Flower Power Fuels a Flowerevolution (Part II): Katie Hess, Lotus Wei founder, creates transformation one flower at a time PLUS her beauty and health regime

It’s not every day that you find energy mists encouraging Joy, Love, and Pure Energy on display at your pediatrician’s office. So when I discovered Lotus Wei’s sample collection at The Whole Child Center, I knew my family and I needed to own the entire set. As it turns out, our pediatrician, Dr. Lawrence Rosen, discovered the company at a conference and was impressed by founder Katie Hess’ wisdom and knowledge.

Lotus Wei’s flower elixirs, mists and essences evoke the states that you wish to experience at that moment: Inner Peace, Inspired Action, Infinite Love, Joy Juice, Quiet Mind, and Pure Energy. Each can be used simultaneously or interchangeably, as needed or desired. (Personally, I’m hooked on The CAPtivator, an Energy Mist created out of a collaboration between Lotus Wei and CAP Beauty that exudes the exotic scents of sandalwood, neroli, clary sage, gardenia, crown flower, lotus, and black pepper.

If Katie Hess has one core message, it’s this: that flower remedies effortlessly cut through the static of busy life and remind you of how exquisite you are on the inside.

Since falling hard for her wellness philosophy, I decided to travel with her on a Flowerevolution, a flower-powered online community that she hopes will expand into a tipping point of world transformation—with a little help from some healing elixirs.

Every month in the six month period, our group receives a different essence extracted from unique, potent flowers that assist us in unblocking and releasing old patterns, as well as strengthening and conditioning new ones. Thus far, we have taken the following honey-sweetened elixirs:

• Night Blooming Cereus blossoms one night in the year and assists in overcoming fear, taking big leaps, and right timing.

• Desert Mallow flower inspires a soft, radiant heart.

•  Currently, we are immersed in the journey of Lilac—allowing the release of attachments through flexibility, freedom, and acceptance.

The changes for me have been nothing short of revolutionary since the very first flower essence inspired me to embark on something I was too afraid to do before, and the next essence forced me to face areas where I have not been treating myself respectfully and with love. Based on the Facebook group that is open to sharing, I’m not the only one experiencing positive changes.

Think it sounds hokey? Think again. The work is rooted in over 15 years of study and observation—and incorporates the healing powers of aroma-therapeutic oils, gemstones, and flower essences that deliver proven results.

Her transformational elixirs have been featured in Oprah Magazine, Sunset, Organic Spa Magazine and custom-created for President Obama. She partners with spas worldwide like Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont Princess, and her line of Lotus Wei products are sold in 12 countries.

As the Lotus Wei website accurately describes it:

Flower essences act as a natural tuning fork — bringing your body back in tune with a subtle electrical vibration.

Before embarking on this transformational journey with Katie Hess, I asked her some questions about how to find the right essence—it’s actually quite simple—as well as her daily beauty and wellness practice.

Can you please explain how a person chooses which essence to use?

I believe that everyone has incredible intuitive qualities about what they themselves need, even if they’re not aware of it. In order to make sure intellect doesn’t get in the way, there’s one method I find works: trust your senses, because they’ll tell you what your body needs.

Several examples:

You can trust your eyes. If you look at the flowers on our site  on the app, in the cards in the flower readings – you’ll always be visually attracted to what you need most. Even when you’re at the grocery store or flower market, you’ll always be drawn to the flowers or the bouquet that will best calm, inspire or balance you.

Sometimes it may even be a color you’re attracted to – we designed our packaging colors to align with the flower remedies and aromatherapy.

You can also trust your nose. If you’re choosing mists, you can try each one + see which scent you’re most drawn to.

Or in the case of our sister company, Wei of Chocolate, whatever tastes the best to you in the moment is what you need most.

Isn’t it wonderful that you and your body always know what you need? You can trust yourself 100 percent.

Personally, in order for myself to tune in more deeply, I practice mindful-awareness meditation daily. That also has long-term effects of becoming more and more intuitive over time.

If you’re feeling indecisive about something in the moment, you can relax your body, take a deep breath and see what simply feels better or what pops into your mind—and go with that. Trust yourself. There is more magic inside you than you know.

What changes do people feel while using a particular blend? How long does it take for a person to begin noticing a difference in their mood or temperament?

When using the flower remedies five times or more each day, you’ll feel a difference in your state of mind within 3-5 days (if not sooner). You may also notice that other people respond differently to you (softer, more open, more attracted to being around you).

The changes that occur are different for each person, and also depend on what flower remedies they’re using. Among many things flower remedies can make you laugh, love more deeply, de-stress, feel a sense of deep peace, sleep more soundly, get inspired … and the list goes on. These are just the quickest results.

There are more profound effects from the regular, consistent use of flower remedies over several months or years. Usually starting around 4-6 months, people will notice that their lives begin to expand and blossom in a new way.

Being at your best continually with positive states of mind starts to ripple out into every area of your life.

Here is an article that describes the whole process, all the different stages you go through, and the beautiful experiences you’ll have over time.

Do you have to use the mist, elixir, and serum of one blend to get the best results? What is the optimum way of using them? If a person were to choose one (either the mist, elixir, or serum), which do you recommend choosing? Does it depend on any factors?

Flower remedies have traditionally been taken internally. When I realized long ago that not everyone likes to take things internally, I added the mists, serums and natural perfumes—and added aromatherapy along with the flower remedies.

I also learned over the years that using the flower remedies topically is just as effective as taking them internally, as long as you’re using them five or more times each day.

When choosing between elixir, mist, serum, perfume: choose the style that you’ll enjoy using the most. You’ll get the most profound results when using them five or more times each day, so choose what will enable you to get those five times in.

