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
Patagonia Perspectives
Nature's Coaching Tips
Going Green Tip of the Month
Readings for the Journey
Upcoming events

Quote of the Month

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child­,
our own two eyes. All is a miracle.
­Thich Nhat Hanh

Patagonia Perspectives

I just returned from a wonderful trip hiking in the mountains of Patagonia, Chile. This was my first experience of being so far below the equator. We got lost briefly one day, when we orientated our map according to the sun, not realizing the sun was due south not north at midday. The sun dials in South America have the hours in reverse because the sun moves counter clockwise during the day! Later it was also explained to me that the moon I was looking at was upside down to the way I normally see it in Pennsylvania! That totally boggled my mind. It was quite humbling to realize that even the planets’ positions in the universe is only a matter of one’s perspective.

Then coming home, I had the disconcerting experience of stepping onto the plane in fall with the trees turning to gold and red and disembarking into a full blown, cherry blossoming spring. I felt completely unprepared for the outward explosion of energy and totally overwhelmed by the amount of indoor and outdoor spring cleaning that lay before me. I realized that I was physically experiencing the “Spin Cycle,” perhaps our culture’s most favorite and misdirected approach to change.

In her book, The Seasons of Change: Using Nature’s Wisdom to Grow through Life’s Inevitable Ups and Downs, Carol McClelland PhD provides a transition module based on nature’s example. In short, a smooth journey through life’s changes mirrors the cycle of the seasons.

• Fall is the time to acknowledge that change is approaching, get support, and create a refuge.
• Winter is the time to retreat, reflect, and reconnect with our authentic selves.
• Late winter is the time to rewrite our story, clear out the old, and create a plan for the future.
• Spring is the season to get to work and birth the new.
• And summer is the time to allow the ripening of our labors and celebrate our harvest.

The “Spin Cycle” occurs when we skip winter completely and jump right from fall into spring. In modern society we are expected to always be at the top of our productive and creative game. Often with a change of career, we feel necessity demands that we immediately jump into a new job. After an illness, its time to get right back to taking care of our responsibilities, too much time has been lost. There is no time to wallow in grief and loss; we need to just carry on. Or after ending one relationship, we eagerly find a new partner to fill the emotional and social gap.

The problem is that the Spin Cycle just endlessly repeats itself. The new job or relationship is just as unfulfilling as the last. The underlying grief persists because it was never given time to process. Illness reoccurs because the body wasn’t allowed to recuperate. By jumping from the old immediately into the new, without allowing time for centering and renewal, we just spin in an endlessly habitual pattern. We never get to experience the success of summer and instead constantly find ourselves right back where we started.

The wintering process is typically ignored in our culture, but ironically, it is crucial to inspiring the very productivity and creativity we so value. Without the renewal process of winter, we can never experience the rich harvest of summer. As a Life Coach supporting people in transition, it is often my job to help them create and honor the time and space necessary for reflection and renewal.

It was fascinating, traveling from the southern to northern hemisphere, to actually experience the seasonal jump of the Spin Cycle. Once I identified my distress at flying from fall right into spring, I realized that I just needed a little wintering. So before I rushed back to life as usual, I took time to journal about my trip, catch up on some much needed rest from the long journey, and share my experiences with close friends. Because I was aware of the Seasons of Change and was familiar with the benefits of wintering, I could sense what was out of balance and easily remedy it. Returning from a glorious vacation is not a major life transition that requires deep healing and processing. So after just two days of quality wintering, I was ready to step out the door, fully embrace the glorious spring, and enjoy getting down and dirty in my garden.

Understanding the Seasons of Change enables one to process with awareness whatever life throws at you. It honors where one presently stands, and centers the self before taking the next step. Nature knows the way, and we need only to observe and learn from its wisdom.

Nature’s Coaching Tips

In Patagonia, whatever the season, weather can change drastically and quickly. The mountain guides have an expression, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.” And the Patagonian dance is constantly putting on and taking off layers.
We were hiking in 40 degree weather, with on and off rain, sometimes heavy, and wind gusting up to 35 miles an hour, and it was absolutely glorious because we had the correct waterproof gear and a variety of layers.

It reminded me of a quote by Leonardo da Vinci: “Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will be powerless to vex your mind."

Having the right gear to adjust to whatever life throws at you is crucial. That gear might be understanding the process of the Seasons of Change and knowing how to maneuver through them. It may also be having clearly defined values and boundaries in place that support them. And it can mean having the right people nearby to guide and support you.

What the Girl Scouts taught still serves me, “Be prepared.” Know that the unexpected is always around the corner, bringing both life’s joys and challenges. The trick is to gather the necessary skills and protection to move gracefully through life’s ups and downs.

Going Green Tip of the Month

As we were gathering for our hike up to Glacier Gray, I was shocked to hear the guide tell us that we didn’t need carry much drinking water, because we could refill our bottles from the streams along the way. The water was completely free of bacteria and pollution! This was an absolute first for me; that I could freely drink the water from a river and it was the best water I have ever tasted. But I had to travel to the bottom of the earth to experience this.
75% of the world’s fresh water is stored in glaciers and they are retreating at an alarming rate. The Patagonian Viedma Glacier could disappear entirely in 60 years. As the glaciers rapidly melt their precious fresh water is dump into the ocean which will cause both climate changes and a drastic rise in the sea level. Experts warn that if present trends continue, as the glaciers disappear, rivers will not flow, crops will not grow, and there will be water wars and famine. We are already experiencing the beginning of this world crisis.
These magnificent glaciers are worth their weight in gold. Our lives and well being depend on protecting them.

Readings for the Journey

The Seasons of Change:Using Nature's Wisdom to Grow Through Life's Inevitable Ups and Downs, 
             by Carol l. McClelland, PhD 
The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
             by Norman Doidge, MD
The Joy of Living, Unlocking the Secrets and Science of Happiness, by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Upcoming Events

SOULAR POWER: A Woman’s Gathering in Cape May
Friday June 6th 10:30-3:30

Come spend a day on the beautiful shores of Cape May and recharge your batteries, so that you can begin your summer with an abundance of spirit.
The day will begin by getting your chi flowing with an introductory Chi Kung class with Linda Marrical. Then Life Coach Karin Marcus will help you turn that energy inward with some solitary time reflecting, journaling, and walking on the beach. Finally, we will come together to share our insightful experiences, our new found energies, swim, play, and bask in the glorious summer sun.

When: Friday, June 6th /Rain date Sunday, June 8th
Time: 10:30 to 3:30
Where: Cape May Point State Park, N.J.
Fee: $60/ early registration before May 23rd $50
Contact: Karin Marcus at 610-667-5247 or
Karin@SteppingOutCoaching.com Or visit: www.SteppingOutCoaching.com

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
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