Students aren’t always excited about the start of typical classes, but the classes being offered at Elements Alternative Gifts Inc. are anything but conventional.
In September, the shop in the Village, which sells items relating to culture and spirituality, will offer classes about mysticism and the rituals of a number of earth-based religions — including gemstone healing and reading tarot cards. Anyone interested in the classes must register two days prior to the sessions that they wish to take.
The store is located at the corner of University Avenue and Martin Street, and this is its second year in operation.
“We’re adding a new element to the Village,” Carolyn Stellwag, co-owner of the store, said. People have requested that we hold workshops, she said.
“Originally, when we opened, we thought it’s what we wanted to do,” Stellwag said. “It’s all just kind of falling into place,” Stellwag said. “That’s how you know that something’s meant to be — when they just fall into place.”
Stellwag invited people from all over the state to teach the classes.“The people we’ve collected are very reputable,” she said.
Kenneth Swope, assistant professor of history at Ball State University, will be teaching a class titled “Discovering the Tao.”
Swope, whose Ball State classes focus on Asian studies, said he will center around the philosophical aspects of Taoism and some interpretations of the Tao te Ching, a primary scripture of Taoism.
“It’s nice to have interesting stores in the village,” he said. “[It has] the kind of stuff that you can’t find at the average strip mall store in Muncie.”
Senior Sara Parks, a biology major, said she plans to attend the meditation group every week.
“[It is] a great opportunity because we haven’t had something like this before,” she said.
Stellwag said she hopes the classes will become a venue for people to get together and meet others with similar interests. She said she sees the classes as a great way to create buzz about Elements.
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