flower stems and put them in the liquid from crushed produce or the can to absorb color. Hang garlands out of reach of young children and pets. Navjot Kaur, of Navjot Designs, in


Chicago, says, “We all have greenery in our yard or patio gardens that can be


of Fulfillment by Amy Cerny Vasterling


cored, as candle holders. Make living place cards with small pots of herbs. Chalkboard paint iden- tifies the plant and guest seating. Also consider colorful painted pots sporting a small cactus. Transform oranges into aromatic


pomanders by scoring the rinds with a citrus stripper in a spiral, circle or other pattern. Use a small nail to make holes and stud the fruits with whole cloves. Adding seasonal greenery and steril- ized pine cones makes a beautiful and fragrant centerpiece.


The Front Door “I love to use pine cones for center- pieces,” Corrao says. “Our weather is cold enough that I don’t have to worry about bugs when collecting cones in the neighborhood.” For warmer climates, bake the pine cones for 30 minutes in a 200-degree oven to melt excess sap, kill insects and fully open them. Sold online or in kitchenware


stores, a bay leaf wreath offers cheer at the door. After the holidays, hang it in the kitchen for easy access. “Kumquats, lemons, tangerines, small oranges and crabapples add color to green wreaths,” notes Corrao.


Garlands For many, Christmas demands the smell of fresh pine boughs. Spice up the traditional greenery with carnations or other light-hued flowers colored with the juices of fresh, canned or frozen fruits and veggies—red from cranberries, beets and cherries; yellow and orange from yellow onions and carrots; purple from blackberries; green from spinach; pink from strawberries; and blue from red cabbage or blueberries. Freshly cut the


M


used for the holidays. It’s fun to alter the design based upon what is available.” Imagination and inspiration can


spark new, greener traditions.


Connect with the freelance writer via AveryMack@mindspring.com.


Exploring the Concept


ost of this year has been about relationship growth, a year in which women stood up en


masse to release very old belief systems which left us overly sensitive and disempowered, attributes not akin to the feminine. The year prior we left our old story behind, and in April this year, without knowing it, we banded together to dispel very old universal belief systems stemming from many years prior when the feminine surrendered to the masculine so it could become conscious. Perhaps inspired by the heavenly stars, we shifted into an innate desire to


grow up into our full potential as an adult female in her power, no matter what. Men were then inspired to shift right along with us into their truer nature of strength and adventure, allowing us to ditch what our mothers taught us about being strong to instead embrace and operate through empowerment. Over the next three years we’ll see men come full circle on this energy and step further into their truth, making available the opportunity for women and men to meet in balance, harmony and co-creation at the level of our innate nature. I see it in my husband who recently shared his readiness for “a work environment with soul.” While he loves what he does, he is ready for his workplace to create, inspire and offer a product that helps others in an altruistic manner. We’ll see more of this yearning in both women and men in the coming years. So what does all of this have to do with fulfillment? People, more than ever, are bonding together to find support, learning to once again trust and then to operate more and more from their intuition. To do this, we must first feel safe in order to be willing to self-express; only then can we reach fulfillment. This requires us to find what fuels our passion, acting on it even if at first no-


body is interested in what we are doing. We keep “practicing our craft” because what we are really doing is offering our uniqueness to the world. Offering what is unique about us is what transforms our world from certain beliefs to opening up to fewer beliefs or judgments thus allowing everybody to be who they are. The journey from here to there may appear to lack clarity for most. However, I highly recommend finding answers from within by tuning into your intuition and feeling your way through for the guidance you seek. While it can be as simple as choosing what feels good over the “must do’s,” consulting your clairsentience (clear sensing) for the answers may take a little more trial and error. However, your per- sistence will create and unfold safety, self-expression and ultimately fulfillment in a very beautiful and powerful way.


Amy Cerny Vasterling works as a fine artist and intuitive reader out of her vibrant studio in downtown St. Paul. She hosts classes around parenting, intuition, empowerment and her highly sought “Women’s Labyrinth”, a year-long journey to recapture trusting intuition, build community and find support. New Labyrinth groups begin January 2017. For more information, visit IntuitivePathfinder.com. See ad, page 21.


natural awakenings December 2016 13


photo courtesy of Angie Zimmerman Designs


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