Perhaps it was always in the cards for new-age healing to slip into the mainstream. Once dismissed as woo-woo or fringe, it now sits comfortably beside yoga and mindfulness apps in the collective wellness lexicon. The term refers to a broad mix of alternative spiritual practices— tarot readings, energy work, manifestation rituals and crystals said to attract abundance or love—that are centred on tuning into the self through something greater than logic alone.
And it’s everywhere. Granted, I’m not a particularly spiritual person. But as December rolls around and people start setting intentions and manifesting what they want for the new year, the allure of the metaphysical feels impossible to ignore. Conversations with friends about ‘love readings’ over brunch, scrolling through TikToks proclaiming ‘This video has chosen you’, and the sudden urge to realign one’s energy all seem to surface at once. The other day I even picked up a zine at a local book fair dedicated entirely to crystals, promising wealth and balance—for research purposes, of course.
@thejennamillionHappy New Year 🩵🕯️🍀♬ original sound – Jenna Million
Bambi Leong, founder of The Love Witch, explains why this movement relates itself to wellness. “New age healing is the art of energetic attunement. It blends ancient spiritual practices with a modern awareness of the nervous system, helping people return to balance and self-trust. It’s less about mysticism and more about learning how energy moves through the body, how emotion stores itself and how intention restores flow.”
Leong says she has always felt a pull towards the unseen. Even in school, strange disturbances seemed to follow her—whispers of something wanting to be acknowledged. A friend’s gift of a tarot deck changed everything as her first reading felt uncannily true.
What began as curiosity soon became a calling. She started offering readings on Carousell, then Etsy, before founding her store The Love Witch, sitting in a corner of Sim Lim Square offering tarot readings and witchcraft.
“We see everyone from students to professionals and even retirees.” explains Leong. “Most of them come for love or money, two energies that shape so much of life. Some of them want to rekindle old connections or attract the right partner; others seek career breakthroughs or financial flow.
We’ve had clients rise from assistant roles to leadership positions or finally meet someone aligned with their heart’s energy. I am just a bridge between customers and the universe’s alignment for them to reach their highest soul purposes.”
But why are so many people turning to new age healing for their well-being? For many, it has become a way to navigate uncertainty. A friend once told me that she would reach for her tarot deck every time she felt uneasy waiting for her university admission results. “I was constantly anxious because I couldn’t get a direct answer from the universities,” she said. “I just wanted to seek affirmation from something.” In moments that feel polarising or tumultuous, people often become more willing to explore alternative routes for comfort and clarity.
Leong echoes this sentiment. “I believe younger generations are drawn to new age wellness because they’re craving something deeper than what traditional self-care offers. We live in a world that moves fast and prizes outward success, yet many are starting to realise that no amount of achievement can fill a spiritual void.” To her, practices like tarot, manifestation and energy work give people “language for what they feel but can’t quite explain”. Ultimately, she says, “it’s not about trends, it’s about learning to listen to themselves again”.
In Singapore’s context
Spirituality isn’t new to Singapore. It has been around for a while and has evolved with the times. Long before tarot readers set up shop on Instagram, spirituality took on traditional forms. Parrot astrologers once occupied road junctions around Tekka Centre, drawing curious crowds as their feathered assistants picked cards to divine a person’s fate. Even in the heart of Chinatown, shops in People’s Park Centre are still selling crystals, amulets and healing stones.
“The younger generation isn’t discovering something new. They’re reclaiming what was already part of our cultural fabric, just through a modern lens,” says Leong.
Into the virtual realm
As with most other culture booms, the internet plays a major role in making the fringe more accessible, offering alternative solutions to a widespread audience. Take TikTok’s brief obsession with Moldavite, which is touted as a ‘gemstone of transformation’. It sparked warnings across social media about its supposed intensity and life-altering effects.
This accessibility extends to spiritual services too. Social media has opened doors for practitioners to reach far beyond their physical communities. Angelina Zhang, founder of Klarity Tarot, is one of them. She conducts her tarot readings mainly online, explaining: “I wanted to create accessibility for anyone seeking guidance, no matter where they’re based. The online space also allows people to feel safe and comfortable in their own environment. Plus, I love that I can connect with clients all over the world and I think the digital space reflects that beautifully.”
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Zhang notes how the rise of new age wellness online has shifted the way people engage with spirituality. She regularly posts content that demystifies tarot and spiritual tools, making them feel more approachable for beginners. “Before, it felt niche but now it’s something people can explore from their phones in their own time. Through my posts, I try to show that tarot and spiritual tools are more about self-reflection and empowerment. When people see that, it changes the way they relate to spirituality completely.”
But with wider reach comes a new challenge. Social media often turns spiritual practices into bite-sized trends: fun and easy to consume, yet not always grounded in deeper understanding. Leong points this out, saying: “At the same time, accessibility can blur depth. Some use spirituality for aesthetics or clout and that’s where intention matters. True healing work isn’t about performance. It’s quiet, grounded and deeply personal. The internet has opened the door; it’s up to us practitioners to walk through it with integrity and for online viewers to discern carefully.”
Coming to you live
Now, we are seeing spirituality weave itself into everyday life through events and pop-up activations, where people can explore these practices in low-pressure, experiential settings.
Klarity Tarot, for instance, has done readings during yoga sessions, offering tarot and astrology insights to guests who might not otherwise seek them out.
Zhang shares how impactful these sessions can be. “Pop-ups have been such a fun and rewarding way to connect with people who might never have booked a reading otherwise. I’ve seen so many guests try it out of curiosity and leave feeling lighter or more aligned. These experiences make spirituality tangible and accessible. They turn something mystical into something you can feel in the moment. I think that’s why they’ve become so popular.”
These practices are becoming easier to encounter. And ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to try them or what you choose to believe. You might walk away simply entertained, or you might leave feeling a little lighter, a little more grounded, with a bit more clarity than before. Either way, the invitation is there if you’re curious enough to take it.
This story appears in Vogue Singapore’s December ‘Beguiling’ issue, available online.
