Category: Newsletter

weekly newsletter

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A Solstice Celebration!

December 21st, 2025

This Sunday we celebrate the Winter Solstice, that mystical, magical event marking the shortest day and the longest night in the Northern Hemisphere, the beginning of Winter, and the start of the Sun’s “waxing journey through the sky, offering hope for the coming months where light will once again reign” (Monika Carliss). We celebrate rebirth with the increasing light which provides warmth and sustenance to the Earth and thus to our bodies and spirits. We will rejoice with music and poetry ~ a seasonal, holiday concert for our community! Please join us!
Be the Light,  Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“The rebirth of the sun at winter solstice signifies renewal for the earth as she embarks on another cycle of life. And, because we are children of the earth, we can take part in this sacred cycle, feeling the renewal of our own life.”
~ Scott Awbrey

“The winter solstice has always been special to me as a barren darkness that gives birth to a verdant future beyond imagination, a time of pain and withdrawal that produces something joyfully inconceivable, like a monarch butterfly masterfully extracting itself from the confines of its cocoon, bursting forth into unexpected glory.”
~ Gary Zukav

“Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light. ?I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.”?
~ Sarah Williams

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
~ Edith Sitwell

“Winter Solstice is my favorite time of year. It’s the dark of the dark, the interior time, a time when we can palpably feel magic stirring, ever so softly, but oh so deeply. It’s a time when we get to hold ourselves gently as we review and let go of the last trip around the sun, and open to what awaits in the coming light.”
~ Alison Marks

“Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.”
~ Desiderius Erasmus

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

METADATA-START

Sunday, December 21st, 10:30 a.m. – in lieu of our Christmas Eve concert, we’ll be doing a whole hour of holiday music for you during our regular Paths of Heart Gathering time! However you celebrate this time of year, may you have a Peaceful Winter Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Blessed Kwanzaa!

Sunday, January 4th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, January 18th, 10:30 a.m. – In person Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, February 1st, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, February 15th, 10:30 a.m. – In person Paths of Heart Gathering

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! Hopefully, you’ve read this notice in the last few newsletters – we’ve decided to take Christmas Eve off (for the first time in 20 or 30 years?!) and therefore will not be doing our annual Christmas Eve Concert this year. We know this has been an annual tradition for many of you as well, and we thank you for your support and understanding in our decision. We intend to resume it next year! We hope you’ll decide to join us for our MORNING Solstice concert on 12/21 instead!

Giving Opportunities
During this season of giving, with #GivingTuesday just passed and #ColoradoGivesDay next week, we hope you’ll consider Paths of Heart in your end of year giving plans! Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations in support of our gatherings and other events! Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible. Many folks find online donations very convenient and these are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/  There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app.

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We took a short trip to see friends in St. Paul for a long weekend and had a fun and relaxing time!  Even though the weather was bitter cold, the warmth of friendships, music, good food, and much laughter kept us warm! 

What are you grateful for today?

“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
~ Epicurus

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
~ A.A. Milne

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
~ Maya Angelou

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

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Jingle All the Way!

December 7th, 2025

We are in the “Season of Joy and Peace”, yet how often during this time do we become frazzled, stressed, or grumpy? How can we stay immersed in the magic and beauty of this time, remain calm amid the chaos, and be of service to ourselves and others? This will be the topic of our discussion on Zoom this Sunday.
Paths of Heart Zoom Meeting
Time: Dec 7, 2025 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85615718132?pwd=anwUbP7vHDwwlm7OYIwsbvqlu9XywC.1

Meeting ID: 856 1571 8132
Passcode: 788440

Join instructions
https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/85615718132/invitations?signature=oainNCX4wfqRLLW1Iisi5vUk4HtIK2OkzYtSumCevao

Breathe… Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“I believe that joy is at the core of my being. I know the joy I seek is already within me. I commit to it with a lightness and ease that evaporates all barriers. I will create joyful moments with every heartbeat.”
~ Adrienne Enn

Close the door to the external chaos, begin self
reflection to rejuvenate your mind and soul.”
~ Vinita Singh

