For Elevated Whispers, a move to Van Dusen Mercantile was in the cards

Stefanie Johnson, of Elevated Whispers, who was known for her bright, bubblegum pink tent and blue butterfly table at the Astoria Sunday Market, has set up shop at the Van Dusen Mercantile on Commercial Street.

Elevated Whispers provides tarot and rune readings, along with sessions for people looking to tap into their own psychic abilities or release emotions attached to physical locations such as homes or commercial spaces.

Stefanie Johnson

Stefanie Johnson of Elevated Whispers.

“I’ve had several people contact me like they’ve moved or done significant things that have come out of the reading and how it’s changed their lives,” Johnson said. “And so my goal is just to be available for them and let the guides show me the way, which is probably a poor business plan. But so far it’s working.”

Johnson, who moved to the North Coast from Portland in 2021, understands that people might be skeptical about the spirit world. The cheerful atmosphere at her tent at the Astoria Sunday Market was to help create a welcoming space for newcomers.

“It just drops down the defenses that I’m not doing something weird or bad,” she said. “And that’s kind of the vision that I continue here, that it’s really something that’s calming and special. And it should be a peaceful experience.”

Outside of Elevated Whispers, Johnson is an admin for The Magic of Astoria, a Facebook group that celebrates astrologists, psychics, witches and other magical practitioners.

“One thing I am very committed to is, I want to change the perception of tarot, from this dark, evil or negative perspective, to something that’s really beautiful and enlightening,” she said.