Vintage Gypsy
Live Life Inspired ISSUE 25/JANUARY 2022
The Story of Water Woman
A Journey to Self by: Rylee Hedberg
Rising with the New Year What is your vision for 2022 and the 21st Century? by: Donna Maltz
"Own Your Crone, for Goddess's Sake!"
Earth; An Artists Journey into the Creative Process From the Be Brave Studio s Eat y lth a e H ou Y New a For ear Y New a &
Finding Purpose after 50 by Author: Michele Ketzmerick
Chop Wood Carry Water
Inspiration for the Human Spirit by: Wendy Allan
Cover Art by Birgit Raduenz
Love Note Our Cover Story Birgit Raduenz wears many hats ! She is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, gardener. She is a lover of nature, the healing arts, music and dance. Drawing and Painting is a passion for Birgit, that can be seen on every cover and colouring page of the Vintage Gypsy Magazine. Art By; Birgit Raduenz
WHAT IF YOU COULD CHANGE THE WORLD? What if it was in your Hands? What would the world look like if you had the power to change it? What kind of leader would you be?
When we step up and out and shine our light, we create a path for others to follow. When we embrace our divine gifts and live from a place of unapologetic joy and passion, we inspire others to do the same.
"Those who are Crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who usually do!!!" Steve Jobs
What a beautiful world we would live in if everyone lived and loved from a place of joy and beauty. If everyone was excited for each new day and new adventure.
I have always loved this quote from Steve Jobs and I used to write it on the Board on the first day of class, when I was teaching. I'm a believer that our actions can change how others see the world around them.
We are the leaders of today. We are the storytellers of our time. We must share our stories, we must heal our own brokenness. We must let go of this societies conformity and the old stories that keep us stuck on the merry go round of not enough. We must move through our traumas and breakthrough the cycles of pain and fear. We must own our shit and embrace our greatness. We must shine so bright that the world will need sunglasses to be in our presence..lol
Shannon Kelly is the Chief Editor and creator of the "Vintage Gypsy" Mag. She is a storyteller, a community builder and a humanitarian. She believes that we all have a story to tell and that each story is unique and important. check out the full story @vintagegypsymag.com
Her love for painting and sculpting started at the age of 16 when she started her apprenticeship at the Royal Porcelain Manufacturer in Berlin, Germany. Her love for Celtic lore and design inspire her to transform clay into art. No Matter what hat Birgit wears, she always finds inspiration to create beauty in the world. “It is all of these hats I wear that make it possible for the art to flow from my hands into form and shape.“ -Birgit You can see her work at the Mann Art Gallery gift shop and Shananigan’s coffee and dessert bar in her home city of Prince Albert, SK. or view it online on Facebook and Instagram at: FinxiArt by Birgit Raduenz Contact her at finxiart@gmail.com .
@finxiart
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In This
Edition
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Own Your Crone, for Goddess's Sake by Michele Ketzmerick.......................................................page 8 hop Wood, Carry Water C by: Wendy Allan................................................................page 14 Healthy Eats With Chef Jackie Thoms...................................................page 18
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Earth; An Artists Journey into the Creative Process from the Be Brave Studio.................. ...............................page 24 To My Daughter (a poem) by: Kara Websdale............................................................page 29 Rising with the New Year by: Donna Maltz................................................................page 30
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The Story of Water Woman by: Rylee Hedberg............................................................page 36
36 Copyright © 2015 by Vintage Gypsy Ent. All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Canada ISSN 2371-8749 (Print) ISSN 2371-8757 (Online) Contact US: Vintage Gypsy Ent. 338-15th Street West Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Canada S6V 3R2 www.thevintagegypsy.ca
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Coloring Page by Cover Artist Birgit Raduenz
YOUR ENERGY IS SACRED
OWN YOUR CRONE, FOR GODDESS’S SAKE!
a roll of toilet paper. “I’ve learned that life is like The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.” -Andy Rooney
I was awoken at 5:25 am from a cozy deep sleep one recent frigid morning. Not just a gentle whisper, but a persistent nudge compelling me to get out of bed and write words that were tumbling loudly into my awareness. Could this not wait until daylight at least? Apparently not. This untimely download prompted me to recognize the good the bad and the ugly associated with the often-dreaded crone years and how our perception of their onset is key to fully embracing them.
