Ancient Ways

I love this place. I’ve had two tarot card readings at Ancient Ways and I found them both very helpful, interesting, and insightful. And the price seems very reasonable.
The staff is cool, nice, and knowledgeable. I’m not sure what this type of merchandise is called. I guess I would categorize the shop as selling «occult» items or «spiritual» items. In any case, they have a nice selection.
Mainly I go here for the tarot card readings. I don’t see any need to go into San Fran to spend a lot of money. The tarot card readers at Ancient Ways are excellent and they charge approximately a dollar per minute.

Had a forty minute Celtic Cross reading with one of their readers using the Rider-​Waite deck. Didn’t feel like there was any energetic connection with the reader. Seemed as though the reading went off course and had little to do with my journey. No fault of the reader, sometimes there’s no connection. Store merchandise is interesting, especially the book selection, jewelry and candle selection. Not a fan of dressing candles but if you are, this is the place. Sketchy area. Would not go there on foot after dark.

I love the good energy at this place, everyone is helpful and friendly. I had a reading and it was spot on, very convenient hours and location. I only wish the candle selection was bigger (7days candles only)
Still they get 5 stars for the nice vibes plus absolutely no up selling here.

I had a awesome experience staff was very friendly and knowledgeable as well as being very helpful I went on Friday and I am going back tomorrow morning I really like the oils, candles, and herb selection I now need sage which I forgot when I just went its very easy to spend $ 25 or more in this store check it out its a must.

I’ve gone to Ancient Ways on several occasions for candles, oils and the occasional tarot reading. Personally, I have always had a good experience there. I have found the people who work there behind the counter to be helpful, friendly and conversational. Sometimes they are a bit scattered if it gets busy, but I think they do a pretty decent job of keeping everyone attended to despite only being 2 or 3 people there. I think some of their stuff is not top notch quality, like the pendulums and some of the incense. I’ve purchased and used the oils to good effect (usually for the candles). The two tarot readings I had were quite spot on and clarifying. Personally I felt the people there were very clear in terms of setting right expectations about getting a reading and the way they handle cue-​ing people up. When I have had troubles the good folk there were empathic and kind.

Love the assortment of crystals and quartz. The assortment of tarot decks are great as well. Love that they have sage and smudge sticks. Just a really nice little shop. Always a pleasure.

I came here on a fluke, my old place I used to get rocks and candles from moved away. But I’m glad I did it’s a small space, but they use it well. They have an assortment of books, figurines, oils, jewelry, talisman and herbs. They have a very large selection of oils and herbs, and also makes suggestions on uses and meanings. They also have tarot reading s here. I will get one in the future. I’m kind of glad my old place moved to far away, because I would have never google for a new place!
Pros: knowledgeable people work here! Every one is nice with easy going spirits.
Cons: I wish I had more money…

All I can say is about this place after my second purchase which I was looking forward to of a tarot card reading I called in around 4 o’clock pm to see if they had anybody that day to do a tarot card reading they said yes but said they had been busy and off the hook with customers the guy still encourage me to come in after coming in and waiting for an hour and a half after being told that I wouldn’t be taken to have a tarot card reading 6:20pm rolled around I was refused to be served and the guy told me he would not be able to do my reading but they took the lady in front of me in line to do her reading even though it was after 6 o’clock pm after the time that they stop doing tarot card readings I will never step foot in here again how dare you guys treat me like a second class citizen as if I don’t have the money to put down for a tarot card reading

A great store for witches B) my aunt and I come all the way from castro valley to get candles and have them dressed. The customer service is pretty good for having like two workers on the job at a time and the staff can be pretty knowledgeable and friendly! I went here on Saturday and one of the fill-​ins was very helpful when it came to helping me pick out a candle and she gave me great advice on how to get them to work. They have a great selection of oils, some of which I definitely need to invest in for future spellwork.

This review is for tarot readings ONLY.
My best friend and I thought it would be interesting to get tarot readings so one day 2 years ago, we did a random Unilocal search and ended up at Ancient Ways, not really knowing what to expect.
Upon arrival, there was a good amount of foot traffic in the store — about 2 – 3 customers, but not crowded as the store is on the smaller side. We were greeted promptly, which was nice. We asked if we could get tarot readings and they told us that someone would be available in a few minutes. We meandered through the store and when my friend had an interest in some cards that were in a locked case, we were helped quickly.
Within about 10 minutes, it was time for our tarot readings. We explained that we were a bit nervous and didn’t know what to expect. The tarot reader put us both at ease and began our readings one at a time. We both got «overviews» which lasted between 15 — 20 minutes per person.
Both of us were completely amazed at each other’s readings. They were so on point and actually a lot of the things mentioned during the readings, were the same things that we had been discussing with each other over lunch right before we came for the readings. It was almost as if the cards were validating what had been on our minds.
We felt so much better after the readings that every few months we kept saying to each other how we had to go back and do it again. Finally, the time came and we went a second time last weekend.
Again, the same amazing experience with our readings. We couldn’t stop talking about our readings for the rest of the day. It was such a fun and validating experience.
We definitely want to go back in a few months! Both times we saw Marilee and we are definitely going back to see her!

