We're so excited to launch our new Soul Collective Blog full of all things crystals, metaphysical, wellness and tips for spiritual growth! We're Laurie & Djuro Rodic, owners of Angelic Roots in Oak Creek, Wisconsin located in the Market Place Shopping Village. We started our business at metaphysical shows and markets in 2016 and opened our first brick and mortar storefront in 2019. We opened a second location in the Village in 2021 with an expanded line of sound instruments such as Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, gongs, drums and much more. Our vision is to share our passion for crystals, Reiki and the benefits of vibrational instruments through our individual sessions and gong baths. We've long recognized a positive impact on the body, mind and spirit by incorporating crystals, Reiki and sound instruments in our daily lives.
One of our favorite things is connecting with our growing community! We hope by sharing and inspiring you, we can continue to raise the vibration and spread love and light throughout!
You may have met us in person at our shop or an event. Or have been with us during our Instagram Live sales. We often get asked questions about our journey and advice about navigating life within the context of spirituality and living our authentic selves and we'd love to share a little bit more about ourselves.
Tell us a little about your spiritual journey. Was there a specific moment or epiphany that changed your life course?
Laurie: I spent almost 20 years working in healthcare and felt so unhappy and out of balance with what I was doing and the demands and pressures of my job and role. Having two young children and feeling lost and stuck in a career that wasn’t fulfilling for me was difficult. A friend asked me to go to an event with her and that day changed the trajectory of my life - that one class! They were sharing intuitive messages in a circle and talking about spirit guides and angels. I had never really heard any of this information and I just couldn’t stop learning about it. I started researching and doing meditations and exploring and it truly led me to where I am today. I have so much gratitude for that day and my friend who asked me to that event. There have definitely been a lot of ups and downs along the way and it hasn’t been easy but I can say that I have found a profound deep peace and so much joy. I am so grateful for this journey and I know that I am right where I am meant to be.
Djuro: I have several moments in time that I reflect upon when I think about this question. I would have to say it was definitely an accumulation of moments and experiences but two that stand out for me are these.
While at a metaphysical show I got to hear and learn about gongs for the very first time. It was only a one hour class that didn’t really focus on this instrument, but as I walked away from this event I realized I was changed forever. I found myself fully immersed into learning whatever I could about gongs and ultimately all vibrational instruments. My other moment that I think of often was my first guided meditation. It was so impactful, and I felt so wonderful afterwards that I knew this was something that needed to be a constant in my life.
What is your favorite crystal to work with?
Laurie: Quartz - all the things Quartz! If I had to choose one specific type of Quartz it would be Lemurian Quartz.
Djuro: Labradorite - I really love the kaleidoscope of colors which remind me of all the natural beauty that is around us everyday. I also connect to how the flash and colors change as you move Labradorite around. It reminds me that our perspective on things can change too if we look at it from different viewpoints.
What is one self care practice you can’t live without?
Laurie: Reiki/meditation and salt baths.
Djuro: Playing gongs and singing bowls/instruments in general. I try to do this every single day.
Where do you see Angelic Roots in five or ten years?
Laurie: I see us still having our anchor location here in Oak Creek or somewhere within Milwaukee County. We would love to have a larger location so we can all be under one roof! I love the people here in the Midwest and would like to have our anchor location always be here growing, expanding, thriving and changing with the needs of our community. I can also see us having some kind of location where we can come together in community in the Rocky Mountains. I am from Idaho and feel deeply connected to the mountains and would love to share that connection and love with our community. My dream would be to have a satellite shop and retreat center in the mountains near water - a lake or even a small stream.
Djuro: I see us connecting with a greater community and larger audience. I love interacting with people and serving the community. I would love for us to be able to expand both here at home in Southeastern Wisconsin and in another location as well.
What advice would you give someone who is just starting on their spiritual journey.
Laurie: Find a community that feels good and be a part of it. Learn some tools and use them…always, especially when you don’t want to or when you are struggling. Meditation, connecting to your intuition, being mindful of your thoughts/reactions, tuning into your body, releasing and setting intentions are some of my favorite tools. Something I also can’t live without are mineral baths and salt baths - sea salt, himalayan salt, magnesium flakes, essential oils and nice hot water! I wish we had hot springs here in Wisconsin - it would make the winters much more enjoyable.
Djuro: One of the biggest steps is committing to starting that spiritual journey. Establishing that, you want to start your practice with things that make you feel better. Finding a community or resource to give yourself multiple experiences and staying with it as your favorites develop. The more you stick with a practice the easier it becomes. Go out and try different events as often as possible, this will get you well on your way to a spiritual journey. I love to tell people about the Insight Timer app, something that is free, full of amazing meditations and teachers.
Reiki is the cornerstone of Angelic Roots. How would you describe Reiki to someone who is new to it.
Laurie: I just love Reiki! I think there is something so magical about it and my Reiki practice has truly been life changing. It is a light touch therapy that helps to bring balance to the mind, body, spirit. I believe that Reiki is a wonderful tool to help shift, release and transmute emotions that have built up within the body. It is something that I feel everyone should experience at least once for themselves. It is different for each person and each session will be a bit different because we are always shifting and changing.
Djuro: It’s everything that Laurie describes. I see amazing things happen here at Angelic Roots every week from Reiki. It could be someone walking into our shop for the first time and saying “something feels really different here." (This happens often.) Or someone leaving one of our Community Reiki events saying they feel so much better. I have to share a quick story about when we completed construction at Angelic Roots and moved in. The mail carrier of 30 years walked in and said something has really changed here, something he couldn’t describe. A feeling both inside the shop and outside too, that’s the effects of Reiki.
The gong baths are your most popular event! What’s your favorite sound instrument or way to use sound instruments?
Laurie: Definitely the drum! It is so incredibly powerful and profound. The sound just moves through the body and helps to shift and move energy through us.
Djuro: I really lean into the Gong, its dynamic range of deep tones and high crescendos are always changing and evolving….just like us.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do.
Laurie: The Himalayan Mountains; definitely to the Samadhi Quartz mines high up in the Himalayas to see how the crystals form and how they are hand mined. I would love to mine this Quartz myself someday!
Djuro: Tibet. I would like to deepen my understanding of the culture and people. Walk the streets and open air markets and visit temples.
What is your favorite oracle card deck?
Laurie: Keepers of the Light by Kyle Gray. I love the artwork and messages and Kyle has a sweet uplifting energy.
Djuro: Messages From Your Animal Spirit Guides by Dr. Steven Farmer. I use this deck often and always see how it connects with everyone. Animals are always crossing our paths or making themselves be seen, and exploring the messages behind this is something I am passionate about.
What brings you the most joy as practitioners and owners of Angelic Roots?
Laurie: Connecting and sharing with our community. I love when clients & customers come into the shop or reach out to share their stories of healing and growth along their path and how our shop or community has helped them in some way. Sometimes they tell stories about how they connected to a crystal or experienced a positive change after a class or event.
Djuro: I find so much joy in many different ways. From the deep bond with our Angelic Roots staff that support our mission to the community that supports us. Positive experiences happen every day here at Angelic Roots; that brings me so much joy.