The ugly is the centuries long patriarchal history that we have read about, experienced, and continue to deeply feel in our bones, of a tortured and brutal female lineage. Before we were perceived as ugly old hags, beyond our best before date beginning at age fifty, crones were called the “Crowned Ones” and were venerated for their wisdom. From a history of being burnt up to our present state of feeling burnt out, within the conditioning that we can never do enough and are never good enough, messages are perpetuated via social media, with constant pressure to show the world someone much different than our authentic selves.
"We were perceived as ugly old hags, beyond our best before date beginning at age fifty."
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The bad or not-so-good involves being the sweaty recipient of intense hot flashes lasting ten years, and no, they aren’t welcomed power surges! They consume me, I am breathless (not in a good way), debilitated, and unable to focus on anything hourly, day and night. More gifts include lessening body hair but thriving facial hair, aching joints, sagging metabolism (and everything else), and I do not have space here (or courage) to cover the nether regions. And I was shocked recently to see in the mirror what crepe-y skin is. Even with all of that, I would never trade this phase for earlier ones. The good of the crone years is the reason. I anticipated the fifties with dread, until I read Jean Shinoda Bolen’s Goddesses in Older Women: Archetypes in Women Over Fifty. Its message is a soothing, gentle invitation to embrace this magical phase as it introduced me to the Goddess archetypes; Metis (Practical and Intellectual Wisdom), Sophia (Mystical and Spiritual Wisdom), Hecate (Intuitive and Psychic Wisdom), and Hestia (Meditative Wisdom). Within these traits my inner crowned one emerged, and finally owning my intuitive wisdom, storytelling, writing, saying no, taking care of myself, savoring solitude, and embracing the mystic arising from deep within. I was opened to discovering the Good News: our brains are malleable, cells changeable, and our hearts healable. Epigenetics (google it) explains how we are not our genes! We can de-condition ourselves by changing how we think, changing our environment, and in doing so, changing our lives in significant ways.
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THE BAD OR NOT-SOGOOD INVOLVES BEING THE SWEATY RECIPIENT OF INTENSE HOT FLASHES LASTING TEN YEARS, AND NO, THEY AREN’T WELCOMED POWER SURGES! THEY CONSUME ME, I AM BREATHLESS (NOT IN A GOOD WAY), DEBILITATED, AND UNABLE TO FOCUS ON ANYTHING HOURLY, DAY AND NIGHT.
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In these magical years, it does not matter how unenthused about the size and shape of my body. I finally have time to tune into the gentle (and sometimes not) wisdom it has to offer. It is crystal clear with this third act (and there is not a fourth), that what I put into my body equates to how long I want to stay in it. And of course, soft lighting has become a precious friend. Insights from the Goddess archetypes that have led to a more meaningful life: Our self worth is less about likes and more about our compassionate hearts, toward ourselves and all other sentient beings. I can lighten up a little or a lot, integrating the magic of being the interested observer of my day-to-day drama rather than being drawn into it. My suffering is increased or decreased, depending on how I choose to perceive or react to any event. Breathing consciously and being present in the moments is a vital skill. It took too many decades to learn that nourishing and nurturing myself and getting good sleep is NOT overrated! Finally, having healthy boundaries; my free time does not equate to availability. Saying no to meaningless stuff, and to things that don’t light me up, spending time with difficult people included. Saying yes to connecting with people who make me laugh and bring me peace. We can trust our inner voice, our Higher Self, whatever you want to call it. We search for our guru when it is inside of us all along, showing itself when we turn inward.
The Goddess wisdom in my crone years so far, is about embracing expanded belief systems and letting go of outdated limitations about life, death, and our true selves. I was obsessed about finding that one big thing—MY PURPOSE. Well, it’s not what you might think. My purpose of life is to LIVE. Having more fun and finding joy in the mundane, sipping gratitude and intentions with morning coffee, and at day’s end, a ritual releasing worries and frustrations with the bath water after long soothing soaks. No matter the complexities of our crone years, whether caring for elderly parents, kids and grandchildren, or ailing partners, relationships bring deep joy and the true meaning of life. The most profound relationship though, is an inner one as we pause to listen to, and embrace, the quiet loving whisperings of our beautiful hearts.
"The most profound relationship though, is an inner one as we pause to listen to, and embrace, the quiet loving whisperings of our beautiful hearts. ."
So, text before calling, I might be busy…or resting. Probably the latter.
Michele lives on an acreage with her partner near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. She is the published author of “I Married an Atheist… Thank God!” and is currently enjoying the creative expression of completing a second book, due to be published in 2022. Since retiring in 2021 from her career as the Director of a correctional facility, she was guided by intense curiosity to seeking a deeper understanding of our selves and others, how to suffer less, how to experience peace, contentment, and joy in life. This journey led her to an intriguing new gig as she was trained and certified as a Human Design Specialist; a system that marries modalities of ancient wisdom with quantum science and genetics, an energy map of our soul’s purpose in this lifetime, highlighting our innate strengths and challenges, potential for wisdom, and our connection with others. This is a soul satisfying chapter that lights her up with gratitude and a beautiful energy of service. Connect with Michele via FaceBook & Instagram or email m.mketzmerick@gmail.com.
Photo courtesy: Jennifer Grundner Photography
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AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
CHOP WOOD, CARRY WATER BY WENDY ALLAN
Zen Quote … “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood carry water” Always focus on the work that matters to YOU! It has been an uplifting and amazing autumn filled with experiences that have been magical beyond belief. Renewing my belief and knowing that we do create what happens in our lives; both positive and negative. Human experience is the true key to any journey, without it some part of ourselves can be left wondering that ultimate “psycho babble” phrase “what if”? This month I have personally been given the time and have taken the quest to explore this planet in celebration and in return have been gifted treasures from Gaia in the form of crystals, fully intact with their ancient memories ready to share with humanity.
Not everything in life comes easy, experiences have taught me that. Usually, what we fear most we create in our energy field, in order to have the experiences we need/desire for our soul to evolve. Live and learn is what I grew up with. Maybe that is what a “well rounded” personality means. Making personal mistakes in life and learning to do better if that situation should ever occur again. Sometimes it has taken me many attempts to get an emotion, ideal or situation understood before I began to realize what I was creating for myself. Only by taking that hard look inside of our heart and mind to understand how WE tick and why “stuff” can make our hearts race and our blood boil. This is the journey into what being a human is actually all about.
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I took my first Reiki course in 2005 and door after door opened like an information highway. More and more answers became available to my many questions. In 2008 I became a Reiki Master Teacher and started sharing this amazing new knowledge with anyone who would listen, there were a few but not many that could grasp, or even believe the concept of self healing. I lost my enthusiasm and second guessed myself while attempting to share with "Humans" of the general population and decided I would bring all the knowledge I had learned back into my own life and that I would use Reiki to improve my home, my gardens, my family and whatever ways I could dream of to use this skill. All my experiments and uses proved nothing but positive outcomes when I consciously used the Reiki energies to assist any and all that came in contact with the energy. Plant, animal, person and even machines! I know and believe that we can heal anything and everything that is a disease in our bodies and we can even prevent disease from happening in the future! Reiki opened my mind into the world of possibilities. I allowed myself to open that door that had always intrigued me; the world of energy and spirit. I can see looking back it was something I personally desired to understand. So many questions, but the word “occult” at that time in my life only meant dark, scary and was not discussed. So, I researched the topic and chuckled to myself the moment I realized it really only meant “hidden knowledge”. In those moments of realization
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"Hindsight has offered me the gift to see and understand that hidden knowledge isn’t really hidden... rather it is a perspective that is available to those brave enough to look and explore." often for me a whole new stream of internal questions surfaces, first and foremost why is their hidden knowledge? Wondering what could be so important to hide from general understanding or teaching to cover it with an evil wrapper. So many books all of a sudden began to appear for me to see on these hidden topics, sometimes I would read a whole chapter in a bookstore before I made my purchase and left. The more I read, the more I wanted to know. Then as life goes, I created the experiences too! Both amazing and horrible in the moments they were happening. Hindsight has offered me the gift to see and understand that hidden knowledge isn’t really hidden ...rather it is a perspective that is available to those brave enough to look and explore. I confidently can say, I have explored and experienced many OMG (Oh My Goddess) moments.
