Welcome to The Seasoned Path
Welcome to The Seasoned Path. In each newsletter I will share some of my musings along the path as well as inspirations gained from those who have traveled this way before me. My hope is to tickle your curiosity, heighten your awareness, and encourage you to become an environmentalist for your soul.
In this Issue:
Quote of the Month
Peace Like A River
Nature’s Coaching Tips
Readings for the Journey
Exciting New Upcoming Events
Quote of the Month:
"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is or how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is you business to keep it yours clearly and directly: to keep the channel open."
Martha Graham
Peace like a River
My husband and I recently went on a 4 day rafting retreat on the Gunnison River in Colorado. This was a part of my Retreat Coach Master Certification training lead by Helene Van Manen (www.retreatcoachnetwork.com). Since I returned home, the lines to an old spiritual have been repeating over and over again in my head.
“I’ve got peace like a river, peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.”
Days later I still felt that the river was with me and I realized that it had taught me some valuable lessons: 1. All things flow toward the ocean –Contently floating downstream, it dawned on me that my life already has a direction and a purpose and a force all its own. Peace is when I surrender to its guiding hand. Instead, sometimes I'm like a fish franticly swimming about in search of water. When I go on a retreat and take the time to stop and look, it becomes clear that I’m already living and fulfilling my purpose! As Martha Grahan spoke about in the above quotation, our duty is "to keep the channel open." Too often it is our own limited thinking that blocks us. Sometimes all we have to do is allow ourselves to fully BE. 2. When things get rough, start paddling –Gradually I learned to read the river and be aware of the currents so that I could avoid both the hidden and obvious obstacles in my path. When taking action was necessary, I learned I need only match my energy level to the external forces trying to take hold of me. Sometimes this simply meant placing my paddle in the water and using it like a rudder and other times it required a quick intense effort. So this second lesson built upon the first, by demonstrating that surrendering to the flow is not a passive state. It requires diligence and effort. 3. Lighten your load and only carry with you what you need - Each morning when we packed up camp, I set the intention to leave behind a personal quality or belief that was no longer serving me, to shed another rocky layer of my heart. The canyon lands that surrounded us were visible proof that when exposed to the wind and air, even the hardest rocks can be shaped and molded and eventually reduced to silt. So each morning, I went off quietly into the canyons and consciously chose to discard a worry, a judgment, or a doubt that I was holding onto. The dramatic landscape obviously had a profound effect upon me. None of these lessons were unknown to me before this trip, but four days on the river brought them all together with a new level of clarity and understanding. That’s the magic of retreating into nature; it’s chockfull of metaphors to help us find our way. We need only put ourselves out there and listen.
Nature’s Coaching Tips:
A qoute that resonated with me on this Colorado adventure was by Barry Lopez:
"(Our) interior landscape responds to the character and subtlety of an exterior landscape: the shape of the individual mind is as affected by the land as it is by genes..."
This is one reason why vacations are so valuable. Going to the ocean or the mountains expands our horizons and opens us to new possibilities.
You need not limit this experience to once a year in the summer. Any time you are feeling stuck, get outside, take a day trip, immerse yourself in a different landscape, and let nature offer you a new perspective. Everyday, treat yourself to a twenty minute break, sitting quiety in nature even if it is just in your backyard or a city park. And whenever possible, immerse yourself in a total new environment, listen to the silence, and witness you own reflection.
Readings for the Journey:
"Life On Purpose: Six Passages to an Inspired Life," by Dr. Brad Swift
A guide to the fundamentals of living a life rich in joy and contribution. "The Book of Druthers" by Beverly Keaton Smith
A fun book of questions to ddepen your relationship with yourself, friends and family. "A Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living" by Corrie Woods
Practical steps for living a big, bold, beautiful life.
Exciting New Upcoming Events:
Letting Go (Friday, Oct 19): Nature inherently knows that in order for new growth to appear, there must first be a letting go of our limiting beliefs. Amongst the beautiful fall trees of Morris Arboretum, we focus on how to clear the way for our own personal growth. Times: 10:00 to 3:00
Fee: $70; early registration two weeks prior $60.
Breaking Patterns & Re-Inventing Your Life: Feb. 28 – March 3 at Maho Bay Camps Eco-Resort on St John in the US Virgin Islands. Discover and embrace a new you with five days of renewal, reflection, and adventure! Through the window of the five elements and the wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine, Linda Marrical will help you explore your patterns that repeatedly cause you emotional and physical difficulties. And Life Coach Karin Marcus will help you translate this new awareness into personal growth and by clarifying your life’s purpose help you begin to re-invent
the rest of your life. All retreat activities are in the morning and your afternoons are free to explore the gorgeous and tranquil environment of Maho Bay.
Retreat and Lodging:
Register By November 18, 2007: Double Occupancy Cabin $950 per person / $900 if you register with a friend..
After November 18: $1000 per person/ $950 with friend
Food and Plane Fare not included.
A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY GIFT FOR YOU!!
The Small Print
To schedule a complimentary 30 minute coaching phone session, email me at Karin@SteppingOutCoaching.com or call 610-667-5247
Visit my website for more coaching info www.SteppingOutCoaching.com
A Note About My Recommendations
I provide links in this newsletter to products and services I am offering or I have personally found valuable. If you are ever disappointed with one of these recommendations, please let them and me know. If they don't make it right, I will.
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The Seasoned Path is published 12 times a year and distributed by e-mail to subscribers on or about the first Monday of each month. Comments, submissions and suggestions are welcome. Please forward any or all of this newsletter to those you know will appreciate it and encourage them to subscribe for themselves.
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Copyright © 2007 by Karin Marcus. All rights reserved.
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