{NYC} THE MAGIC OF SYNCHRONICITY

{NYC} THE MAGIC OF SYNCHRONICITY

Being in New York City is always a gift.

Over the years it has brought: synchronicity, profound relationships, sparkly connections, collaborations with hard-working, talented people + a sense of wildly flying ahead of the curve (not to mention yummy food + beauty). 

Our last trip was the best yet. 

I felt so freeeee! 

We’ve been staying in the East Village for so long now, it’s like our hood. We’ve got all our favorite spots and there’s no struggle. It all feels so easy peasy! 

Teapots, matcha, and Japanese sweets fill a dark wooden table at Cha-An teahouse in NYC's East Village

We’ve gotten smarter about allowing more time for meals. Sustenance is highly underrated, especially in NYC. As we’ve gotten better about always making time for 3 squares, we feel less crazed + drained. 

Katie Hess savoring a steaming bowl of ramen at Momofuku in New York City, red lanterns glowing behind her

The pace of life in the city is already crazy, so carving out time to sit + eat is super important. No more skipping meals or shoving prepared sushi down our throats in a taxi, haha. 

Person in a purple top holding a coffee cup illustrated with vegetables at Cha An teahouse in NYC

So much love to all the beautiful businesses that support + sustain us - thank you! 

Two women walking along a New York City street lined with columned storefronts, one smiling back at the camera.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Airbnb. Simply the best way to travel + have access to an entire apartment or house, it’s the bomb. In fact we did our private ceremonies in our home away from home, and it was divine. 

Wooden bowl filled with carnations, marigolds, gerbera daisies, and orchids arranged for a private ceremony offering.

During this trip we offered one-on-one private ceremonies, as the most profound, intimate, and transformative service that we offer yet. I can say with full confidence that this is truly a pivotal experience. If you are at any kind of crossroads (when are we not?), this is a way to catapult you into the ripening of your full potential + beauty. 

We purposefully don’t post a lot of photos of the ceremonies because they are so. damn. intimate, but here are a few sneak peeks.

Katie Hess kneels in prayer facing an altar table, a ceremony participant seated nearby among scattered rose petals

During a private NYC flower ceremony, flowers are placed in a person's hair as rose petals rest on their chest, eyes covered in cloth.

Thank you to our collaborators who hosted us with beautiful spaces, colorful flowers, gracious hospitality + love: Alchemist Kitchen, ABC Home, Rubin Museum, NY Yoga Magazine, Woke + Wired, AnimaMundi Herbals, Detox Market, Simon from Associated Flowers.  

We did a talk on the Life-Changing Magic of Flowers, with flower readings at the Alchemist Kitchen.

Katie Hess presenting Life-Changing Magic of Flowers at the Alchemist Kitchen, a red hibiscus projected behind her.

Audience seated on stools and chairs, listening intently during a flower talk at the Alchemist Kitchen in NYC.

Two women examine colorful flower essence cards spread on a tree-stump table during a flower reading at the Alchemist Kitchen.

We did our first-ever LIVE podcast recording of a joint acai/cacao and meditation ceremony and conscious entreprenuership Q&A with Ksenia Avdulova of Woke + Wired/Breakfast Criminals at the AnimaMundi Herbals apothecary. 

Katie Hess laughing with a woman on the steps outside the Flowerlounge Meets Woke + Wired event.

Women meditate cross-legged on colorful blankets at the Flowerlounge meets Woke + Wired gathering, mugs of tea beside them.

Attendee closing her eyes as a LOTUSWEI mist is spritzed over her face amid plants at the Flowerlounge event.

Katie Hess laughing with guests on the floor at AnimaMundi Herbals during the Flowerlounge Meets Woke + Wired event.

Listen to the recording here as episode 50 of the Flowerlounge podcast - to get right into the nitty gritty of the business/mindfulness Q&A, skip to minute marker 44:50. 

I had the immense pleasure of teaching Wakefulness Six Sensory practices at the Ruben Museum as part of the Urban Art + Yoga Retreat hosted by the NY Yoga Magazine! What an amazing place to teach and the Ruben + NY Yoga Mag teams were amazing hosts! 

Katie Hess seated on stage at the Rubin Museum with a golden deity figure projected behind her and a row of candles

Attendees seated cross-legged on cushions during the Wakefulness sensory practice at the Rubin Museum.

Katie Hess facing a large seated audience during a candlelit meditation at the Rubin Museum, with flower petals scattered on the floor.

Person holding a small pink orchid blossom, seated on a patterned rug during the Rubin Museum event.

Katie Hess kneels in candlelight and rose petals, hands in prayer, during her Wakefulness talk at NYC's Rubin Museum

Wow! I met some fabulous folks there too (stay tuned for future events with Jai Sugrim + Brooklyn Raga Massive!) 

Katie Hess and Jai Sugrim share a laugh over mala bead bracelets at a café table in New York City

Katie Hess in conversation with a seated man near a microphone on a patterned rug at the Rubin Museum

We celebrated the grand opening of the new Detox Market store with flower card readings. The Detox Market has been our partner for many years with stores in California and Canada - and now finally NYC! We love their vision and were so happy to celebrate with them. 

 

Two people sharing a warm hug at the Detox Market grand opening celebration.

Katie Hess gives a flower essence card reading to a guest at the Detox Market opening, colorful cards spread across the table

Person arranging LOTUSWEI flower essence mist bottles and matching flower cards for readings at the Detox Market grand opening.

Two women smiling together on woven chairs at the Detox Market grand opening in New York City

 

Special thanks to partners/collaborators:

Katie Hess and Nadia Nadelchev smiling on a New York City street at night with yellow taxis passing

Nadia Nadelchev, our flower power sister who flew all the way from Uruguay! She represents LOTUSWEI in Uruguay!

Katie Hess and Stephanie Marango sharing Ethiopian food at a New York City restaurant table.

And Stephanie Marango, MD, author + brilliant genius healer - we have big things in the works. 

 

Katie Hess and Carrie-Anne Moss laugh together at Cam Kah teahouse in Brooklyn

 

Thank you to Karen + Shea Betten for being our getaway tribe to go and soak in the saunas and hot tubs and gratitude to our soul sister Carrie Anne Moss, who gave us a tour of her favorite exquisite tea shop in Brooklyn. 

Overhead view of a cozy Brooklyn tea shop with floor cushions, low tables, and a tea set on woven rugs. 

After an amazing week we hopped in the Uber to the airport and when we got there I asked the woman at the counter how much time we had, because we had cut it a little bit close. She said we had plenty of time, but we hopped into a short line anyway. By the time we got there, she said we couldn’t get on the plane.

Sitting amid open suitcases and camera gear in an empty airport terminal after missing the flight.

Ha! So Tessa ran off to make the plane, while Taylor and I stayed back with the suitcases, to catch the next plane the following day at 7pm. I frantically searched my bags and couldn’t find my license. There was just no way I was getting on that plane any which way that day. 

We found a last-minute airbnb in Brooklyn and had the most exquisite dinner EVER at the Bricolage - holy beautiful ideas for our rooftop deck.

A woman relaxing amid lush potted plants on Bricolage's rooftop deck in Brooklyn, NYC, at night.

Taylor and I had this incredible place all to ourselves by the end of the night as we dined in total disbelief: what planet had we just landed on?

Katie Hess sits smiling on a red velvet booth among trailing plants at Bricolage restaurant in Brooklyn

We posted up on social media that since we missed the plane, we had time to open up one more private ceremony the following day. 

Wouldn’t you know it … how miracles of life happen? A woman reached out that night immediately saying, “Yes! I want it!” We later found out that she had just joined social media a month prior, found my personal instagram page two days prior, knew nothing about lotuswei but was strongly called to do the private ceremony. 

Katie Hess laughing with a woman in an Airbnb entryway hung with scarves, coats, and travel bags.

We met her and it was magic! Of course we missed the plane. She was ready. And so were we. We were all in the right places at the right timing. I love life! 

That is the magic of NYC.

And guess what? I found my license buried in some obscure pocket of my backpack the very night I arrived home.  ; ) 

Love + flower petals,
Katie

 Katie Hess, Flower Alchemist and Founder of LOTUSWEI, hands in prayer position beside pink flowers.

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