The Halloween season is here, and the celebrations have only just begun. Aside from trick or treat and the commonly honored traditions, Halloween holds a deeper, spiritual meaning for many. Chosen Pathways Spiritual Emporium, 400 E. State St. Suite A, is making sure people know about these deeper meanings through a celebration.
On Saturday, Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Chosen Pathways Spiritual Emporium will be hosting an all-day-long event in honor of the Halloween season. Kelly Lawrence, owner of Chosen Pathways Spiritual Emporium, said the day will hold a plethora of events for children, adults and everyone in between.
Lawrence said she plans to host games, like a cell phone scavenger hunt, a Halloween movie trivia quiz and a pumpkin toss during the day.
Once the evening hits, Lawrence will be hosting spooky stories and setting up an ancestor's altar. In hopes of growing appreciation for the spookiness of Halloween, Lawrence encourages people to stay until dusk.
“I'm asking people to bring remembrances of those who’ve passed,” Lawrence said. “It's going to be kind of a … ofrenda, like a Day of the Dead. I want to talk to people a little bit about what the true meaning of the holiday is. It’s not trick or treating and candy and stuff. It's more about remembering those who have passed on.”
Lawrence also wants to set up a photo booth and will have an online costume contest. People can post their photos in their costumes on Chosen Pathways Spiritual Emporium’s Facebook or Instagram. Those who like or follow the social media pages will be able to vote.
There will also be a basket raffle, which will include a variety of goods from the store.
Lawrence will also host guests, adding to the festivities and appreciation of Halloween. Guests include tarot reader Cynthia Turrentine-Hanson and Penni AlZayer, the “henna faerie.”
Turrentine-Hanson teaches mystic arts, which is a way of communicating with what is unseen and gaining information from non-traditional sources and reading tarot cards. Turrentine-Hanson is looking forward to celebrating the spiritual significance of Halloween, especially in Pagan culture.
“We truly honor those that have gone before us,” Turrentine-Hanson said. “The wisdom that they imparted into the family — and that's one of the sources of that unseen information that we get — is from those that have passed before. So, the hallows is about honoring them.”
Turrentine-Hanson said the holiday is also about celebrating the last harvest as well as the changing colors in nature and being on the cusp of winter. Planning to frequently be at the shop on Thursdays, Turrentine-Hanson is looking forward to meeting a new clientele and finding a place to share her work in Athens while celebrating Saturday.
“It will be fun,” Turrentine-Hanson said. “The shop is amazing. She has an amazing collection of things that she's brought together from local artisans, and there's just going to be some really wonderful things going on.”
AlZayer will be there from noon to 5 p.m. AlZayer has worked with henna for a number of years now. She makes sure to take diligent care of her henna material and customers and is always creating new designs.
“I try really hard to work with people,” AlZayer said. “Happy customers come back, so I fully have people give an idea what they're looking for.”
AlZayer said this weekend is a huge step in gathering people together amid the pandemic and encourages people to respect COVID-19 guidelines.
“Athens is such a wonderful town,” AlZayer said. “It's just one of those places that gets under your skin, no matter where you're from. You leave a piece of yourself there and want to come back. I think little events, like what Kelly is doing, and shops like hers and just all the unique, quirky things make Athens the place it is.”
Turrentine and AlZayer are only two of the guests who will be at the event Saturday. There will also be massage therapists. Alongside the activities, Lawrence hopes to have food and drinks, like baked goods and hot cider.
“Come on over to my shop to enjoy some Halloween fun, some traditions, some old traditions and, hopefully, some new traditions,” Lawrence said. “Just enjoy the season.”
