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Columnists

Clearwater shop owner as unique as her store

Rebekah Seagle - Omega Contributor

Michelle Methot has been drawn to the unique and mystical ever since childhood.

“It’s like an oven,” she said. “The front burner is the traditional life, with the back burners symbolizing dreams and aspirations. I decided to live for the backburner. I’ve always been stimulated by a desire to perceive things differently,”

Different becomes apparent when you enter her shop, Universal Treasures. The air is rich with gentle melodies, the soft sounds of drumming and guitar chords, and the rich fragrance of incense.

The store is filled with curiosities. Vibrant, rainbow-hued clothes hang on the walls, and softly glowing crystals beckon to the eye through out the store where a variety of miniature and intricate statues reside.

Originally from southern Ontario, Methot is a self-proclaimed “Jane-of-all-trades”.

Methot first heard of Clearwater on the internet and said that the name struck a chord in her. Something inside spoke to her, and she knew that she and her family were meant to move to Clearwater.

“I’ve taken a lot of leaps of faith in my life,” she said. “Clearly, a voice said that it’s right to move here.”

And it is not hard to miss the enthusiasm she has for the community and her support of local artists. There are books of handmade paper in the windows, painted rocks of all shapes, sizes, animals resting on counter tops and window ledges, and illustrations decorating the store walls, all locally made.

On display are the books of two authors from the region: two children’s books written by Professor Klunk, and “Journey into Time” by Dwight Johnson, an author from Little Fort.

“I’ve always wanted to open a bookstore where I can support local talent and abilities, and I’ve tried to incorporate both elements of the two ideas into my store,” said Methot. “A lot of people live traditionally,” she says. “I try to be open, and see things a little wider.”

Her shop reflects that part of her personality. It contains a diverse collection of oddities and hard-to-find unique items: clothes for children and adults (all one-of-a kind, ordered specially), gemstones, cards, calendars, and books, ranging from open-minded, spiritually based adult texts to a growing selection of illustrated children’s stories. One of the things that she loves most about her work is her ability to share herself and experiences with others. She loves to connect with those that enter her shop, and she hopes that those that come will open themselves up to the possibilities that she knows exist.

One of her favorite ways of connecting is through the practice of Reiki. Reiki is when hands are placed on the clothed body for the purpose channeling healing energy. It is a cycle that is energizing for both the recipient and the person applying the technique.

According to Methot, Reiki is said to treat the whole person, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The benefits of the service are highly soothing, as there is a focus on breathing and letting go of the injury. In the end, however, it is all about being ready to let go in order to heal.

“The energy is connected to the source,” says Methot, “and the energy needs to reconnect to [the person] in order to have the ability to heal. The source is what one makes of it: call it the divine energy, call it pure love.”