The ethics of Star + Splendor are the heart of the business.

Star + Splendor is a metaphysical business that is built upon a strong foundation of ethics. This is something that has always been important to me, because the shop and its services are both my vocation and my passion. It is also a path of service for me. It’s my aim to give my customers, Tarot and coaching clients the best and most complete information and options. I wish for healing, empowerment and compassion for us all. We do no harm here – in fact, the shop aims to make the world a better, more magical, and more verdant place.

With the increased interest in crystals, mediumship, Tarot and other metaphysical topics, there are more online businesses and services in this category popping up. It’s “on trend.” Those of us who have been working with these practices for a while are enjoying the freedom and transparency! But I’ve observed that not every trendy or attractive shop is an ethical or knowledgable shop, and that Tik Tok is surfacing a lot of bad advice to the younger generation. “Spiritual coaches” and social media personalities sometimes prey on fear and anxiety, promoting superstition to sell ineffective products. (This is a business model as old as time!) Just as I advise when people ask me about schools and mentorship, it’s important to do your research and be discerning. If you skim the comments under the videos in my YouTube channel, you will see people discussing how they want to sell crystals and spiritual goods to naive people. To them, crystals are an opportunity to make quick money. To me, crystals are friends, allies, and medicine.

In light of the times, I felt it important to clarify the ethics behind Star + Splendor. These ethics govern how I source products, who I purchase them from, which products I carry, and how I offer services and classes. Here is a short but important list. I may update it periodically!

Do no harm.

Star + Splendor was built upon the values of community, connection and healing. It is not just a shop, but a healing arts space, and a consecrated temple as well. Therefor, inside and outside its walls, I am committed to reducing harm and maintaining it as a safe space. This means requiring masks when there is significant risk of Covid transmission to vulnerable members of the community. It means not spreading conspiratorial and superstitious ideas. It means giving good, complete information. It means making careful choices about the types of products and services offered. Let’s take care of one another by reducing harm and showing compassion.

Sourced locally. Sourced sustainably.

Nearly all of the spiritual goods, jewelry, gifts and herbs are sourced locally and sustainably. This means that I work with artisans to reduce packaging waste when possible, by using recyclable or compostable materials. This is not always possible when it comes to items like herbs, which must be treated like food for safety, and kept air-tight for freshness. Check the item you have purchased, and please rinse, then recycle or reuse the packaging if you can.

I purchase from artisans because it is my experience, as an artisan myself, that the joy of creativity and intent goes into handmade goods. Small batch crafted means fresh items with good quality control. This beautiful energy and intent adds to your spells, intention work and self care when you take the product home. And it supports the dream of the artist, by enabling them to invest in making more lovely, powerfully good items.

Because the shop emphasizes local artisans, many items are one-of-a-kind and all are very well made. I purchase only from lovely, talented people who care about beauty and quality as much as I do!

Made by practitioners.

Spiritual goods that are crafted for the shop are made by practitioners who are masters of their tradition and craft. Items are made in ceremony, according to tradition, in the correct ways. I can tell you the tradition that each artisan practices and how the item is made (unless it’s a secret!) In this way, I can assure you that it will be effective if used properly. I learn a lot from the artisans who make my spiritual goods! I pass their methods and advice on to you. They are quite magical people.

Some items are made in-house, because I haven’t found the right practitioner to make them. Our planetary spell candles and chime candles are examples of this. Because it takes time to meet the right practitioner, some categories might expand slowly. New spiritual items are being added all the time and I am comfortable with expanding slowly to keep consistently amazing quality of product.

I am always happy to hear about great practitioner-made products, so let me know if there is something you feel Star + Splendor should stock!

Careful consideration of cultural practices.

I am often asked about how I feel about cultural appropriation. This is a sensitive and complicated conversation, but quite simply, because we do no harm in this shop (to the environment, to our bodies, to the emotional wellbeing of minority groups) certain items are not included here. The white sage we carry is grown on reservation land, and harvested only from mature plants that can propagate themselves. It is made in ceremony by native people. We ask that all who use it do so with reverence. I do a lot of educating on alternatives to sage and palo santo in the shop.

The language we use and the topics we explore in the shop will always be respectful and non-appropriative. However, because the shop is a place where people come to learn and find information, books and items from a wide variety of traditions are included, and not all of them are ones I personally practice. It is my sincere belief that there are common threads between them all, and that spirituality is part of one’s wellbeing. Therefor, I have no issue carrying books on Christian mysticism alongside Yoruba and Heathenry. All paths lead up the same mountain. All travelers and seekers are welcome here.

No superstitition.

My personal path follows “the method of science, the aim of religion.” Many of you who have attended my classes or watched my videos are aware of this, because I encourage methods to record and discover patterns while building a spiritual practice. Even things felt and perceived are data points.

Magic is definitely real. It’s not like it is in the movies though, and superstition doesn’t change that fact. Magic deals with Reality with a capital “R.”

I do not encourage or pass along superstitious ideas in this shop. These kinds of ideas are usually projections of our own psyches, and they often do more harm than good – breeding fear, false limitation, and anxiety. They can also be a way of avoiding personal accountability and responsibility. Advancement along a spiritual path requires ultimate accountability and responsibility. This is especially true of a magical path, and of the path of the healer.

Telling the truth.

If you enter the shop and ask me about something I have here, I will answer all questions honestly and directly. I will not make things up when I don’t know the answer. I do not get my information from YouTube. I study, I practice, I research, and I work hard. Even so, I do not have all the answers! When I don’t know something, I will do my best to point you in the direction of where you can find out more. I will suggest sources that I personally can vouch for. I will not send you in the direction of a person, practice or source that might harm you.

Truth is a deeply held spiritual value of mine.

Teaching style and ethos.

When I teach a class or lead a group exercise, I include information as complete as possible to insure success. For many methods, I do my best to explain how and why it works, even if this is only theoretical. I sometimes like to leave room for you to discover and answer some of your own questions. But I will not teach ineffective magical techniques or leave out essential information that would reduce your success. I am here to help and make these techniques accessible to those who feel called to them.

These values also carry over to the classes taught by others in this space. The opinions and ideas shared by others who teach here belong only to them, and do not reflect those of STAR + SPLENDOR. However, all practitioners who teach in the space are asked to respect the “do no harm” guideline. I screen all workshops, instructors and practitioners carefully and try to make sure that we are aligned in the most important ways. If you are ever uncomfortable with the methods or messaging of a practitioner who works in this space, please reach out to me directly at shop@starandsplendor.com.

Your spiritual path is uniquely yours, and a matter of personal will.

My path is personal and unique to me. Your path belongs to you. I practice within a tradition that I feel deeply, soulfully called to. It is my core belief that every person has the right to discover and choose the spiritual life that calls to them as part of their soul’s journey. You will never hear me try to coerce or convert you. Nor will you hear me hold superior my tradition. Likewise, no other tradition is discriminated against here. All are welcome.