This was a really cool store! They had a lot of old and new items in their store. Books, Tarot cards, jewelry, candles, stickers, and other fun things. They also had crystals, incense, and the staff was very knowledgeable and fun to talk to. They welcomed us right when we came in and told us to have a great day as we were leaving. The other customers seemed friendly as well. Nice store! Good prices. Thanks!

I live in Stockton, and we have a store just as big as Ancient Ways, but there is something about Ancient Ways with it’s old feel. There are books & cards, a few magik kits, jewelry, candles (they can also dress [bless] your candle (s), a nice variety of herbs and incenses, a wonderful array of oils.
The staff is great, very helpful. I’ve even placed an order over the phone and it was shipped in a very timely manner.
It never amazes me, I say I’m running in for one thing and 30 minutes later and $ 35-​$ 50 later, I walk out with a big smile.
It’s my favorite store.

A nice small Pagan shop for your all basic Pagan needs. Great selection on books that the public library doesn’t offer. They offer to dress/​bless your candles. I have been coming here for years, employees have has been helpful. Also, a nice spot for new/​used Tarot decks.

I would have probably said 3 stars because the store is so tiny & selection seems limited but staff was great & did a fab job of dressing the candle I purchased. There are so few occult/​magic stores left in the Bay Area. I hadn’t been in this one for a long time as I used to frequent others in SF but those are long gone and so since we were in the area I decided to stop in. I was a bit disappointed at the selection… made me mourn even more for Curios and Candles, but as I said the staff was great, very friendly, so that made up for it a bit.
I do wish there would have been some books on Mediumship or Spiritualism. There were some psychic development books but none about Mediumship per se, and that is what I was looking for.

Absolutely one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite, local mystic shop. They have great prices for oils and candles and a large assortment of both. They are always helpful and friendly. They often have unique things you can buy that really add to any alter or mystic space. They have a great assortment of incense, candles, herbs, oils, books, crystals, sage, and more. Great jewelry as well. Limited pendulums.
All in all, this is the place is fantastic and worth stopping by.

I agree with some reviews that this store is inconsistent. Staff is sometimes friendly, sometimes not. Product has sometimes expired its shelf-​life — i.e. incense with no smell! Its close to my house, so occasionally I’ll drop in for a last minute ritual need or an unusual, silly card for someone who will appreciate it. Overall, I think they could bring some new energy to the place regarding what they sell.
That said, I do feel heartened by the fact that they are providing a service to people who want guidance and connection to Spirit. I appreciate its unique presence in this society where malls and chain stores are pervasive.

«This is an old, dusty, and unfriendly shop.» — another reviewer nailed my thoughts exactly. We were the only customers in the store and no one ever said hello or offered to help with anything. Never even made eye contact once.
I don’t know… I don’t even know what to say about this store. Maybe it’s not for me, but I definitely got some opposing vibes.

This store is Hit & Miss.
I enjoy the products, but the staff and customer service not so much always. The power behind the products is the energy and your belief… not the store staff or even the products themselves per se.
Once, one of the female clerks (the younger one) gave me the wrong information on a candle and then told me they were out of something, but I later found it in the store.
Twice, two of my dressed candles BURST while lit. On my next visit i told the clerk what happened and he was less than enthused.
Michael is very knowledgeable and helpful, but the rest of the folks might as well be Lucky’s Supermarket employees. No difference.

Dusty, quirky and cluttered windows of Ancient Ways don’t exactly call out a friendly welcome — but inside you will find many fascinating bric-​à-​brac. I stopped in here looking for crystals and gemstones for a friend who lost his collection off a moving truck years ago. They have occasionally had some pretty bits — I got a lovely sparkly amethyst cluster — but the overall selection of stones & crystals isn’t very exciting to me.
I can’t speak to the rest of the shop as I’m an atheist and mostly poke around looking for pretty rocks for my friend — but it’s definitely a slice of life, more like Berkeley than Oakland. Worth popping in to check out.

I really enjoy coming to this shop.
Every time I’ve stopped in, the staff have been welcoming and very well versed in exactly what things can and cannot be used for. I feel confident in shopping here and getting what I need and not being sold anything extra so they can make a buck.
I’ve had great service from Don, but all the staff here are friendly.
Though the store might look rather small, they do have a good selection. They have a fair selection of books and some are used so they are priced as such. They have a large array of oils and herbs.
They don’t have as many candles as I’d like and they often sell out of a certain type, so buy it while you can. They tend to sell out of certain types of oils and herbs, too so just a head’s up. I came on my birthday to get a reading and some candles, and they didn’t have the candle I wanted or a reader.
I’ve also been here three weeks in a row looking to get readings (palm and tarot), and even though I came here in the posted hours they have readers available, there wasn’t someone here to give me one. This is rather discouraging, so I’ll probably skip it for now.
Their prices are on the low to fair side. I come back often because of this. They have a little bit of everything you’re looking for.