Magus Books and Herbs: Where the Magick Happens

Magus Books and Herbs has been facilitating spiritual exploration for upwards of 30 years. Complete with instructional courses, informational texts and divine guides, the shop describes itself as a “one-stop-shop” for all things magickal and mystical. Their new storefront is located in northeast Minneapolis off of Central Ave. Magus Books and Herbs’s central philosophy mandates that there is no singular spiritual path, but every individual’s journey should be honored and respected. Whether you are seeking knowledge on Afro-Caribbean tradition or Christian mystics, Magus encourages everyone to follow their inner compass.

Owner and herbalist Liz Johnson uses the example of the Om symbol to describe the shop’s approach. The icon is sacred in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, but has recently entered the popular zeitgeist as a symbol for meditation and peace.

“So you come in, and you have so much road rage … I’m going to get this [Om] keychain. It’s going to remind me to take a deep breath and chill out on my way to work … Then you come back in a few months for a book on Buddhism, because it works,” Johnson explains. “Continue to explore down that path. Find the resources you need to grow and be happy. That’s the whole point!”

Johnson is the second owner of Magus Books, but has been an integral member of its success since its beginning in the 1990s. Johnson continues to honor their predecessor’s founding principle, cultivating a hub for unique spiritual exploration.

Magus Books and Herbs was founded by Roger Williamson, who migrated from the UK. He found the Twin Cities lacking in metaphysical literature, so he took it upon himself to create a mail-order catalogue of his personal library, based out of his basement. Soon, Williamson garnered enough traction to open a storefront. Upon retirement, longtime employee Johnson took up the mantle and purchased the store with his blessing.

Fast-talking and boisterous, Johnson is eager to share their hard-earned knowledge and provides herbal consultations in-house. They have spent the majority of their life studying traditional knowledge and medicine, including Ayurvedic, Chinese, Kampo and Tibetan, to name a few. Johnson’s interest in herbal remedies began early in life when their father suffered several minor myocardial infarctions, otherwise known as heart attacks. By the time he was diagnosed, bypass surgery was the only option.

“I love modern medicine…” Johnson clarifies. “But there has to be more that we can do. And that brought me to herbalism.”

Herbal medicine works in tandem with medical professionals, not in place of them. It does not have the power to cure everything, but traditional wisdom may be able to ease some symptoms.

“We’re not gonna fix schizophrenia with herbs,” Johnson says. “For those with more serious things that I specialize in, there are people I won’t see if they don’t see their doctor … I prefer to work in concert with your physicians.”

The herbalist believes in interweaving ancient empirical knowledge from across cultures with modern medicine for the best results. Clients seek Johnson’s advice for issues as serious as cancer or as trivial as vanity. While it may seem shallow, Johnson assures customers that they can help with that, too.

“I also have people come in because they want designer tea,” they giggle. “If you want to avoid those wrinkles, you take good care of the body.”

The herbal consultations consist of an amalgamation of noninvasive traditional diagnostic methods from many systems around the world, including methods like face reading and pulse response. Based on the test results, Johnson makes a list of potential herbs and performs sample tests to measure their effectiveness.

“We’re tailoring the formula to the individual specifically,” Johnson explains. “And recommendations are not made without a consultation.”

“If you’re the first person to turn the heat on in the fall, you’re not the first person to turn the AC on in the spring; those are different body types,” Johnson continues. “One runs hot, one runs cold. You need different herbs for the same things.”

Traditional medicine is only one of the offerings at Magus. The shop also offers courses such as Reiki, palmistry and astrology at varying price points, and they post daily on social media with videos on stones, herbs, magick and meditation. For a more personalized experience, you can find divine guidance with a variety of practitioners in fields such as palmistry, tarot, dream interpretation and oracling. 

The team at Magus Books and Herbs is small but mighty. After moving shop locations so many times, keeping up with their social media campaign, consultations and the day-to-day retail, there’s a lot of labor that goes into the business. But, without a doubt, it is a labor of love. Johnson likens Magus to the fantasy game Dungeons and Dragons. 

“It’s very much like being a player who’s decided to be a paladin and a mage,” Johnson says. “You’re going to be amazing when you get there, but the process to get there takes twice as long because you’re trying to level up in two different ways. That’s kind of what we’re all doing. We’re leveling up in multiple ways at all times.”

Johnson encourages everyone to follow their inner wisdom, to find their most authentic self. Whether you find peace in Buddhism, Christianity, magick or another divinity entirely, they have spent their life cultivating a space for thought-provoking experiences and materials. 

If you’re in the mood to expand your horizons, Johnson encourages you to stop in to explore.

“Come here for your spiritual needs, and come here for your Lavender too,” Johnson adds with a cheeky grin.