I was living on a farm where I could see lots of open farmland that bordered a Native Reservation. This was a time in my life where I began exploring energy healing modalities as well as teaching and practicing yoga. All these activities allowed me the experiences of exploring the world of invisible (unseen) sensations (energy). The visible effects and changes it had on my mind, body and spirit, we’re profound. Learning to expect the unexpected and not to react in fear as the experiences transpired. All those lessons on my yoga mat helped me to get through most experiences without a negative personal internal reaction. Acknowledging to myself that all those voices and faces I have heard and seen my whole life were in fact real...more real than I could ever have imagined.
The innate curiosity that moment inspired has been one of the most rewarding adventures of my life. The next time a being comes along and the question, “What is it like to be human” comes up I can confidently say I have some stories to share. Until another moment arises, I will continue to “chop wood and carry water” and allow the life I came here to live, continue to amaze me with magic as we create and work toward being the best human we can be by letting go of not allowing ourselves to have the experiences to enrich life’s journey.
One day around dusk I was doing dishes, looking out the window. There was a moment when I could see a visible energy shimmering at me through the window. It looked like the heat coming off a hot road on a summer day. My heart raced immediately and in the moment I said out loud, “I can see you” and I watched it react and flashed faster like it was excited and I heard a reply “I can see you too”! I replied, “what do you want”? As fast as I asked the question I again heard the answer in my head, “what is it like to be human”? The question threw me, because at that moment I didn’t have an answer and replied, “I don’t know”. Then the moment was over. Little did I understand a dozen years ago what that question would ignite. A quest began that day to find my understanding and answers to; What is it like to be human?
Wendy Allan is the owner and founder of Wendy Jean Holistics; formally Indigo Wellness and Yoga. She has a 35+ year career in the Health and Wellness industry. Her experiences and background have given her a broad spectrum of self healing ideals and tools to share with students and clients. Wendy is motivated by a never ending curiosity of the power of the mind and how it contributes to disease and the self healing process. She knows, trusts and has witnessed what a healthy, focused mind can do and create. A life long quest of health and well-being began with a 20+ year career in nursing and raising a family. Wishing to be more of an at home mom, she studied yoga, meditation and reiki. In 2006 Indigo Wellness & Yoga opened. The study and practice of yoga opened more opportunities to learn and explore alternative healing ideals and practices. In 2009 Wendy completed a “Holistic Practitioner” program which included more natural healing methods such as Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Reflexology, Massage and Aromatherapy. After many years of hands-on experience, in 2019 the world changed forever. In keeping with the times, in April 2020, Wendy Jean Holistics was born and a broader spectrum of classes and online sessions were offered. Wendy is currently working part-time offering classes, in person and online sessions and consultations. If you would like more information, you can message Wendy at: wendyjeanholistics@gmail.com.
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Healthy Eats for a New Year & a New YOU with Chef Jackie Thoms
Jackie Thoms is a Rebel in the Kitchen. She loves "In Your Face" flavors that explode in your mouth and have your taste buds screaming for more. She believes cooking should be simple, spices and fresh herbs can turn ordinary into extraordinary. This die hard WWE fan spends her free time trying and developing new recipes for friends and family. She Loves growing her own herbs and vegetables for her kitchen adventures and her fur babies.
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JOIN THE REVOLUTION
www.besafestaylit.org
Earth
From the Be Brave Studio
Monte Alban Archaeological Site
An Artists Journey into the Creative Process Earth! So vast and large, so many directions,
Pulls me in, telling me get your feet on the
north, east, south, west, beyond and into,
ground, plant yourself, stand tall like a tree,
overwhelm. So many thoughts and ideas I
take nourishment from the soil, grow where
wanted to do everything, excitement, and
you are. This was a crazy ride, I could often
enthusiasm I hit the ground running. The
feel the spin and tilt of earth as the days,
thought of doing something big and
weeks and months moved past faster and
impressive was stuck in my head, I got lost in
faster. I wanted to move in every direction in
it, I kept trying to do things that I was not
the beginning, I moved around the studio
prepared for.Earth is so big it challenges you
gathering, creating idea collections,
to be ok with who you are and what you do,
organizing, editing, clearing some space,
stop trying to be something you are not, to be
nothing took root. What is it about earth? It
me that one in 8 billion, just like you, no one is
wants us to move while standing still, maybe
the same, no one will make art and create the
that is because that is exactly what it does,
exact same. Finally, gravity!
always in motion but the movement is so -24-
subtle we do not feel it, yet we experience it with the cycle of the days and the seasons. I decided to go back in my mind to when I felt at peace with earth and immediately Mexico came to mind, the Monte Alban Museum, Oaxaca, the carvings in the stone, I imagined how the people must have worked so hard to carve into the stone, the sacrifice they must have had to endure for their art. I think earth is about hardship and overcoming obstacles, sacrifice, developing this online workshop has been difficult, but only because I made it more difficult than it had to be. I want to become efficient at these workshops, I desire to have confidence, therefore I must be grounded but moving at the same time, interesting. I continued with the body of work I started in water; my plan is to submit this art as a travelling show for exhibition through my Province. Stitching and beading is an important part to this body of work, the process of slow stitching is relaxing but during earth it also became a distraction from what I should be doing, I created many smaller stitched pieces as well as the larger pieces you see in the earth art portfolio, over time I began to sense I was using stitching as a rock to weigh me down, avoiding doing what was required. Under the weight of it all I turned to my art to comfort me and build me up. I learned allot about myself and my creative process in the earth cycle, I want to put on that teachers hat, share the joy of creating, without the discomfort of bring buried alive, I am not sure how to do this yet but I’m not giving up if anything I will find a way to understand this technology, have you every stood at the end of the earth, looking over the cliff feeling the stones under your feet slip ever so, the feeling of panic you pull back catching your breath calming your heart you look out over the edge to see the most glorious sunset.
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Below the earth you can find some of the most beautiful gems, following the thread that starts at the top of my head, the beautiful gold threat that runs straight down my body, past my heart space, through the bottom of my feet into the earth spinning down and down, wrapping around the most beautiful “Rose Quartz” anchored and sure, now I can stand on the cliff, secured. I especially enjoyed stitching the gems and cutting the scrap plywood to mount the patch to, I love these (I also did a ruby and another rose quartz). I have, like many of us felt a connection with trees, I think of them as protectors of the earth, I have been saddened as I prepare to leave my longtime house, saying goodbye to the giant elm, under which a couple hamsters have been laid to rest and so many picnics were shaded.“Limbs That Hold Me” is dedicated to that elm tree, it will always have my heart, yet I know I am ready to move on.“Buried Memory” is my thanks to earth for holding my loved one protected, yet the kite caught in the tree means I do not have to like it. I plan to continue this journey of making workshop videos, I think like the giant elm I am starting as a sapling, if I let the earth nurture me, I will grow. “Expectations” is my vision of what Mother Earth is feeling, she has been waiting for a while to bring new beginnings to life, free of the pandemic, free of racism, free of social stigmas, free of environmental carelessness and hatred. Maybe she will have twins and doubly kick butt.
