Emory Michael

Mia and Sera Maria Michael

About Us

"Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect."  
                                                                                        —Chief Seattle, 1855

Luminata’s owners Emory and Mia Michael have had several specialty book and gift shops in the past—in California and Arizona—all focusing on the body, mind, spirit connection, and personal growth within the context of the world sacred traditions. We opened our first store in San Rafael when our daughter Sera Michael was six weeks old. Twenty three years later, some of her photographic art adorns Luminata’s walls. Luminata opened in Monterey at the end of 2006 and was received warmly and enthusiastically by the community. Located less than a mile from beautiful Monterey Bay and Fisherman’s Wharf in the historic Old Town, Luminata is a great place to spend a few hours relaxing when visiting this especially lovely part of the central California coast. We take pride in creating a warm, relaxing, comfortable environment, filled with sacred space, for exploring tools of consciousness that elevate and inspire—or simply to find that special gift for any occasion. We buy and sell used books and have a reputation for rapid fulfillment of special order requests.

Emory Michael is the author of several popular books—“Queen of the Sun,” “The Alchemy of Sacred Living,” and “Jewels of Light.” His books have been translated into fifteen foreign languages. He has taught meditation classes and given workshops around the country. Mia is an internationally known kindergarten teacher, widely sought after for her understanding of child development and her innovative approach to early childhood education. Our love of children is reflected in the selection of books and gifts in Luminata’s “Children’s Corner.”

Both Mia and Emory have degrees in education and spent many years teaching and traveling before opening their stores. Our love of art, beauty and lifelong learning are evident in Luminata's selection of tasteful merchandise that is both inspiring and life enhancing. Luminata offers classes, workshops and author events, as well as intuitive counselors to help illuminate personal and spiritual issues.

Our focus has always been eclectic in nature, with a respect for the many sacred paths to truth. We believe that all people are “leaves on the same tree,” and though our orientation to the sky and the sun (the divine spirit) may differ, we all share roots in the divine spiritual world—our true home.

Our philosophy in a nutshell is that each human being has the divine spark planted within us. We are on earth to discover this latent potential of our spirit and to evolve that awareness through the expression of kindness, love and gratitude. When we release the light of goodness in all we do, that light becomes active in our lives and results in harmony and deep inner happiness. The following words from an ancient Indian text capture the awareness of the deeper essence living in the heart of every human being.

“The little space in the heart is as great as the vast universe.
The heavens and the earth are there,
and the sun and the moon and the stars.
Fire and lightning and wind are there;
and all that is now, and all that is not--
the whole universe lives in each of us and dwells in our hearts.”           

We look forward to connecting with you soon!