“Think about every good thing in your life right now. Free yourself of worrying. Let go of the anxiety, breathe. Stay positive, all is well.”
~ Germany Kent

“Life is a juggling act, and balance is the magician’s wand that keeps all the chaos up in the air with style.”
~ Don Santo

“Once you touch that place of inner peace within you, magic begins on the outside.”
~ Hiral Nagda

“Follow what brings you joy, that is where the magic is, and there is where you come alive. What have you longed to do and be? Decide that now is the time to gift the world with your magnificence. There is no turning back. You are a forward moving beam of light- a star.”
~ Ulonda Faye

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

METADATA-START

Sunday, December 7th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, December 21st, 10:30 a.m. – in lieu of our Christmas Eve concert, we’ll be doing a whole hour of holiday music for you during our regular Paths of Heart Gathering time! Peaceful Winter Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas!

Sunday, January 4th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, January 18th, 10:30 a.m. – In person Paths of Heart Gathering

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! Hopefully, you’ve read this notice in the last few newsletters – we’ve decided to take Christmas Eve off (for the first time in 20 or 30 years?!) and therefore will not be doing our annual Christmas Eve Concert this year. We know this has been an annual tradition for many of you as well, and we thank you for your support and understanding in our decision. We intend to resume it next year! We hope you’ll decide to join us for our MORNING Solstice concert on 12/21 instead!

Giving Opportunities
During this season of giving, with #GivingTuesday just passed and #ColoradoGivesDay next week, we hope you’ll consider Paths of Heart in your end of year giving plans! Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations in support of our gatherings and other events! Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible. Many folks find online donations very convenient and these are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/  There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app.

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

What an amazing week we had with Myles and Rafael visiting from NY for Thanksgiving! We had a full house for our family Gratitude Concert and had wonderful meals and walks with the whole family. We are blessed! We’ll get one more night with Myles before he returns to NYC when he plays with The Jacob Jolliff Band in Boulder this coming Monday night.

What are you grateful for today?

“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
~ Epicurus

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
~ A.A. Milne

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
~ Maya Angelou

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Giving Thanks

November 30th, 2025

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! We trust you are enjoying the start of the “Holiday Season” and are able to surround yourselves with loving friends and family this Thanksgiving. We’ll of course be talking about gratitude this Sunday and are thankful to have Myles Sloniker and Rafael Chamon joining us for some stellar music sharing! We hope many of you will be able to join us this Saturday night, too, for our Gratitude Concert. Details below. We’ll have a potluck lunch following our Sunday gathering.

With gratitude and love, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
~ Epicurus

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
~ Maya Angelou

“You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.”
~ Kahill Gibran

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

METADATA-START

Saturday, November 29th, 7 pm ~ Myles Sloniker and his friend Rafael, a Brazilian guitarist, arrived last night and we’re excited to be presenting a Gratitude Concert here at Paths of Heart, along with the rest of the family this coming Saturday! $30 suggested donation (we’ll be a 5 piece band!). There are about 10 seats left, so please RSVP, and if you’d like to pay in advance to secure your spot, you may do so on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ or on Venmo @PathsofHeart. Please note “Gratitude Concert” in the memo lines. We hope you’ll celebrate this “Season of Thanksgiving” with us!

November 30th, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, with special music guests Myles Sloniker and Rafael Chamone. We’ll have a Gratitude potluck afterwards.

Sunday, December 7th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, December 21st, 10:30 a.m. – in lieu of our Christmas Eve concert, we’ll be doing a whole hour of holiday music for you during our regular Paths of Heart Gathering time! Emma Sloniker will join us in song. Happy Winter Solstice!

Sunday, January 4th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, January 18th, 10:30 a.m. – In person Paths of Heart Gathering

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! We wanted to give you plenty of notice to let you know that, especially since Myles won’t be with us for Christmas this year, we’ve decided to take Christmas Eve off (for the first time in 20 or 30 years?!) and therefore will not be doing our annual Christmas Eve Concert this year. We know this has been an annual tradition for many of you as well, and we thank you for your support and understanding in our decision. We most likely will be back at it next year!  We hope you’ll decide to join us for our Gratitude Concert on 11/29 and/or our MORNING Solstice concert on 12/21 instead! 

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations in support of our gatherings and other events! Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible. Many folks find online donations very convenient and these are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/  There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app.

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are so grateful to be together as a family this week and to celebrate with music, not only at our concert but at a couple of Jacob Jolliff Band performances in December, too (one of the bands Myles tours with).

What are you grateful for today?

“When one has a grateful heart, life is so beautiful.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“Dance. Smile. Giggle. Marvel. TRUST. HOPE. LOVE. WISH. BELIEVE. Most of all, enjoy every moment of the journey, and appreciate where you are at this moment instead of always focusing on how far you have to go.”
~ Mandy Hale

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love—then make that day count!”
~ Steve Maraboli

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
~ John F. Kennedy

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Surveying the Landscape

November 16th, 2025

As what’s going on in our lives frequently “informs” our topic or theme for our gatherings, landscaping is on the brain! A long awaited project has begun and I began to think of metaphors where a “change in the landscape” can be both an external and an internal concept in our life’s journey. That’s what we’ll explore this Sunday on ZOOM. Here’s the link:
Paths of Heart Zoom
Time: Nov 16, 2025 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83219375754?pwd=Qm0LhTm0emaGpCaaz8mfJuaclGnDLA.1

Meeting ID: 832 1937 5754
Passcode: 121249

Join instructions
https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/83219375754/invitations?signature=KyWM1hp15eVNywgTYMdZWVpsFswHQhBhyR7jjv9qs_w

Take it all in, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
~ Leo Tolstoy

“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
~ Joseph Campbell

“To acquire knowledge, one must study;
but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”
~ Marilyn vos Savant

“There are many, many, many worlds branching out at each moment you become aware of your environment and then make a choice.”
~ Kevin Michel

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
~ Rumi

“Mastering emotions starts with observation,” their master used to say.”
~ Misba

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
~ Albert Einstein

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

METADATA-START

Sunday, November 16th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering.

Saturday, November 29th, 7 pm ~ Mark your calendars! Myles Sloniker will be in town with his friend Rafael, a Brazilian guitarist, and we will be presenting a Gratitude Concert here at Paths of Heart, along with the rest of the family! $30 suggested donation (we’ll be a 5 piece band!). Please RSVP, and if you’d like to pay in advance you may do so on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ or on Venmo @PathsofHeart. Please note “Gratitude Concert” in the memo lines. We hope you’ll celebrate this “Season of Thanksgiving” with us!

Sunday, November 30th, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, with special music guests Myles Sloniker and Rafael Chamone. We’re also planning on having a potluck afterwards.

Sunday, December 7th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, December 21st, 10:30 a.m. – in lieu of our Christmas Eve concert, we’ll be doing a whole hour of holiday music for you during our regular Paths of Heart Gathering time! Happy Winter Solstice!

Sunday, January 4th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, January 18th, 10:30 a.m. – In person Paths of Heart Gathering

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! We wanted to give you plenty of notice to let you know that, especially since Myles won’t be with us for Christmas this year, we’ve decided to take Christmas Eve off (for the first time in 20 or 30 years?!) and therefore will not be doing our annual Christmas Eve Concert this year. We know this has been an annual tradition for many of you as well, and we thank you for your support and understanding in our decision. We most likely will be back at it next year!  We hope you’ll decide to join us for our Gratitude Concert on 11/29 and/or our MORNING Solstice concert on 12/21 instead! 

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations in support of our gatherings and other events! Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible. Many folks find online donations very convenient and these are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/  There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app.

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are especially grateful that part of our landscaping project includes a REAL irrigation system! I can’t wait to experience the freedom of not having to hand water so much when growing season comes around again. And we thank Colleen’s Dad for making this project possible!