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Tracy Buechler is a Canadian contemporary mixed media artist, art educator and creativity coach. Being drawn to art to express her own experiences she discovered that a curiosity and a common yearning for all things creative and soulful drive us to live our most inspired lives.
"I make art every day, I teach with a joy that brings beauty from sorrow, my spirit soars watching others light up connecting to their own creative practice, and I build communities."
www.tracybbrave.com
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Gypsy Writers Collective
UNDO, UNRAVEL, UNLEARN, UNBECOME & UNLEASH YOUR MUSE THE GYPSY WRITERS COLLECTIVE IS A SAFE AND SACRED SISTERHOOD FOR YOU TO EXPLORE YOUR INNER WORKINGS, UNBECOME YOUR MISCONCEPTIONS AND FULLY AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY UNLEASH YOUR MUSE! Join us today https://www.vintagegypsymag.com/gypsywriterscollective
To my Daughter My daughter Life fills me with fear and doubt You fill me with strength and love Your smiling face makes life worth the hardships I see your eyes, My eyes. I see your hair, My hair. I see your sweet gentle nature, And see myself in that too. I cannot protect you from all of life's hardships, But we will get through them together. My life, My love, My little mini me.
Kara Websdale is a stay at home mother of two, Wyatt 4 years and Alice 18 months. They live in Saskatoon, SK with their 2 cats and various aquatic creatures. Kara gets her inspiration from nature and artwork but her favourite inspirations are her little ones.
Rising with the New Year
What is your vision for 2022 and the 21st Century? What rocks your world?
PHOTOS AND ARTICLE BY DONNA MALTZ
Imagine Less stuff ~ More Love and Happiness As the days lengthen, my imagination is heightened with the possibilities for the coming new year. One of my favorite songs of all time is John Lennon’s song, Imagine. The lyrics encourage us to imagine a world of peace, without materialism, without borders separating nations, and without religion. Imagine living for today, and like the future matters. When so many are struggling to see past the past and envision a better world, we need each other more than ever to stop the craziness. For me, rising into a new year represents a time to reflect, renew, and regenerate what I am grateful for. Reflection Ask yourself, what old beliefs can I let go of to achieve my desires? Am I heading in the right direction? Am I ready to set aside fears and energy vampires? Our energy is drawn to what we focus on. Renew Joy 2022 So ask yourself, what am I willing to do to grow in the right direction? Generosity is fertilizer for our souls and being generous uplifts others. Now is the perfect time to renew your commitment to the things that bring you joy. Your joy is like a magnet, attracting more joy and more joyful people. Regenerate Generosity 2022 Growth does not happen on its own. By reviewing and renewing what is joyful, you regenerate those juicy, good intentions. Your magnetic energy moves you in the right direction. Speaking of the right direction …. I am renewing my commitment to live by my word; prioritize health, family business.
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We can rise and envision communities thriving by prioritizing the essentials: a clean and balanced economy that supports the diversity
"I have faith that humanity will rise above today’s hypocrisy"
of people, has a reverence for culture, insists on fair wages, and has a respect for the ecological biodiversity necessary to survive on Earth. Envision shops that are well stocked with necessities, including locally made goods and handicrafts, rather than imported slave labor merchandise. Thrift stores and up-cycle shops are prevalent, and repair shops are always nearby. Yards are full of edible plants and medicinal herb gardens accented by delightful flowers. Public transportation and businesses are energy efficient, proud of having a low carbon footprint. Plenty of opportunities. Yes, I have faith that humanity will rise above today’s hypocrisy by implementing greater social-economic education and having a fresh mindset around social and environmental responsibility. We will make a significant difference. Each day, you and I have the power to dream and to manifest world change.
The beginning of 2022 is a good time to
To create a better world, we must make it our
reassess and reconsider our lives in the
business to implement humanitarian and
present moment and ask ourselves some hard
environmental Soulutions into our life. The
questions. As we face so much adversity, more
costs of living in harmony with Nature are
people are evaluating what is suitable for them
explicit; the first steps are to imagine
and redefining what is essential to be happy.
something better and to live like the future
We start by imagining how to be happy with
matters. Just as our parents and grandparents
less stuff and focus on our innate creativity to
dreamed of a better life, so must we. By living
imagine what is possible.
in harmony with Nature we can create a more robust, resilient world.
If we could talk, I would ask you: how does your lifestyle and career contribute to
By learning from the past and our present
Soulutions? How does your work affect your
situation, we can manifest something better.
health, your family, community, and Mother
We can cultivate an abundant lifestyle and
Earth? How is your livelihood contributing to
livelihood by adding the proper nutrients such
your health, to future generations?
as kindness, inclusiveness, generosity,
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"Love yields the highest return. It keeps us joyful, vibrant, and prosperous.”
progressive education, the arts, Nature’s
2022 begs us to live a wholesome and
wisdom, wholesome food, holistic principles,
prosperous life, embrace our hopes and
healthy lifestyles, and many other genuine
dreams, and share our wisdom to enrich and
regenerative exchanges.
cultivate the life energy and the love-light in others. I believe we’ve got this! The most
The current 21st-century crises present us
important choices and shifts in our lives are
with extraordinary opportunities. We face in-
right in front of us.
common problems that will take collective action to transform a broken world. As we
So, what is your vision for 2022 and for the 21st
embrace a mindset based on integrity and
Century?
respect, a creative renaissance will raise our
Success comes when we rise to know:
souls. When we commune with one another
Who we are,
and Nature, we are on the right path; we are
What we love to do
unstoppable.
and our purposeful ‘why.’
May the magic and mysteries of the New Year unravel any insecurities, and bring you more truth, love, and joy. Continue to take time to reflect, renew and regenerate your beautiful soul and move forward in the spirit of joy and generosity in 2022. Take care of your precious body, rise, and widen your vision of what is possible. Rejoice and manifest a future that brings you and the world more health, peace, and love, so you are part of rocking the world in the right direction.
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Donna Maltz is an author, blogger, speaker, culinary chef, and eco-entrepreneur. Her books include Living Like the Future Matter ~ The Evolution of A Soil to Soul Entrepreneur. I AM ~ A Guided Journal to Cultivate Abundance, Conscious Cures~Soulutions to 21st Century Pandemics and Yummy Recipes, Wilderness Wonders, a healthy activity cookbook for kids and adults. Check out her website: www.donnamaltz.com She spends her days immersed in Nature and strives to help make the world a more vibrant place for all sentient beings. As a ‘voice for Nature,’ she shares her love for Mother Earth through words and photography.
www.therebelpreneur.com
THE STORY OF WATER WOMAN: Water Woman was born in a small village called Waseca. Though she was born of Water, she was surrounded by a tribe of Fire. They burned so brightly that their heat and desire for consumption dried out Water Women's elemental roots. As she grew and her limbs became longer, she too became well acquainted with Fire. She forgot about her Water beginnings and who she was.
