New Paltz native Dana Cooper has an affinity for things that help to empower us by connecting us back to basic elements: the pull of the Moon, ocean tides, rock formations and the medicinal application of plants and herbs. Thus, she has opened up a new shop, Ritualist, located at the axis of North Front Street and North Chestnut Street, the busy walking/cycling hub in the heart of the village.
After growing up in the 12561, Cooper went off to college at Oneonta and then transferred to the Fashion Institute of Technology, eventually married and spent ten years living in Brooklyn. “We’ve been plotting our return back to New Paltz for years, but we finally made the move last summer,” said Cooper. “It’s great to be back here.”
The design of the shop itself is minimalist and meditative. There is a vast array of aromas infused in the air: lavender and rose petal, elderberry, eucalyptus and lemon balm – an entire potpourri of smells that don’t overpower each other, but blend in a way that seems to lower the heart rate, makes you want to inhale more deeply and let your muscles relax as your eyes dance over the beautifully and sparsely decorated space.
There are 100 percent soy-based aromatherapy candles with names like “Rescue” or “Release.” There are also a myriad of carefully and intentionally blended medicinal tinctures that target specific ailments or needs, such as an elderberry/ginger mix to boost the immune system or a blend that is geared towards “resilience” and “calm” – all things that are needed during this particular time.
“I think that many people are trying to take their health and wellbeing into their own hands, and we’re providing tools that can help them do that,” said Cooper. She pointed out that everything in the store is either made locally or by small, independent lines that she vets thoroughly for their ingredients, practices and, most importantly, their values. There are elixirs that support falling asleep or quieting the mind or “to soften your heart and hold you through grief,” she explained. “All of the products I choose are made by people who have good values. These are from amazing herbalists that care about their community and are involved with mutual aid and marginalized communities. They’re made with great care and intention, which I think is critical.” She noted that even her offering of tarot card decks is “more inclusive and representative” than you might find in other stores.
Ritualist also features a table with a carefully curated collection of crystals, each of which carries “different energies. “One of my personal favorites is amethyst,” Cooper said. “But they’re just great to carry in your pocket, hold in your hand or have them accessible to you so that you can harness that specific energy, whether it’s calmness you crave, or confidence, breaking bad habits or enhancing intuition.” She has an array of delicious herbal bath soaks, and even some merchandise including tee-shirts that state, “The Future Is Female.”
The store describes itself as being part “witch shop,” part “plant shop,” but “all magic.” Asked about the witchy aspect of things, Cooper paused and said, “I thought about this a lot. It’s a more modern use of the term, and if people shy away from it, that’s fine. It’s not about being ‘wicked’ or “dark’ at all; it’s about connecting to your inner power,” with various natural aids and timeless means. “What’s great about witchcraft is that there is no dogma, no rules, no beliefs that you have to adopt; it’s personal and flexible.”
Cooper said that in her estimation, words like “wellness,” “healing” and “spiritual” have been whitewashed to such an extent by consumer culture that they’ve lost their true meaning. “Witchcraft is feminine, in a non-gendered way, but it does associate closely with Moon phases and seasons and tapping intuition and understanding energy cycles – and that time is not linear, but more of a spiral, and that you can’t always be on the go.”
Also for sale are a line of bone-white ceramic pots that call out for plants to show them off and a small book titled House Plants Are Your Friends. “I wrote that!” Cooper said proudly. “I consider myself a curator, but that is the one thing I did contribute,” and her smile widened.
The store makes you stop and think and smell and remember that Nature is our mother, that time is fluid, that we all have power within us and it’s just about knowing how to manifest it to support us. This store has a magic to it, and Cooper is as inviting and modern and grounded as they come.
Located at 19 North Front Street, Ritualist is open from 11 to 6 p.m. daily. To learn more, visit www.ritualistshop.com, www.facebook.com/ritualistshop or follow the shop on Instagram @ritualist_shop.
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