Amanda, a 28-year-old Los Angeles resident, used to go to church every Sunday.
She still prays nightly and believes in Jesus, but now she has her own rituals.
“I’ll chant, or I’ll go to Kundalini [yoga] and meditate with a group,” said Amanda, who did not want her last name used because she’s afraid religious groups will target her.
She keeps a bunch on her nightstand and stows a small bag of them in her purse or backpack during the day.
“The energy they hold is this ancient energy,” she said. “It helps your own energy when you work with them, when you’re near them.