On the streets of downtown Phoenix near Roosevelt Row, displays of rose quartz, moonstone and labradorite might catch a patron’s eye.
Many First Friday events or weekend markets host small crystal businesses that want to share positivity and homemade art. Mr. Meerkat’s Market, one of these dedicated businesses, loves nothing more than sharing the art of crystal healing with customers.
Michael and Niki Moran — also known as Mr. and Mrs. Meerkat to their customers — started their shop almost five years ago after attending the annual Burning Man art event in Nevada. The expressive art of wire wrapping crystals and jewelry caught Michael’s attention and inspired him to pursue a market of his own.
“I just love everything that they brought to our lives, and I know that there’s something special and I like that other people see the specialness of it,” Niki Moran said.
The Moran couple mainly operates their shop online through Etsy and their Instagram page. Mr. Meerkat’s market has also been found tabling outside local spots such as Bud’s Glass Joint, JoBot Coffee, Historic Grand Avenue and the Alwun House in a partnership with ArtNight, a monthly event that encourages opportunities for artistic collaboration.
“I’m kind of introverted as an artist. I work at home a lot,” Michael Moran said. “The events helped me get out to talk to people and to meet people in their community.”
“It’s really important for us to socialize, but it’s hard for us to do that ourselves,” Niki Moran said. “So you can find it easier when we’re standing behind a bunch of crystals and handing those out. It kind of helps create just good energy while we’re out.”
Building a positive community through crystals is the most important part of the Mr. Meerkat business, according to the Morans.
“I like how he can turn them into beautiful pieces of wearable art, too,” Niki Moran said. The smile on [customers’] faces when they get a free crystal from us or get a package from us — it’s hard not to get a little addicted.”
According to a 2018 study by Pew Research Center, 42% of adults in the United States believe they can locate spiritual energy in physical things, which can include crystals. The popularity of this widespread infatuation with physical spirituality has made its way to some students at Arizona State University, too. Danielle Du, a medical studies student, participates in crystal healing and collecting, saying her admiration for crystals began as a kid when she would collect rocks.
“At first, it was an aesthetic appreciation,” she said.
Now, she uses crystals to ground her emotions or ease stressors. She said during virtual classes on Zoom, she would often hold crystals to practice calming her senses.
Kinesiology student Aris Huang also collects crystals in order to bring balance into her life. She said she grew up surrounded by jade stones — a crystal known for its calming properties — in her home, and over time, began to search for more information and collect from small businesses.
Not only did crystals appeal to her visual senses and emotions, but they also expanded her understanding of different cultures’ beliefs. Huang said she enjoys reading about various cultural ties to crystals, collecting stones for interior decor and looking at them when she seeks reflection or balance.
“It’s not necessarily that these crystals are doing anything physically,” Huang said. “But one, they can’t really harm you. And two, even if it just gets you to think about what’s associated to the rock, just so that you have the chance to maybe reflect or think differently about what you’re doing or what you can do to help a situation, I think that’s the best utilization of crystals.”
Contact the reporter mandrea1@asu.edu.
