Expert: Ernest Tufft - 8/25/2006

Question
Hi Ernest,

Where are the new age centers in California?  I'm looking for places where I can do shopping - crystals, new age art, new age books etc.  Thanks.

Regards,
Usuff

Answer
California is, ofcourse, a leader in New Age thinking, a place of refuge for those who choose their own spiritual path as opposed to the traditional ones followed in the most of the world.  There are a great number of New Age paths though, both organizational and individual, so all I can do is provide some places that I know are especially tolerant of, are are hangouts of sorts for those who consider themselves New Age.  Although there are many such centers in Southern California as well, small coastal towns in Northern California are especially noteworthy in this regard.  If you travel to towns of Mendocino and Santa Cruz in particular, you will find many bookstores, art galleries, bead and crystal shops, import stores, etc. that emphasize various spiritual interests that are New Age.  Along the whole stretch of Hwy 9 through the Santa Cruz mountains from Saratoga to Santa Cruz have hamlets with New Age retreats, as does places like Albion outside of Mendocino.  Some former Mother Lode towns, such as Nevada City and Grass Valley have become centers for New Age interests, and have shopping devoted to such.

It depends upon what you want because some New Age philosophy also mixes with various self-style Christian and Buddhist organizations, although other New Age believers are quite opposed to fundamentalism found among these Christian groups.

San Francisco and Berkeley are larger cities that have plenty of New Age shopping and folks devoted to this spiritual trend as well.  My pages at Virtualtourist.com under the member name of atufft provide additional tourism information for most of these destinations.

Have fun...