Spiritual San Francisco

Most people today accept conversations about horoscopes, both Western and Chinese; but beyond that folks are generally a bit wary of anything slightly more spiritual than that. For instance, you get talking to a stranger at a party and mention how your Third Eye Chakra is playing up; or you’re wearing all the wrong crystals for the vibe of the event, you would most likely expect them to check their watch and make polite excuses, perhaps just back away from you slowly. It is for this reason that most of us, when meeting someone new, keep our more insightful beliefs in the existence of a time portal near the back steps of the local library a closely guarded secret; at least until you get to know them properly. Unless, of course, you happen to be in San Francisco; where your beliefs would not seem at all outlandish but, in fact, would be the normal way of things in America’s often voted most loved city.

San Francisco is one of the most liberal cities in the world; and a must do pilgrimage destination for anyone spiritually minded; the place is a melting pot of alternative lifestyles and diverse cultures. Its main districts are: Japantown, Chinatown, Russian Hill, the Italian North Beach area where the Beat generation started in the 1950s, Downtown, the Castro – the city’s busy and vibrant area of gay bars and hang-outs, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Hispanic/Mexican influenced Mission District, and the Haight-Ashbury where the Summer of Love began. It is a city where anything goes; a local lawmaker is trying to make Feng Shui part of the California building standards code, which would affect the future layout of new commercial and residential buildings and spaces.

The people of San Francisco are warm and friendly and instilled with a tenacious spiritual adaptability born from surviving earthquakes, droughts and fires. There is a large contingent of extremely health-conscious people who are seen everywhere in their tight Lycra or spandex, jogging along the streets. It may seem that almost every other person owns a dog and, it is said, you will win an instant place in a San Franciscan’s heart by being nice to their dog; Saint Francis would certainly approve.

Things to see and do

Spooky Sightseeing

There is a San Francisco Ghost tour that sets off from the Queen Anne Hotel, 1590 Sutter Street every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; all year round in all weathers. The walk is an ideal opportunity to see some of the hidden parts of the city, places you would ordinarily miss as a tourist. The tour last about two hours and is filled with interesting and mysterious facts about San Francisco’s history.

Alcatraz

There aren’t too many places spookier than the foreboding prison island in the bay; yet the island's dark spiritual past spans beyond the building of the prison, Miwok Indians thought that the place was swamped in evil spirits and never set foot on The Rock until 1859, when they arrived as the island’s first prisoners. The place vibrates with past wrongdoings of all kinds. It was the army that built the huge fort-like structure in 1912 that was to house criminals such as Al Capone and Robert Stroud (The Birdman of Alcatraz). 36 prisoners were involved in attempts to escape; 7 were shot dead; 2 drowned; 5 were never heard of again and the rest were recaptured. The place has been closed since 1963 and is a very eerie tourist attraction; there is an audio commentary that comes with the tour told by ex inmates and prison guards.

Grace Cathedral
There are two labyrinths at this cathedral; one outdoors made form terrazzo stone, and a wool tapestry labyrinth inside. There is a spiritual task visitors may undertake if they like; you ask yourself a meaningful or important question on entering the labyrinth and your subconscious is supposed to come up with the answer by the time you come out again, about 20 minutes later. Many locals use the labyrinth for meditation purposes and to take a break from their hectic lives.

Books

San Francisco has many specialist and quirky bookstores; City Lights Books, 261 Columbus Avenue, was founded by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter Martin in 1953. It is an eccentric store with a sloping floor and is a literary meeting place, City Lights is a landmark general bookstore, internationally known for its expert selection of books and for its commitment to free intellectual inquiry.

Fields Book Store, 1419 Polk Street, has a wealth of metaphysical and spiritual books and has been selling its mystical texts since 1932, a long time before anyone had ever heard of New Age. Rows of floor to ceiling shelves are crammed full of books on Buddhism, alchemy, astrology, philosophy and psychology.

Buddhist Bookstore, 1710 Octavia Street has everything you need to know on Buddhism; from the basics to advanced studies in Zen. An ideal place to wander around and cleanse your mind.

There’s a tour of San Francisco’s literary past that starts from the City Lights every Saturday at Noon.

Psychics

The city has a soft spot for anything psychic; every corner seems to have a soothsayer, clairvoyant or spiritualist medium waiting to offer advice. Readers of the tarot and scryers of crystals are aplenty along with a few with lesser-known talents such as: bottom diviners, pet psychics and aura smudgers. A lot of the things you come across in San Francisco may seem bizarre at first but there’s something in the atmosphere that kind of takes you over; everything, no matter how outlandish, will seem normal in no time at all. The city has a magical aura that is dispelled almost the moment you leave; so if you are lucky enough to visit Spiritual San Francisco, enjoy every minute of it while you can.

Interesting Reading:

Travels With Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck