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Special insights & candid shares from our time in Columbia ...
People everywhere are in SUCH a different place than 2-3 years ago.
We are ALL much more willing to be vulnerable and un-mask ourselves (figuratively and hopefully literally too). We’re ok admitting that we’ve had a rough time in the last few years – we can finally admit that we’re all human. We can hold space for our own heartache, as well as someone else’s – without wanting to look away, run or avoid it altogether.
Each of us on the team goes through a Flowerlounge Purification for each event. We know this already from having done 20+ events around the world.
Without fail, at some point or other before/during/after the tour, each team member will break down or be challenged in some form.
It might be a physical issue, like a terrible headache, illness or strange injury. Or it can be an emotional healing crisis or break down of some sort.
I remember one particularly intense moment I had late at night during the Pink Moon Tour, my body wracking huge sobs on the apartment floor in Alphabet City in Manhattan at the loss of a dear friendship. I felt so exposed in front of the people who were still awake that witnessed it!
During the recent Maryland events, Taylor’s favorite flavor was a locked jaw. She could only open her mouth a tiny bit, barely enough to fit a chocolate-covered espresso bean in between her teeth, while snacking on the go, preparing for the event. Justin & I offered her acupressure, massage and poured her a hot bath to relax her muscles.
Alan, one of our newest members of the Flowerlounge team, had to cancel his tickets and couldn’t come with us at all! His moment came in the form of his mother falling ill and his staying back to care for her.
It’s a funny phenomenon that we’ve come to accept and expect – however it shows up, we don’t fight it. If one of us breaks down or needs extra support for some reason, we step up.
Perhaps I’m wrong & maybe it’s normal for the eastern states, but I sensed some serious nature magic during the tour this time, when one day it seemed Mother Nature was conspiring to help cleanse us all.
After one particularly intense day of healing sessions, a single fat cloud rolled overhead, dumped pouring rain for about 15 minutes and then split a huge rainbow across the sky. Everywhere else the sky was a sharp blue, with only this ONE impressive rain cloud in the sky. Afterward our bodies felt cleansed with relief and all around us was sparkly.
I was so impressed to hear folks coming to the Maryland event from as far away as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri and Ohio! I cannot tell you how meaningful this is to all of us. Amazing that people are willing to drive so far!
Also, Maggie on our team, who is in charge of wholesale support, drove 10 hours (!) to be with us and help us out! It was perfect timing, because we were down one person on the team and her presence made a huge difference for our preparedness!
Just as there are more and more men looking for personal growth catalysts & purchasing flower elixirs, there are more men showing up for our events! It’s so wonderful to see men present, bringing their strength and awareness to the room.
Even though we’re working it feels a bit like a vacation.
Traveling to another city with all your best friends in order to benefit the world is a fun endeavor. It requires a lot of energy, but also recharges our vitality and zest for life!
We go out to eat at night (omg, we had the best food while on the road! If you’re in the Columbia, MD area, you have to go to Clove & Cardamom (best Indian food everrrrr) and Sushi Sono ~ ask for Lily - she’s our new Taiwanese friend who works at the Japanese restaurant).
The team stays in airbnb’s and makes breakfast together each morning before doing a group meditation practice.
In the evenings we decompress together ...
One day Justin and my niece bought us face sheet masks as a surprise; that night we lazed around on the floor looking like Jason from the Friday the 13th horror movie from the 1980’s, lol.
The people booking private sessions with us are seriously devoted to their own awakening. They are in transition; they’re up for a major opening. They’re dealing with hard shit or wanting major expansion in their lives – and we make space for that.
People come to a session to heal themselves, release stuck energy and embrace their own softness and true nature. We expect miracles and ripples of impact that go on forever with this kind of devotion. And we see it happening right before our own eyes.
We laugh quite a bit on these trips; I imagine it’s also a healthy release from the intense energy. We laugh until our stomachs hurt, especially watching Justin do a satire piece on sacred tea ceremonies.
In the car and at the airbnb, Justin is our DJ. He always chooses the best music for the occasion and has a huge eclectic collection of music playlists. We sing and dance during car rides and groove to the beat during breakfast.
We’re not so sophisticated that we can’t play on the playground, swing on the swings and slide down the slide. We do that too & make the most of the present moment together.
Our partners at The Pearl Spa in Columbia, Maryland let us use their space for FIVE days free of charge!!! They let us occupy and make a huge mess of their Lotus conference room during our stay, offered us various yoga/movement studios for the events and allowed us to meet with clients for healing sessions. They didn’t ask for anything in return and were as gracious as ever.
We offered the owner of the Pearl a private ceremony, did a special smoke offering and flower essence presentation for her 100+ person staff and we sold a ton of flower essences from their shelves. Overall it was a win-win, without any negotiations – just both sides being completely generous with whatever we could offer one another.
Our Maryland event was right on the edge of Lake Kittamaqundi, where we could walk down to the water and make flower offerings. I was so touched to see the kind of flowers people brought to the event from their gardens or that they picked out specially from the store.
They added their petals and bouquets to the flower mandala and at the end of the night, gathered them up and went to the water’s edge to make prayers and wishes, tossing their offerings into the water.
Along the way, they made new friends with other people who had come to the event. This is how new best friends are made! And to see the lake covered in bright-colored petals was a sight!
This is the first time that my 13 year old niece comes to help at events. I watch her move through it all like a rite of passage, moving from child to womanhood. Her mother is my artist friend, Alison, who also owns an organic tea company.
At the Flowerlounges we’re sharing not only Alison’s teas, but also her inspiring artwork in beautiful hanging silks, in our wardrobe and event agendas.
Her work is filled with sacred symbols that activate us & bless the space!
You know how it sounds so romantic to go out into the lush forest to collect flower essences? Well on our last day in Maryland, we went to the woods to hunt for Lady Slipper forest orchids. Instead we found 30+ ticks crawling all over us, yikes. Had to strip down and inspect our clothing for a while on the side of the road.
No Lady Slippers, but we did see some pretty cool wildflowers & deer, toads and butterfly moths. Sometimes things take an unexpected turn and we roll with it.
Charleston, SC
Miami, FL
Austin, TX
For what's next on the Ripple the Void Tour, go here.
Love + flower petals,
Katie & the Flowerlounge Team
