several times I laid in my bed crying thinking I don’t know if this is what I’m supposed to do. But my people supported me and my inner guidance just kept pushing me to do what I needed to do.”
“I think that when you clear out all of the things that no longer serve you and your purpose, which is a lot of hard work, it really opens you up to receive what does serve you and your purpose,” said Amanda.
“My main hope is that when people come in, they feel good and when they leave they feel better than when they came into the space,” said Amanda. “I want this to be a hub for starseeds to connect and I want to raise the vibration of The Dalles.”
A look inside Starseed Curiosties & Gifts.
Learn more about Starseed Curiosities and Gifts here.
