Sarah Fletcher runs and hosts a variety of workshops and events in her shop Elements Women’s Wellness Centre. Photo: Supplied.
As Halloween approaches and Practical Magic 2 graces the big screen, a Windang women’s wellness centre is expecting a new wave of people keen to “get their magic on”.
But Elements Women’s Wellness Centre owner Sarah Fletcher believes behind the moon circles, psychic high teas and “witchy workshops” is something much simpler – women looking for community.
Over the past two years, Sarah has watched what began as her own vision grow into a community-led space blending spiritual development, creative expression and social connection.
“I’ve always worked with women in some capacity, whether it’s been through belly dance or kundalini dance,” Sarah said.
“Women’s wellness has just been at the forefront for me.”
A psychic medium and intuitive worker, she said after opening the shop it “became apparent it was much more than just my own vision, goal and dreams, it was much more about the community”.
She said women admitted they felt almost pulled into the shop.
“People would come in and say, ‘Oh, I had to stop. I literally pulled over out the front of the shop and the window really drew me in,’” she said.
“It might have been a window decoration I’d done at the time, or they just felt they had to stop and pop in.”
A recent Illawarra Business Awards finalist, she said the centre had grown into a hub for women seeking community, using fortnightly moon circles; psychic high tea parties; mediumship and psychic development classes; belly dance classes; “witchy workshops” making candles, essences and elixirs; and Sabbath dinners marking seasonal shifts and “the turning of the wheel of the year”.
“It’s just a safe, creative space for people to come and be exactly who they are,” she said.
“They can hold workshops if that’s something they’re inspired to do.”
Among the most popular events are her psychic high tea parties in collaboration with another tarot reader, where they host 20 women.
“I’ll set up the high tea, and we’ll go around and read people’s cards, and then I go around again and read people’s tea leaves,” she said.
“It’s just a lot of fun.
”It’s a high tea with a twist, and people like something a little bit different and unique. It’s an experience more than anything.”
She said moon circles were also popular, combining astrology, journaling, music and optional sharing.
Elements Women’s Wellness Centre is based in Windang. Photo: Supplied.
The Sabbath dinners draw directly on her Steiner education background.
“We’re acknowledging the different seasons within nature and how that also impacts the different seasons in our lives,” she said.
“I suppose more than anything, it’s very social.
“We have grown a beautiful little community where people are becoming friends and enjoying each other’s company, which is lovely.”
With Halloween next month and strong interest in Practical Magic 2 starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, she anticipated increased interest.
“I think there’s going to be a big wave of people just after the release of the movie that may be new to it or really inspired that go, ‘Oh, I want to get my magic on and do something’,” she said.
“It is a good time, especially leading up to Halloween and that whole season.
“I think it opens the doors for people to become a little bit more adventurous and open-minded.
“I think there’s been a big stereotype around what is a witch? But what is a witch? I think it’s a woman – or a man – who is connected to their own body and the seasons around them.”
She said Halloween tended to spark interest from people who simply loved candles to those wanting to learn about the moon phases.
“I think more than anything, what I notice is how healing it is to just get together in community,” she said.
“We talk about life a lot, like what’s going on in our life, and I think that what people realise is that everybody’s going through something, and that is what has us all relate to each other as humans.”
Known as The Mermaid Medium and recently nominated for Medium of the Year at the national Spiritual Leaders Awards, Sarah has been a medium for 25 years and comes from a line of mediums.
“My mother is also a medium and my great grandmother was a medium,” she said.
“I work at the My Body Spirit Festival as well. Every time that comes up, I go onto the main stage and do readings for people live.”
She is also one of Psychic TV International’s most popular mediums, and released a book and podcast called The Mermaid Medium.
