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."
President Donald Trump has fired one of two Democratic members of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to break a 2-2 tie ahead of the board considering the largest railroad merger ever proposed.
Ford is recalling more than 355,000 of its pickup trucks across the U.S. because of an instrument panel display failure that’s resulted in critical information, like warning lights and vehicle speed, not showing up on the dashboard.
Nvidia reported a 56% increase in second-quarter revenue and a 59% rise in net income compared to a year ago.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos claims audiences don't want to watch Netflix movies in theaters, but that seems not to be the case recently.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