“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
~ Epicurus

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
~ A.A. Milne

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
~ Maya Angelou

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Celebrating Dia de los Muertos

November 2nd, 2025

I think it’s been a couple of years since we’ve celebrated Dia de los Muertos together. We’re so pleased that Judi Lucero (and other family members!) will be joining us this Sunday, as she was the initial impetus in building our first altar so many years ago. She will share her thoughts on this joyous occasion and also join us in music. You are invited to bring photos and/or mementos of your loved ones that have passed into the “other world”, including beloved pets.
*NOTE* Early Sunday morning is the end of Daylight Saving Time! Remember to “fall back” and set your clocks back one hour. Enjoy that extra hour of sleep!
In gratitude and love for those who have gone before us, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.”
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”
~ Thomas Campbell

“God pours life into death and death into life without a drop being spilled.”
~ Author unknown

“The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity.”
~ Seneca

“Death is beautiful when seen to be a law, and not an accident. It is as common as life… Every blade in the field, every leaf in the forest, lays down its life in its season, as beautifully as it was taken up.”
~ Henry David Thoreau

“For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.”
~Kahlil Gibran

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

METADATA-START

Sunday, November 2nd, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, with special guest, Judi Lucero, celebrating Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Bring mementos of your loved ones (including pets) to add to our altar during our Gathering.

Sunday, November 16th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering.

Saturday, November 29th, 7 pm ~ Mark your calendars! Myles Sloniker will be in town with his friend Rafael, a Brazilian guitarist, and we will be presenting a Gratitude Concert here at Paths of Heart, along with the rest of the family! $30 suggested donation (we’ll be a 5 piece band!). Please RSVP, and if you’d like to pay in advance you may do so on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ or on Venmo @PathsofHeart. Please note “Gratitude Concert” in the memo lines. We hope you’ll celebrate this “Season of Thanksgiving” with us!

Sunday, November 30th, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, with special music guests Myles Sloniker (bass) and Rafael Chamone (guitar) joining us! We will most likely have a potluck after our gathering.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! We wanted to give you plenty of notice to let you know that, especially since Myles won’t be with us for Christmas this year, we’ve decided to take Christmas Eve off (for the first time in 20 or 30 years?!) and therefore will not be doing our annual Christmas Eve Concert this year. We know this will be a great disappointment for some, but we most likely will be back at it next year. Thank you for your support and understanding in this decision. We hope you’ll decide to join us for our Gratitude Concert instead – consider it your festive start to the holiday season! 

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations in support of our gatherings and other events! Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible. Many folks find online donations very convenient and these are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/  There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app.

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are blessed to have spent a week in Santa Fe recently, and are grateful to our friends Michael and Allen for letting us stay in their beautiful home while they were away!

“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
~ Epicurus

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
~ A.A. Milne

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
~ Maya Angelou

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

I Release and I Let Go

October 19th, 2025

It’s that time of year again – the gorgeous trees of yellow, orange, purple, and red are starting to shed their leaves and we are reminded of what this Autumn season can teach us about letting go. Mark and I are also glad to have released fully the Covid virus that we must have picked up in OR a couple of weeks ago! So we’ll celebrate wellness and the exemplary season of letting go with perhaps our last outdoor potluck of the year, following our gathering. We hope you’ll join us!
Shedding the things which no longer serve us, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“Some of us think holding on makes us strong but sometimes it is letting go.”
~ Hermann Hesse

“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“When things start to fall apart in your life, you feel as if your whole world is crumbling. But actually, it’s your fixed identity that’s crumbling. And that’s cause for celebration.”
~ PEMA CHÖDRÖN

“Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.”
~ Steve Maraboli

“Last night I lost the world, and gained the universe.”
~ C. JoyBell C.

“If you spend your time hoping someone will suffer the consequences for what they did to your heart, then you’re allowing them to hurt you a second time in your mind.”
~ Shannon L. Alder

And one more to consider: “It’s not a matter of letting go; you would if you could. Instead of ‘Let it go’, we should probably say ‘Let it be’.”
~ John Kabat-Zinn
I like that!!