Some people like to get all three: elixir, mist and serum, because they’ll put the elixir in their tea or coffee, set the mist on their desk at work and use the serum before bed at night. That way they make sure they get in all the five times.

Another way is to put a whole dropper-full of the elixir in your water bottle and drink it throughout the day.

When I get a new formula, sometimes I take it 10 times each day and when you’re stressed, you can take it every five minutes if you want to.

Also, you can use more than one formula at a time—just pick one that is your priority. Be committed to using that one five times each day and add on others as you wish.

Dr. Edward Bach originally worked with 38 flowers. Do you use all of them in your formulas? Have you discovered many new flower essences?

When I first studied flower remedies, I learned all of the Bach system, followed by 100 remedies that my teacher had developed. I used his flower essences until about seven years later when I started collecting my own.

Now I have about 155 remedies in my library, but in our product line there are none that overlap with Bach except for the Rock Water. I made an essence of mountain spring creek water in Sedona, Arizona, but the effects are slightly different than Bach’s rock water. Bach’s is more about flexibility vs. rigidity, whereas our creek essence is more about playfulness and being present in the moment.

Thus far I have collected essences from flowers in deserts, tropics, lush swamps, alpine forests and riparian areas in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Florida, British Columbia, Mexico, India, Korea and Bermuda. From the tiniest of wildflowers to large tropical tree flowers, there are many flower essences that we’ve collected that are not well-known.

We also have three essences of trees (Redwood, Bodhi and Bamboo—well, technically grass) and many essences of gemstones.

One of my personal favorites lately is the Royal Poinciana flower essence, for thinking big, asking for what you want and going for it—very inspiring.

There are herbs, spices, plants…What led you to working with flowers?

I spent most of my childhood in nature. I remember walking through the woods alone a lot, because I was an only child. I always felt a strong connection to nature; I just had no idea …

Then later after college I lived outside the country for several years studying all forms of natural medicine, when I met a flower essence expert from Spain.

He taught not only about flowers and their incredible benefits, but talked about the greater ripple effect of using energetic remedies.

He said that if only three percent of the world’s population was taking flower remedies regularly, that it would create enough of a positive ripple effect that it would change the outcome of the future in a really positive way.

When you think of saving the world it seems daunting, but three percent is do-able.

That was 15 years ago. Since then I’ve fallen deeper and deeper in love with flowers and the earth.

I see flowers as beacons for the vast wisdom of mother earth who is 4.5 billion years old.

After having collected flower essences for the last eight years, I really believe that the healing power of flowers is much more profound than we know.

Do you take any other supplements in addition to flower essences? What do you do for your health other than using the flower elixirs?

Supplements, yes: 

• Organic dark chocolate: Wei of Chocolate.
• Homeopathy + yummy liquid vitamin sprays: Sprayology.
• Loose herbal tonic teas all day long, made by Wisdom Nectar or blended by myself.
• Custom Chinese herbal tinctures from a local Chinese herb specialist in Phoenix.
• Chinese herbal pills from my acupuncturist in New York City.
• I also love Gaia herbal extracts in capsules.
• Is Kombucha a supplement? Haha.

For health: 

 

• Daily consistent practice of meditation and mindful-awareness training. I believe that by far this has had the biggest positive effect on my health.
• Walk the dogs. Walking and/or quick run in the morning. Recently I started doing Pilates twice weekly.
• Leisurely swimming in the summer (most everyone in AZ has a pool).
• I also don’t drink any alcohol and avoid white sugar and processed foods—and for the most part I also avoid dairy and gluten.
• I’m very careful and strict about what kind of products I put on my body as well—no parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrances, sulfates or carcinogenic chemicals!

What is your beauty routine like? What products are you currently using?

Beauty to me is much more about feeling beautiful than looking beautiful.

I try to foster my inner beauty as much as possible, through practicing meditation, awareness, compassion and patience and of course—using flower remedies constantly!

 

But for a daily routine – it changes all the time—lately it looks like this:

• Slather a homemade balm on my face made with an infusion of desert herbs.
• Apply lotuswei perfume of choice to hairbrush before brushing.
• Adorn my hair – a friend of mine, Colette Malouf, makes beautiful hair accessories.
• Dry brush body.

 If I’m feeling really fancy:

• Apply some color to my eyes with a brush and water – I love the owner of Modern Minerals, and it’s the only eye makeup that doesn’t make my eyes red – my favorite colors are Twilight and Lola.
• RMS concealer. ILIA lipstick or an herbally-tinted chapstick that we made R&D samples of.
• And I like to luxuriate in exquisite natural perfumes that I’ve made but never released to the public—my favorites are fruity florals with warm woods.

If I’m going to be around lots of people:

Mist myself heavily with Infinite Love and Joy Juice, so I have the happiest, loveliest vibes to spread.

When I’m traveling:

Visit the sauna or an Asian-style bathhouse: decompress, detox and clarify/tighten my skin with by alternately sauna and cold plunge repeatedly.

During bedtime:

• Use a silk pillowcase that I dyed with flowers and herbs. Apply lotus wei serums to the bottoms of my feet.
• Wear silk, linen, cotton. Wear jade and gold.
• Spend time in nature, where everything is perfectly exquisite, full of wonder and abundant.
• All of these things make me feel beautiful.

Thank you, Katie, for sharing your answers and for inspiring us in so many beautiful ways.

 

(Other than the photo of Katie Hess taken from Lotus Wei’s Press Kit, each of the photos is an original taken by me that can be turned into a gorgeous canvas for hanging. If you wish to order one in a specific size, I’d love to work with you. Please write to me here and I will get back to you with pricing based on size of canvas.)