RYLEE HEDBERG
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During this time of forgetting, she burned so hot and bright that she destroyed not only those around her, but herself as well. She was hot to the touch, and this fiery rage that brewed within drove away any real chance for love and intimacy with herself and the world around her. Her heart became blackened. She grew into a deep despair and suffered greatly. There was a voice inside of her, deep down that whispered, “come home”. She would soon find out the origins of this voice. She knew that she was not a Fire person; she was created to be something else. She longed for the soft peacefulness that she felt as a young being, before being taken over by the flames of Fire. She knew she had to change; to shed her skin and leave her charred remains in her wake. She felt she had to leave everything she thought she knew behind. Her tribe of Fire would never understand a Water person. They told her she was crazy and that she should not leave. She would never succeed and survive on her own. But what they did not know is that if she stayed she would surely succumb to her burning rage and become nothing more than a pile of ash. She could feel the call of her true essence, her longing within. The nudge was there, in her heart center. It called out to her very core. She was scared to take these steps forward into the unknown and away from her tribe, but she was even more afraid of staying. She packed up what little belongings she had and traveled to a new place, thousands of miles away from her village. She traveled to the place where Water and Fire meet. Here she began to peel away at the hardened shell she had grown during her time with the Fire people. She began to take on more of her Water nature. She slowed down and brought peace into her being and her blackened heart. Slowly, she began to soften and open. She grew more rooted and joyful. She felt as though she had finally found her tribe and most importantly herself.
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She felt she was ready to face what she had so long pushed away-the truth of who she was. She knew she was meant to help the Fire people remember that they too were Water. Like her, they had simply forgotten this. It was at this time Water Woman realized that she could not have one without the other, she needed both her watery essence and her fiery roots to remain balanced. She spent much of her time in the place where Water and Fire meet, cultivating a deeper connection with herself. For so long, she despised who she was and the turbulent depths that took her up and down. But she stuck with these storms and rode through her fears; knowing that eventually they would subside and she would again know peace. By now, her blackened heart had given way and she emerged forth into her true self. She knew who she was born to be. The Stars had shown her as she lay beneath their canopy each evening. As she watched them shine as nothing but who they were designed to be, she realized that she was one of them. One day, while communing with her plant brothers and sisters in the jungle, she felt the call of her tribe below her feet. They were signaling for her that it was time to acknowledge her roots again.
She was born as Water but she was raised to burn fiercely and wash away the suffering of herself and her people. But Water Woman felt that she still was not ready to face the flames that burned within her so fiercely. She was afraid they would again overtake her and she would forget her essence.
One day, she ventured to the place where Fire burned so bright against the backdrop of night that she awakened to Fire’s beauty. Before this, she had disowned Fire and thought she merely existed to destroy life. But now she saw that Fire was here to illuminate the darkness so that we might once again discover our true light.
Water Woman was changed after this night, and she finally agreed to return to her tribe in her village. When she returned, she found that everything had changed. This was not because her tribe and her village changed, but because she had. Her reconnection with her truth had washed away the hate in her heart.. She knew at her core that she was not different from her tribe. Like her, they were born as Water, but had been taught to dry themselves of Water in favor of Fire. She knew that her people still suffered, and from her time spent in the place where Water and Fire meet, how to guide them back to their true essence. She spent her days using her Water powers to lead others in balancing their Fires so that they too knew peace in their hearts. She began to see the work they were doing unfold like a petal and flower into a community filled with more compassion and love. She knew that more communities like hers were suffering. With the turn of the tides, Water Woman again felt the call to return to the place where Water and Fire meet. She was ready to share her gifts with the whole Earth community.
"This story is based on my journey back into my wild and true self. I now help other women reconnect to their wildness" Rylee is a woman on a journey back to her wild-woman self. She believes that our Mother Earth as well as we humans are in deep need of healing. This healing starts with each and every one of us. By connecting to our inner/wild selves we can start to heal within and claim what is rightfully ours: the life we are truly meant to live. When we live in alignment with our wildness and true selves, we are not only more compassionate and loving to ourselves but to every other being. Her passion is to empower other women to see themselves as they truly are: whole, capable, and inherently creative. Together we can follow the longings of our soul and the beating in our hearts to contribute to our lives and our worlds in a meaningful way. Check out her many offerings such as 1:1 coaching, her new course “Re-Wild Yourself” on Teachable and her retreats that guide you in reconnecting to your wild and true self!
www.wildwomanhealing.life -39-
Fin d Y ou r W Joi ild n t he Ca ra va n
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