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

METADATA-START

Sunday, October 19th, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, followed by a potluck following.

Sunday, November 2nd, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, with special guest, Judi Lucero, celebrating Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Bring mementos of your loved ones (including pets) to add to our altar during our Gathering.

Sunday, November 16th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering.

Saturday, November 29th, 7 pm ~ Mark your calendars! Myles Sloniker will be in town with his friend Rafael, a Brazilian guitarist, and we will be presenting a Gratitude Concert here at Paths of Heart, along with the rest of the family! $30 suggested donation (we’ll be a 5 piece band!). Celebrate this “Season of Thanksgiving” with us.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! We wanted to give you plenty of notice to let you know that, especially since Myles won’t be with us for Christmas this year, we’ve decided to take Christmas Eve off (for the first time in 20 or 30 years?!) and therefore will not be doing our annual Christmas Eve Concert this year. We know this will be a great disappointment for some, but we most likely will be back at it next year. Thank you for your support and understanding in this decision. We hope you’ll decide to join us for our Gratitude Concert instead – consider it your festive start to the holiday season! 

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations in support of our gatherings and other events! Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible. Many folks find online donations very convenient and these are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/  There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app.

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are happy to be fully recovered from another visit with the Covid Virus! We must have picked it up in OR, so we’re glad we had a ZOOM Gathering for our last Paths of Heart.
We’re also grateful to have been able to visit with our dear friends Jay and Jacki (of Jay’s Bistro) while they were in town recently from their current home in Spain. AND grateful we did not unknowingly pass the virus on to them! Stay well, everyone!

“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
~ Epicurus

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
~ A.A. Milne

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
~ Maya Angelou

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

What’s On Your Mind/What’s In Your Heart?

October 5th, 2025

Another week, another unloading of circumstances that threatens to derail us. Let’s take the high road, though it is sometimes rough and steep! We’re at the t(r)ail end of our travels and haven’t really formulated exactly what we’ll be talking about on Sunday, though it’s bound to be centered in LOVE and you are all invited to light the way.  🙂 Here’s the link to join us: 

Topic: POH Zoom Meeting
Time: Oct 5, 2025 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83285045014?pwd=9k298dPQa1dVy49W3Wld6XTUmMbman.1

Meeting ID: 832 8504 5014
Passcode: 326545

Join instructions
https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/83285045014/invitations?signature=0SeOW4WGMws7wOK_LfQ9YxsiJ2J1I7am-5minHP08sw


Shine On, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“If you don’t like something change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
~ Maya Angelou

“ Following the light requires great strength of will.”
~ Rachel Harrison

“Your beliefs don’t make you a better person. Your behavior does.”
~ Toby Mac

“The high road is always respected. Honesty and integrity are always rewarded.”
~ Scott Hamilton

“We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us thru that darkness to a safe and sane future.”
~ John F. Kennedy

“I’m going to take the high road because the low road is too crowded.”
~ Mia Farrow

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

METADATA-START

Sunday, October 5th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, October 19th, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, followed by a potluck in the backyard.

Sunday, November 2nd, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, with special guest, Judi Lucero, celebrating Dia de los Muertos!

Sunday, November 16th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations in support of our gatherings and other events! Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible. Many folks find online donations very convenient and these are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/  There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app.

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We’ve been blessed to spend some time on the west coast this past week, in OR. Had wonderful family time, lots of music, and good food, especially from the sea!

