[Image] Karin Marcus Picture with John Muir Quote

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 heart.

In this Issue:

Quote of the Month
Acts of Loving-Kindness
Nature's Coaching Tips
Readings for the Journey
Upcoming events: Last Call for 10 Deserving Women to a Retreat in the Caribbean

Quote of the Month

“In the midst of global crises such as pollution, wars and famine, kindness may too easily be dismissed as a “soft issue” or a luxury to be addressed after the urgent problems are solved. But kindness is the greatest need in all those areas … toward the environment, toward other nations, toward the needs of people who are suffering. Until we reflect kindness in everything we do, our political gestures will be fleeting and fragile. Simple kindness may be the most vital key to the riddle of how human beings can live with each other in peace, and care properly for this planet we all share.”

- Bo Lozoff, Human Kindness Foundation

Be kind to Mother Earth!

Acts of Loving-Kindness

Love is in the air… and on every television and radio ad, bill board, and store window. With the coming of February and Valentines Day, there are red hearts every where you look and LOVE is the advertising word of the month. Instead of the mass produced greeting card or the traditional box of chocolates, I find the most powerful expression of love to be a simple act of kindness.

Recently when I slowed to allow a pedestrian to cross the street, she smiled and waved and blew my daughter and me a kiss! It was delightful and gave us a moment of instant happiness. The other morning I woke to discover that my neighbor had cleared our sidewalk of the snow that had fallen over night, what a great beginning to a good day. I have a friend who loves to pay the toll for the car behind her on the turnpike, just so they can be surprised by this little gift. Such simple acts of loving-kindness are so easy and so healing.

Kindness uplifts and warms the hearts of both the giver and receiver. It fosters a deep sense of satisfaction. Scientific studies have shown that people who are kind are happier, healthier, live longer and have more productive lives. In his book, The Power of Kindness, Piero Ferruci's goes as far to say, "These studies have extraordinary importance…They help us understand who we are. If we are healthier when we are caring, empathetic, and open to others, it means we are born to be kind." Kindness reflects the very best of human nature. It is our birthright and our duty to have our lives be an expression of kindness. So much so that in 1994, the United States Congress passed a joint resolution declaring a national “Random Acts of Kindness Week,” which falls this year on February 9th-15th.

Here are some simple way to bring more loving-kindness into your life.

This February, every time you see a red heart, consider it a signal to perform an act of kindness. It could just be a smile to passing stranger, a "Thank you" to a salesperson, or a phone call to an elderly neighbor.
When thinking of your friends and family this Valentine's Day, ask yourself, "How can I be kinder toward my loved one? What small act of kindness can I introduce into our daily routine that will express my love for them?"
Don't forget your own well being! Every morning how can Ican be kinder toward yourself today? How can I enrich my life and thereby the world around me?
During the Random Acts of Kindness Week, go on line and see what is being organized in your community. Volunteer with gratitude and joy, and pay it forward.
Post these words on your refrigerator or your desk, and live each day.
“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” –Stephen Grellet

Have fun and savour each moment of giving and recieving loving-kindness!

Nature’s Coaching Tips

During the winter I can always judge the temperature in the morning by looking out my kitchen window at a large rhododendron bush. Depending on how tightly the leaves are curled, I know how warmly I have to bundle up and brace myself before I step out into the cold. My body mimics their shape by hunching my shoulders and lowering my head against the wind. And if the leaves are opened up and relaxed, I too look forward to stepping out and soaking up some winter sun. I walk out my door with my shoulders back and my head up as I breathe in the fresh air.
I thoroughly enjoy relying on my rhododendron bush instead of the thermometer or the weather man. But it also has made me reflect on how much my body language sends out signals to others and how much it can tell me about my own emotional temperature. It reminded me that I can change my internal weather simply by lifting my head, putting my shoulders back, and breathing deeply.
I love that line form the old sixties sing, "I just stepped in to see what condition my condition was in." So now I intend to continue to learn from my bush each morning but also use it as a reminder to check in with my own bodylanguage throughout the day.

Readings for the Journey

The Gift of Loving-Kindness: 100 Mindful Practices for Compassion, Generosity & Forgiveness, by Mary Brantley & Tesilya Hanauer

The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life, by Deepak Chopra

Wide Open: On Living with Passion and Purpose, by Dawna Markova

Upcoming Events

PATHWAYS TO SELF HEALING: A Women's Retreat to Nurture the Body, Mind and Spirit (March 15-21, 2009)
Join us for 6 days of renewal, reflection, and adventure at the Maho Bay Eco-Resort on St. John Island in the Caribbean.
EAST MEETS WEST IN THIS UNIQUE PROGRAM developed by Asian Body Therapist
Linda Marrical (teaching the art of self acupressure, Chi Kung movement, and breath work) and Life Coach Karin Marcus (focusing on self-kindness, the healing qualities, and becoming an environmentalist of the heart).
Your Investment: $1,380 includes 6 days of lodging and all retreat activities.
Save $50 with single payment by cash or check. Save $50 if you register by Jan 1st . Save $50 if you register with a friend.
Or pay by installments $100 non-refundable deposit to reserve you spot followed by four $320 payments.
For more information or to register contact Karin at: karin@SteppingOutCoaching.com, 610-667-5247 or www.SteppingOutCoaching.com

THE WISE WOMEN'S CAFÉ: (1/28, 2/25, 3/25,4/22 ,7-8:30 pm EST) Inspiring evenings of discussion and personal exploration focusing on self awareness, intention, and growth. Where: At the home of Karin Marcus in Narberth. Your Investment: $80 for four evenings: includes all materials and café delights.

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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