Happy Birthday New Renaissance ...

To commemorate the twenty-year anniversary of New Renaissance I had a chance to interview Jamey and Darlene about their time with the bookshop. Below is an excerpt from that interview. - Connie Hill

Connie: It’s always interesting to me, the whole thing of combining the spiritual side and the business side. How do you do it so successfully?

Jamey: I think a key factor in our business is that we are a metaphysical-spiritual book store. We are known as the conscious living store. We do a lot of meditation. We meditate daily, we have staff meditations at the store on Wednesday mornings and before we have any important meeting we always stop and have at least a minute of silence. Really the decisions for the business come out of meditation. If we have a tough situation we’re having trouble handling we take it into our meditations until some kind of solution comes.

Darlene: That’s an important part of why we’ve been able to have the store for 20 years. I think the spiritual part of our lives is enhanced by the store.

Connie: How did New Renaissance get started?

Jamey: Back in 1987 (when the store began) was a time of transition for us. I had just sold a business and we had gone on a four month trip to Asia. We didn’t know what our next step would be, but during the trip we kept getting spiritual guidance to go back to Portland. After the trip we found a house in Portland and I went to California to pick up our car. The car wouldn’t start so I found myself with a week on my hands waiting for parts. The first evening I settled into meditation in a cabin at Ananda Village in the foothills of the Sierras. I asked the question very forcefully, “What am I to do next?” Within 20 minutes, boom! the whole idea of starting a metaphysical book store appeared, just like a movie in my mind. And there was lots of joy and inspiration associated with the idea. So, I came back to Oregon and told Darlene.

Darlene: While meditating in Thailand, the words “Go back to Portland,” appeared like a sign in blazing, full color. We knew it was our mission. So when Jamey brought the bookshop idea back it was an immediate yes.

Connie: How does it feel to be such a big part of Portland’s spiritual community?

Jamey: I think it’s a great thing having this store in Portland and being part of the phenomenal spiritual community we have here. Portland has a huge number of meditators. And just to be part of the whole evolution of Portland’s spiritual community has been tremendous. It’s fun to see people come in to the store and learn and grow and move on their spiritual path. It’s an honor to be part of the community here in Portland!

Darlene: I would like to remind people that they can find their mission. We were both ready for different work. We sent it out to the universe that we needed new work or a new mission. We didn’t expect it come in this form at all. It takes courage to ask “Am I on the right track?” but just keep asking and listening. So just be open and ask the question “how can I live my spiritual work and what work will help the world.” It’s easy, it’s fun and it’s amazing. Be ready for the challenges too, but when you accept your mission interesting things will happen to you.Namaste, Jamey & Darlene & Connie

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