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Spiritual Navigation

September 21st, 2025

How do we “find our way” in chaotic and disturbing times? That’ll be our topic of exploration this Sunday. We DO know that a loving and caring community helps immensely and we are so grateful for your presence. We’ll break bread together with a potluck after our gathering. Please join us if you’re able.
Love and Light, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“Following the light requires great strength of will.”
~ Rachel Harrison

“Our navigational toolbox equips us with compasses calibrated for the unpredictable.”
~ Roger Spitz

“Everyone has doubts and negative thoughts. It is, however, what you choose to do with those thoughts that matters.”
~ Ken Sayles

“Reflection is the means of going forward while looking backward. Navigating the future using the past and using the lessons learned from yesterday to shape our tomorrow.”
~ Dr. Lucas D. Shallua

“It is not required that we know all of the details about every stretch of the river. Indeed, were we to know, it would not be an adventure, and I wonder if there would be much point in the journey.”
~ Jeffrey R. Anderson

“When you follow a star you know you will never reach that star; rather it will guide you to where you want to go. … So it is with the world. It will only ever lead you back to yourself.”
~ Jeanette Winterson

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

METADATA-START

Sunday, September 21st, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.  Potluck lunch after our gathering – please bring a dish to share if you can.

Sunday, October 5th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, October 19th, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations in support of our gatherings and other events! Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible. Many folks find online donations very convenient and these are always gratefully accepted on ourwebsite, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/  There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app.

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are so grateful for our recent rains! It’s so great to get a break from watering and to see the lawn so green at this time of year!

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

The Circle of Life

September 7th, 2025

Hello dear Paths of Heart Community! It seems like a longer than usual period since we’ve connected…and I just realized it HAS been! We’ve been on a couple of adventures since August 17th, the latest of which was a trip to the Jersey Shore to honor and celebrate my (Colleen’s) Dad’s life after his passing in June. It seems fitting to explore the great circle of life, as while there we met the newest member of our extended family who was born just 3 months ago. The endless cycles of life and death on this earth are unavoidable for us all and can teach us great lessons. We’re on Zoom this Sunday and the link is below. For our local community members, we hope you’ll consider coming out to our house concert this Saturday night with Matt Flinner (mandolin) and Ross Martin (guitar). They are extraordinary players that will leave you mesmerized! Details in the “Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest” section.

Paths of Heart ZOOM
Time: Sep 7, 2025 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87882334155?pwd=uT36SFcb4Y3CuNMcJYIgeuMuNaKURV.1

Meeting ID: 878 8233 4155
Passcode: 420028

See ya on the screen! Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“Night descends as a falling blanket. The city is a constellation of lights, each one representing a hand that turned the lightbulb. A hand attached to a mind containing a universe of memories and myths; a natural history of loves and wounds.
Life everywhere. Pulsing, humming. A great wheel turning. A light blinks out here, one replaces it there. Always dying. Always living. We survive until we don’t. All of this ending and beginning is the only thing that is infinite.”
~ Jeff Zentner

“Death in itself is a beautiful process. It’s like being born.”
~ Todd Perelmuter

“Makes me wonder if life is just a circle. The young just started life and maybe that makes them closer to life that’s ending…I can’t help but feel that I witness more wisdom and a sort of spirituality in more children than I do adults.”
~ Kelleen Goerlitz

“Your soul awakens your mind. Your mind makes your choices. Your choices manifest your life. Your life is your lesson. Your lessons create wisdom. Your wisdom enriches your soul.”
~ Karen A. Baquiran

“Like a spider in its web, a vibration anywhere
is felt everywhere.”
~ Lois Farfel Stark

“If you look at the creation of the earth, you’ll see that all the forces of physics combined to create an ebb and flow that keeps everything running in a continuous, harmonious circle of life.”
~ Amy Leigh Mercree

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Saturday, September 6th, 7 pm – “Paths of Heart Presents…” Matt Flinner (mandolin) and Ross Martin (guitar) in concert. These 2 world class instrumentalists will knock your socks off! “They cover a wide variety of musical styles—all with the common ground of American roots music. Bluegrass, jazz and old-time music are all present here in their ways, along with perhaps a dose of classical chamber music composition and arrangement, as they both draw from their wide array of musical loves, experiences and influences. Whatever genre, it’s guaranteed to be fresh and original, and definitely something you’ve never quite heard before!” (Matt Flinner website) Suggested donation, $20-25. You can secure your seat by donating on our website pathsofheart.org (note Flinner/Martin Concert in the details) or on venmo @PathsofHeart. Paying at the door is an option as well. Doors at 6:30. We’ll have a simple light snack/finger food potluck at intermission. Bring something to share if you can and your drink of choice (some drinks will be provided – alcoholic and non).

