Our journey started in 1998 when Marius and Sophia received a remarkable gift from the universe.
Marius was retiring because of health reasons and while driving home they discussed looking out for a business that Sophia could run.
They stopped at Welwitchia Country Market for a present for a friend, and while walking into the crystal shop, Sophia overheard the owner telling someone that she wanted to sell the shop. Sophia looked around and said to the Universe; ”really a crystal shop at a fleamarket”? She approached the owner and said that she had heard that she might want to sell the shop, and that she and her husband was just discussing the possibility of buying a business. The owner said, she was not sure if she wants to sell. Sophia said to her, “I am not sure that I want to buy the business, but if the universe keeps on presenting this shop to me I will have to listen”.
A few months later Sophia stopped in at the crystal shop and the owner approached her and said “I am presenting the shop to you today”. Sophia did not know anything about running a business and when she mentioned her uncertainty, a friend said to her “you are not going to do anything, you will open the doors in the morning and the Angels will take care of everything”. And that is how the Mineral Gallery started.
In 2012, we relocated to Chameleon Village and rebranded the shop as “Crystal Dreams” in honor of Marius, who passed away that same year. In the months leading up to his passing, Marius had requested that his daughter, Marli, join the business as a full-time partner, which she did, officially continuing his legacy.
In 2018, we began searching for a new location for our business. As we explored various options, we enlisted Marius’s guidance. To our surprise, a few days later, a client, who identified as a medium, visited our shop with a message from Marius. The message was clear: “Move the shop to the place where the donkeys are.” Coincidentally, we had been discussing acquiring donkeys for our property just days before, and this unexpected message confirmed our path. After 18 years, we relocated our shop to our own property, embracing this serendipitous guidance.
A week after relocating, Marli visited a nearby farm with donkeys. She inquired if the owner had any donkeys for sale, and he promptly responded, “Yes, I have two ready.” When asked about our intentions, Marli explained that we planned to incorporate them into our healing sanctuary. A week later, the donkeys joined us at Gems for Healing.
Now, our beloved donkeys – Fudge, Chocolate, Caramel, Princess, and Miracle – enrich our lives and the healing experiences we offer. Alongside our donkeys, we also run a dedicated cat sanctuary and care for a variety of animals, including peacocks, geese, chickens, and goats.
Explore more about our animal companions and their role in our healing practices at Gems for Healing. These wonderful animals not only bring joy but also contribute significantly to the tranquil and nurturing environment we provide for our visitors.
Awards
CorporateLiveWire South Africa – awards – Gem Retailer of the Year


Health4you – Awards
Gemsforhealing has been selected as one of our Most Popular Health and Fitness Services!
Awards for 2018
#5 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Bojanala District
#8 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Northwest Province
Awards for 2019
#1 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Bojanala District
#1 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Northwest Province
Awards for 2020
#1 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Bojanala District
#1 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Northwest Province
Awards for 2021
#2 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Bojanala District
#2 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Northwest Province
Awards for 2022
#2 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Bojanala District
#2 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Northwest Province
Awards for 2023
#1 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Bojanala District
#1 Most popular Health & Fitness service in Northwest Province