Where can you buy crystals to focus your energy and skulls to centre your rituals in Edinburgh?
The short answer is Portal Leith, newly opened on Bernard Street by the Shore.
The slightly longer answer, which might sound defensive, ranty or small-minded, is that there’s nowhere you can buy crystals to focus your energy. I’m not a believer. In fact, I’ve seen the harm a refusal to follow medicine and science can do.
However, the mind is incredible, and we don’t fully understand it. We know that the brain makes the chemicals to make us feel healthy. We know that meditation positively affects health and that a sense of belonging can transform someone’s life for the better. Therefore, if anyone finds that they can use crystals, wands, decorated skulls or whatever to fuel their well-being, I believe in that. I support that.
Did I challenge the Portal Leith founders about that when I visited just before the weekend? No, instead, I asked about who was welcome and what sort of guests/shoppers they wanted. Their answer was quick; anyone! The modified to; anyone curious and with an open mind.
I bought a ghost. A ghost pin badge. Yes, readers, I’ve not kicked my pin badge-buying habit yet.
Portal Leith’s vibe
Friendly! What a lovely wee store. Portal Leith has a note tagged on the door: “the portal is open” (when it’s open). It is situated in an ‘almost basement’ and reminds me of a Hobbit hole.
While I was in the shop looked after curious tourists, a true believer, one puzzled local and me as the idiot waving his camera around. It was Friday the 13th, after all.
A humidifier hidden in the corner quietly pumps whisps of fragrant mist into the air. Even the animal skulls seemed relaxed. The ghosts, of which there are more than pin badges, all looked happy.
There are many skulls, but there are also more crystals. These are laid out in labelled trays and sometimes in dishes and presentations. It’s a lovely little addition to Leith, and I predict it’ll be included in tourist guides.
I bet you can rock up here and explain you’re prop hunting for a play or LARP and be welcomed as warmly as someone buying gifts for their coven.
Range and stock
I can’t review “whether these crystals are pure enough to work” or take any new age, alternative or occult slant.
That said, I have runes at home and a tarot deck, and I’ve previously read about this area. In my opinion, the crystals here are fairly priced and much cheaper than I’ve sometimes seen on the Royal Mile. How much? It depends on the crystal.
The decorated animal skulls semed to average out at about $60. Yes, if you hike through the Highlands, you might find one for free, but I doubt it won’t be clean. The skulls offered by Portal Leithh have been tidied up for you, and many of them easily have a good chunk of hours invested in making them look striking,
I don’t know a better place in Edinburgh to buy skulls.
Things to do in Leith
If you drink, then nearby there’s Moonwake for beer and tours. A little further up, there’s the Port of Leith Distillery for whisky fans. If you go that far then you can always check out what state Ocean Terminal is in and the award-winning Royal Yacht Britannia.
Alternatively, there’s the messy but fun Splatter Art Studio, the nearby Solistice Games and the further away but excellent Ancient Robot Games.
Lastly, for food, there’s a Mimi’s, Paloma and the ever popular Toast.
Overall
I visited Portal Leith on Friday the 13th, within a week of the little Hobbit hole’s door opening and became a customer. I felt well cared for and cosy, and I found a good deal.
On the other hand, I don’t believe in the power of crystals, and medicine that works, whether labelled ‘alternative’ or ‘complementary’, is just medicine. If it doesn’t work under scientific scrutiny, it’s not medicine and should not be represented as such. I hope this shop remains a lifestyle choice rather than a science denial.
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My trip down the step and into the skull-decorated room led me to believe Portal would be the better kind of metaphysical, kinder, more thoughtful shop, and I would look after everyone responsibly.
A review of Portal Leith
Summary
Portal Leith is a cosy Hobbit hole of a store that sells crystals, decorative skulls, new age, lightworker and perhaps even occult goodies but does so with warmth, without demonic markups and wisely.
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