Sunday, September 7th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, September 21st, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. (NOTE: this was changed from September 14th, when we had Shanna in a Dress scheduled as our guest musician. She had to cancel, so the 21st works better for our schedule).

Sunday, October 5th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, October 19th, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

What an amazing time we had with family and friends from far and wide celebrating Colleen’s Dad at the Jersey Shore! Our hearts are full with love and gratitude for all who took time out of their busy lives to show up and gather with us. In the days that followed the celebration we had lovely beach days, music jams, and wonderful family meals. It was hard to leave…

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Finding Your Own Voice

August 17th, 2025

This Sunday, Megan Bee will grace Paths of Heart with her music! Sometimes we’ll ask our guest musicians if there are particular songs they’d love to share and then we’ll fashion our discussion topic around that. Megan has a new song (from her upcoming new release!) that resonates with “Finding Your Own Voice” so that’ll be the theme for this Sunday. We hope you’ll also be able to make it to Megan’s concert here at Paths of Heart “Heartquarters” this Saturday, August 16 at 7 pm, with an optional potluck starting at 6 pm (more details below). We’ll also have our monthly potluck on Sunday as well – there’s sure to be some fine eatin’ goin’ on around here to match the music!
Cheers! Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent”
~ Madeleine K. Albright

“When we share those stories we’ve been scared to share, voicelessness loses it’s wicked grasp.”
~ Jo Ann Fore

“Your voice is the most potent magic in existence.”
~ Michael Bassey Johnson

“No one else in the wide world, since the dawn of time, has ever seen the world as you do, or can explain it as you can. This is what you have to offer that no one else can.”
~ Edith Layton

“The Buddha left Bodh Gaya to teach others. Jesus came out of the Judaean desert to preach. Spiritual awakening is meaningless if it does not culminate in finding your voice and speaking up for what is right.”
~ Anthon St. Maarten

“Finding your voice is a journey of discovering yourself.”
~ Ute Wieczorek-King

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Saturday, August 16th – “Paths of Heart Presents…” Megan Bee in concert!  We are excited for Megan to return to Paths of Heart for a heartwarming and inspirational night of music. This is Megan’s 4th (or is it 5th?) appearance at Paths of Heart – always a favorite. Concert at 7 with an optional 6 p.m. potluck. Suggested donation $20-25. You can secure your seat by donating on our website pathsofheart.org (note Concert in the details) or on venmo @PathsofHeart. Paying at the door is an option as well. Check out Megan’s music on her website, meganbeemusic.com

Sunday, August 17th, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Megan Bee as our guest musician. We’ll have a potluck following our gathering. Our dear friend, Carolyn just gifted us a whole set of dishes for potlucks so we will no longer ask you to bring your own! Just bring your beautiful selves and some food to share if you can. There’s always plenty in any case! 

Saturday, September 6th, 7 pm – “Paths of Heart Presents…” Matt Flinner (mandolin) and Ross Martin (guitar) in concert.  These 2 world class instrumentalists will knock your socks off! “They cover a wide variety of musical styles—all with the common ground of American roots music. Bluegrass, jazz and old-time music are all present here in their ways, along with perhaps a dose of classical chamber music composition and arrangement, as they both draw from their wide array of musical loves, experiences and influences. Whatever genre, it’s guaranteed to be fresh and original, and definitely something you’ve never quite heard before!” (Matt Flinner website) Suggested donation, $20-25

Sunday, September 7th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, September 21st, 10:30 a.m. – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. (NOTE: this was changed from September 14th, when we had Shanna in a Dress scheduled as our guest musician. She had to cancel, so the 21st works better for our schedule).

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

This past weekend we were immersed in a wide variety of folk music styles at The Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Lyons. What a treat to be with our daughter Emma and some good friends, listening to 3 days of mellifluous and harmonious music! A balm for the soul in these crazy times…

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl