For shops like Anima Mundi in Brooklyn, New York, business is booming. The company, which means "world soul" in Latin, focuses on natural herbs with medicinal purposes. And, since the beginning of the pandemic, revenue has doubled as has the number of employees and capacity.
"[Anima mundi] is a very deep biochemical concept considered to be the soul of nature, the presence of nature, which is also in us," Anima Mundi owner and herbalist Adriana Ayales said. "Human beings also contain the Anima Mundi. It's that which connects us all and becomes the collective energy that we all share as living beings."
Oftentimes, people are looking for an elixir to spice up their romantic side.
"Something I think everybody loves, the love potion section of herbalism," Ayales said. "There's so many amazing herbs for us to activate all these reproductive centers, or just beyond that. They're just also joy boosters. They're heart-opening allies."
The worldwide herbal medicinal industry is supposed to reach $84 billion this year, according to Global Industry Analysts. The group expects it to grow to $111.6 billion by 2026.
As a child Ayales found herself connected to spiritual energies. While her grandmother was more connected to psychic energies, she herself was drawn to nature.
"For many of us that have lived in cities and still live in cities, it's so hard to connect," she said. "So I think herbs is that real connection to reconnect to this ancient source that we're all from and a part of."
It's not just seeking natural solutions to life's issues. People are tapping psychics and tarot readers for help. At the top of Dante Sabatino's client requests is advice on partners or on relationships with friends and loved ones.
"What most people will look for in readings are guidance, direction, and insights," Sabatino said. "Some people look for other feelings like validation in what's happening in their life, hope, relief from stress and strain. And also, sometimes people like to know questions about when things could happen."
Sabatino is a busy man, booked almost two months in advance at this point. The U.S. psychic service industry reached $2.2 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow 1.5 percent this year, per IBIS World. And, younger generations especially Gen Z are looking to the stars based on social media posts and searches, especially on Pinterest.
"Our world is changing and people want to know," he said. "People are searching from a soulful level, and there's answers about questions that they can't find, maybe just in ordinary daily life, and are looking for more."
As we seek new meaning as things open up, people open to new sources of insight, he added.
"Our evolution of our society is moving into opening up doors and questions," Sabatino said. "Ancient wisdom is part of what people find to be important, and there's a wealth of knowledge there. I just think it's a curiosity of where we are as a race and as for society."
Nvidia on Wednesday became the first public company to reach a market capitalization of $5 trillion. The ravenous appetite for the Silicon Valley company’s chips is the main reason that the company’s stock price has increased so rapidly since early 2023.
Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global, breaks down September’s CPI print and inflation trends, explaining what it means for markets.
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
