Category: Newsletter

weekly newsletter

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Celebrating Dia de los Muertos

October 29th, 2023

We continue our annual tradition of celebrating The Day of the Dead with our Paths of Heart Community. Judi and Rudy Lucero will be us from Grand Junction, CO and Judi will offer her thoughts on Dia de los Muertos as well as share in our music celebration of this joyful, social holiday! You are encouraged to bring mementos of your loved ones to add to our altar, or ofrenda. Please join us as we welcome our departed family, friends, and pets back to the realm of the living and honor their loving presence in our lives.
Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

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

“For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.”
~ Khalil Gibran

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore

“Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.”
~ Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

“For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.”
~ William Penn

“Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.”
~ George Eliot

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

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

***Dates subject to change! Please always refer to latest newsletters for latest information and updates***

Sunday, October 29th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering celebrating Dia de los Muertos with Judi Lucero! You are invited to bring mementos of loved ones to place on our altar as we celebrate these beautiful spirit beings.

November 1st – 30th – YOU MATTER Marathon. More info at https://youmattermarathon.org/

Sunday, November 5th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 12th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 19th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, November 26th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the third or last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light.

The following dates are on the calendar:
November 21st (singing songs of Gratitude!)
December 19th (Songs of the Season)

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work 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 to be 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 grateful to the workers from many trades who have helped us “put our home back together” after discovering a damaging leak in our roof. There’s still much to do, but the path is clear!

What are you grateful for today?

“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”
~ Emmanuel Dagher

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

“The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”
~ Robert Holden

“If you keep searching for everything beautiful in the world, you will eventually become it.”
~ Tyler Kent White

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”
~ Eileen Caddy

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

Embodying Peace

October 22th, 2023

There is a heaviness being felt around the world as this past week saw yet another round of senseless upheaval, heartless violence, and vast destruction in the Middle East. It can be a challenge not to be overcome by sadness, helplessness, anxiety, or fear. And yet we must strive to rise above the chaos of the world, to do whatever small thing we can, right where we are, to promote kindness, foster peace, spread love, and feel joy within our families and in our communities. We’ll be sharing some inspirational readings and songs from friends, writers, and musicians.  As Clarissa Pinkola Estes tells us, “We were made for these times…”
Please join us for this Sunday’s in-person gathering, followed by a potluck luncheon in the sunshine of the backyard. We’ve missed you!
Peace and love, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“I know that a song cannot stop a war. I know a poem cannot change a history of trauma and continuing violence. And yet, it is still possible to create something of beauty, to shape a space for empathy at the center of a song or poem, where we can still encounter what is shared and human, where we can still recognize one another as connected, even in disconnected times.”
~ Carrie Newcomer

“This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully,, more devotedly than ever before.”
~ Leonard Bernstein

“Why must our solution always be bigger guns, bigger bombs, bigger prisons, bigger walls? Why are we so afraid?
~ Kate Dardine

“How can we evolve from war consciousness to peace consciousness? It comes down to us. We’re the peace. We’re the ones. We’re the peaceful world for which we long…We will know the blessings of peace when we learn and practice the ways of peace.”
~ Susan Skog, Peace in Our Lifetime

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

***Dates subject to change! Please always refer to latest newsletters for latest information and updates***

Sunday, October 22nd, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with potluck following

Sunday, October 29th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering celebrating Dia de los Muertos with Judi Lucero! You are invited to bring mementos of loved ones to place on our altar as we celebrate these beautiful spirit beings.

Sunday, November 5th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 12th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 19th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, November 26th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the third or last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light.

The following dates are on the calendar:

October 24th (instead of the 31st, which is Halloween)
November 21st (singing songs of Gratitude!)
December 19th (Songs of the Season)

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work 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 to be 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. We DO love all this rain, but we hope the weather will be more labyrinth-friendly soon!

Gratitudes

We are grateful to have experienced exquisite fall foliage several times over in our recent travels to Sisters, OR, Idaho Springs, and Mesa Verde. Now we get to experience it right at home as Fort Collins is ablaze right now. How blessed are we?

What are you grateful for today?

“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”
~ Emmanuel Dagher

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

“The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”
~ Robert Holden

“If you keep searching for everything beautiful in the world, you will eventually become it.”
~ Tyler Kent White

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”
~ Eileen Caddy

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

Autumn Gleanings

September 24th, 2023

It is wise (and fun!) to observe the lessons of nature and the particular themes of each coming season. Here we are approaching the Autumnal Equinox, a time of balance, equanimity, and harmony. We hope you’ll join us on our ZOOM gathering this Sunday as we discuss these themes and more, welcoming one of our favorite seasons! Here’s the LINK:
Paths of Heart Zoom Gathering
Time: Sep 24, 2023 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86774611625?pwd=aXJHVEI2NmpCNU1wOTduNEZXL3ErUT09

Meeting ID: 867 7461 1625
Passcode: 086104

Happy Fall Y’all! Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”
– Lauren DeStefano

“If I were a bird, I would fly about the Earth seeking the successive autumns.”
– George Eliot

“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.”
– Shira Tamir

“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.”
– Elizabeth Lawrence

“There is something so special in the early leaves drifting from the trees – as if we are all to be allowed a chance to peel, to refresh, to start again.”
– Ruth Ahmed

“I hope I can be the autumn leaf, who looked at the sky and lived. And when it was time to leave, gracefully it knew life was a gift.”
– Dodinsky

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

***Dates subject to change! Please always refer to latest newsletters for latest information and updates***

Sunday, September 24th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering

Tuesday, September 26th, 7 p.m. – Paths of Heart Song Circle

Sunday, October 1st – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, October 8th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, October 15th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering (We had originally scheduled a gathering for this day; however we were offered an opportunity we couldn’t resist, so we’re seizing it!) Thanks for your understanding!

Sunday, October 22nd, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with potluck following

Sunday, October 29th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering celebrating Dia de los Muertos with Judi Lucero! (note change in date)

Sunday, November 5th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 12th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 19th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, November 26th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light.

The following dates are on the calendar:

September 26th

October 24th (instead of the 31st, which is Halloween)

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work 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 to be 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. We DO love all this rain, but we hope the weather will be more labyrinth-friendly soon!

Gratitudes

We are grateful for all the kind words and cards surrounding the recent loss of our furry family member, Riley. She was with us for over 15 years and we miss her presence in our lives. Yet we are grateful for the love and good times we shared in the mountains and lakes. You were a good girl, Riley. <3

What are you grateful for today?

“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”
~ Emmanuel Dagher

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

“The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”
~ Robert Holden

“If you keep searching for everything beautiful in the world, you will eventually become it.”
~ Tyler Kent White

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”
~ Eileen Caddy

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

A Life of Service

September 17th, 2023

We’re happy to report that our old wicker couch is back in service at Paths of Heart after some long overdue repairs, and those uncomfortable wooden benches have moved on to serve elsewhere! While cleaning out the old bench seats (that were storing all sorts of goodies inside), we came across 2 pieces of paper that will serve as our topic this week! They deal with the subtleties of the words and (more importantly) the actions of serving, helping, caring, and caretaking. We all want to be “helpful” to our loved ones and within our community, and sometimes we may confuse the needs and wants of others and overstep boundaries in the process. We’ll explore these subtleties in our discussion this Sunday. We hope you’ll join us afterwards for a potluck lunch in the backyard!

In service and love, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“In recent years, the question “how can I help?” has become meaningful to many people. But perhaps there is a deeper question we might consider. Perhaps the real question is not how can I help, but how can I serve?”
~ Rachel Naomi Remen

“You have not lived a perfect day, unless you have given something to someone who will never be in a position to repay you.”
~ Dada J. P. Vaswani

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a
listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all
of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
~ Leo F. Buscaglia

“Helping a child today will help prevent a broken adult tomorrow.”
~ Kathleen Paydo

“When we all lend a hand in helping in the community we improve everyone’s quality of life.”
~ Germany Kent

“It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”
~ John Joseph Powell

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

***Dates subject to change! Please always refer to latest newsletters for latest information and updates***

Sunday, September 17th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards. Please bring your own reusable plate along with a dish to share. We’ll provide utensils, cups, and cloth napkins as we strive for near zero waste. We’ll also provide a variety of beverages, though you are welcome to bring a favorite.

Sunday, September 24th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Tuesday, September 26th, 7 p.m. – Paths of Heart Song Circle

Sunday, October 1st – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, October 8th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, October 15th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering (We had originally scheduled a gathering for this day; however we were offered an opportunity we couldn’t resist, so we’re seizing it!) Thanks for your understanding!

Sunday, October 22nd, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with potluck following

Sunday, October 29th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering celebrating Dia de los Muertos with Judi Lucero! (note change in date)

Sunday, November 5th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 12th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 19th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, November 26th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light.

The following dates are on the calendar:

September 26th

October 24th (instead of the 31st, which is Halloween)

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work 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 to be 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. We DO love all this rain, but we hope the weather will be more labyrinth-friendly soon!

Gratitudes

We are grateful for cooler temps (bring it on, Autumn!) and the rain that graced us yesterday! We’re also grateful to our friend, Micah, who’s been helping us with many unfinished projects around the house (including fixing that couch!).

What are you grateful for today?

“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”
~ Emmanuel Dagher

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

“The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”
~ Robert Holden

“If you keep searching for everything beautiful in the world, you will eventually become it.”
~ Tyler Kent White

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”
~ Eileen Caddy

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 Abundant Universe

August 20th, 2023

About this time of year, many of us with gardens are witnessing a great abundance of vegetables and flowers, coming on strong after months of planting, watering, weeding, and tending to our plots of earth with utmost care. This is but a microcosm of our ever Abundant Universe, a willing and waiting canvas for our desires to grow and bloom. There is always more than enough, for each and every one of us. The key is being in a state of gratitude for what we have ~ the more grateful we are, the more we will attract things to be grateful for! Join us on ZOOM this Sunday and share your stories of abundance with us.

Time: Aug 20, 2023 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88473715645?pwd=RWpkNWNwb1NuL1dIQmg5Mmoxb0dVUT09
Meeting ID: 884 7371 5645
Passcode: 514388

In gratitude, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Plant seeds of happiness, hope, success, and love; it will all come back to you in abundance. This is the law of nature.”
~ Steve Maraboli

“There is enough for everyone. If you believe it, if you can see it, if you act from it, it will show up for you. That’s the truth.”
~ Michael Beckwith

“Making a dream into reality begins with what you have, not what you are waiting on.”
~ T.F. Hodge

“Summoning gratitude is a sure way to get our life back on track. Opening our eyes to affirm gratitude grows the garden of our inner abundance, just as standing close to a fire eventually warms our heart.”
~ Alexandra Katehakis

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, August 20th, 10:30 a.m.- ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, August 27th – No Paths of Heart Gathering

Tuesday, August 29th, 7 p.m., Paths of Heart Song Circle

Sunday, September 3rd – No Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, September 10th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering

Sunday, September 17th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, September 24th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Tuesday, September 26th, 7 p.m. – Paths of Heart Song Circle

Sunday, October 1st – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, October 8th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, October 15th – In person POH Gathering with potluck afterwards

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light.

The following dates are on the calendar:

August 29th

September 26th

October 24th (instead of the 31st, which is Halloween)

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work 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 to be 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 grateful for the abundance of life, evident in our lush, productive gardens, our multitude of friends, our resources that allow us to travel to lands far and near, and so much more. We turn the unseen to the seen and there is always enough. TYG!!

What are you grateful for today?

“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”
~ Emmanuel Dagher

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

“The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”
~ Robert Holden

“If you keep searching for everything beautiful in the world, you will eventually become it.”
~ Tyler Kent White

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”
~ Eileen Caddy

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

Seeing the Beauty

August 6th, 2023

There’s a lot in this life, both in our own personal worlds and around the country and globe that could really get us down if we let it. Don’t let it! Look at this crazy beautiful photo our friend Lisa Duggan took on a camping trip last week! Holy cow, or should I say Holy wildflowers! We are blessed here in Colorado to have such beauty within easy reach, yet it can be found everywhere if we simply seek it out. THIS is what we we want to keep our eyes on (not the TV!), immerse ourselves in, heal ourselves with. Nature’s beauty is a salve for the soul and it’s right outside your backdoor. Let it bring you peace. Myles Sloniker will join us in the music this Sunday as we celebrate Nature’s abundant blessings. A potluck in the backyard will follow our gathering.
Hope to see you! Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
~ Khalil Gibran

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
~ Albert Einstein

“I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.”
~ Frank Lloyd Wright

“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
~ Rachel Carson

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”
~ John Burroughs

“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.”
~ Joseph Campbell

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Friday, August 4th – 7 p.m. concert with Megan Bee (potluck at 6). There is still a seat for you! More details below in “Paths of Heart Presents…”

Sunday, August 6th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with Myles Sloniker as our music guest and a potluck afterwards. Please bring your own reusable plate and some food to share.  We’ll provide the rest!

Sunday, August 13th – No Paths of Heart Gathering

Tuesday, August 15th, 7 p.m. – Paths of Heart Song Circle

Sunday, August 20th, 10:30 a.m.- ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, August 27th – No Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, September 3rd – No Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, September 10th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering

Sunday, September 17th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, September 24th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Tuesday, September 26th, 7 p.m. – Paths of Heart Song Circle

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

“Paths of Heart Presents…” We have one more scheduled house concert (Megan Bee!!) on Friday, August 4th for all music lovers who enjoy an intimate listening room and a chance to meet the artists and chat in an informal setting. Help us spread the word! You may pre-pay for any of our concerts on our regular donation page https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ OR with Venmo @PathsofHeart. Though tickets may be available at the door, pre-paying is the only way to guarantee your seat so it’s highly suggested! Please indicate which concert you are paying for in the special instructions or memo line. Hope to see you!

Friday, August 4th 7 p.m. concert with potluck at 6 – Megan Bee, our friend and songwriter artist from Athens, OH. This will be Megan’s 3rd appearance in our house concert series! $20 suggested donation. Learn more about Megan at https://meganbeemusic.com/

Please mark your calendars for these awesome shows and tell your friends!!

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light. We had another small but delightful circle this past Tuesday – thanks to those who made it!
The following dates have been scheduled:
August 15th (3rd Tuesday due to scheduling conflict)
September 26th

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work 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 to be 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. We DO love all this rain, but we hope the weather will be more labyrinth-friendly soon!

Gratitudes

We’ve had some really meaningful musical experiences lately and more coming up in the next few weeks and months. What a joy it is to make music with family and friends and to share that with you all in different settings – house concerts, Celebrations of Life, birthday parties, weddings, music lessons. And this week Myles is with us! Life is good!

What are you grateful for today?

“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”
~ Emmanuel Dagher

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

“The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”
~ Robert Holden

“If you keep searching for everything beautiful in the world, you will eventually become it.”
~ Tyler Kent White

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”
~ Eileen Caddy

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

So Many Paths…

July 30th, 2023

I came across this Ella Wheeler Wilcox poem earlier this week:
“So many gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind,
While just the art of being kind
Is all the sad world needs. “
We love that Paths of Heart honors all paths in the spiritual journey and we agree, kindness is of utmost importance along the way. We often quote the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet who said, “This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” We’ll expound on these thoughts in our Paths of Heart ZOOM gathering this Sunday. We’d love for you to join in the conversation! Here’s the link:

Topic: Paths of Heart Zoom Gathering
Time: Jul 30, 2023 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87452696558?pwd=eFdWMFA3d0x2ajVQRTNUV25kWTlqZz09

Meeting ID: 874 5269 6558
Passcode: 696359

Kindly, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

Life’s all about choices. Everyone’s destination is the same; only the paths are different.”
~ Sushmita Sen

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
~ Aesop

“Faith is a continuum, and we each fall on that line where we may. By attempting to rigidly classify ethereal concepts like faith, we end up debating semantics to the point where we entirely miss the obvious – that is, that we are all trying to decipher life’s big mysteries, and we’re each following our own paths of enlightenment.”
~ Dan Brown

“It takes courage to be kind.”
~ Maya Angelou

“If we are asking for the world to be kind, we must first ask what are we doing to add more kindness to the world. If we are asking for the world to be more loving, we must first ask what are we doing to add more love to the world. We are the vessels for the things we seek.”
~ Joél Leon

“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.”
~ Abraham Joshua Heschel

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, July 30th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Friday, August 4th – 7 p.m. concert with Megan Bee (potluck at 6). More details below in “Paths of Heart Presents…”

Sunday, August 6th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Tuesday, August 15th, 7 p.m. – Paths of Heart Song Circle

Sunday, August 20th, 10:30 a.m.- ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, September 10th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering

Sunday, September 17th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, September 24th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Tuesday, September 26th, 7 p.m. – Paths of Heart Song Circle

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

“Paths of Heart Presents…” We have one more scheduled house concert (Megan Bee!!) on the horizon for all music lovers who enjoy an intimate listening room and a chance to meet the artists and chat in an informal setting. Help us spread the word! You may pre-pay for any of our concerts on our regular donation page https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ OR with Venmo @PathsofHeart. Though tickets may be available at the door, pre-paying is the only way to guarantee your seat so it’s highly suggested! Please indicate which concert you are paying for in the special instructions or memo line. Hope to see you!

Friday, August 4th 7 p.m. concert with potluck at 6 – Megan Bee, our friend and songwriter artist from Athens, OH. This will be Megan’s 3rd appearance in our house concert series! $20 suggested donation. Learn more about Megan at https://meganbeemusic.com/

Please mark your calendars for these awesome shows and tell your friends!!

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light. We had another small but delightful circle this past Tuesday – thanks to those who made it!
The following dates have been scheduled:
August 15th (3rd Tuesday due to scheduling conflict)
September 26th

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work 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 to be 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. We DO love all this rain, but we hope the weather will be more labyrinth-friendly soon!

Gratitudes

We’ve had some really meaningful musical experiences lately and more coming up in the next few weeks and months. What a joy it is to make music with family and friends and to share that with you all in different settings – house concerts, Celebrations of Life, birthday parties, weddings, music lessons. Life is good!

What are you grateful for today?

“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”
~ Emmanuel Dagher

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

“The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”
~ Robert Holden

“If you keep searching for everything beautiful in the world, you will eventually become it.”
~ Tyler Kent White

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”
~ Eileen Caddy

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

Restoration and Renewal

July 23rd, 2023

Mark and I were camping in Poudre Canyon last week and took a hike with friends on the Big South trail, which we had not visited since before the Cameron Peak Fire of 2020. I had some trepidation about the stark landscape that we might see, and yes, the blackened and charred remains of trees were plentiful. Yet the forest growth underneath and the abundance of wildflowers (including fireweed!) was astounding! It reminded us of the restoration and renewal that can take place in all of us after any kind of challenge, trauma, or devastation in our lives, if we allow it. It may take some time, but we’ll often uncover exquisite beauty and a myriad of blessings amid the chaos and destruction. Please come and share your experiences with us on Sunday! Nashville performing songwriter Buddy Mondlock will be our guest musician that morning and will also treat us to a house concert that evening at 7 p.m. with a potluck at 6. We hope you can make it to that, too – you’ll be glad you did!

To new growth ~ Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“For within your flesh, deep within the center of your being, is the undaunted, waiting, longing, all-knowing. Is the ready, able, perfect. Within you, waiting its turn to emerge, piece by piece, with the dawn of every former test of trial and blackness, is the next unfolding, the great unfurling of wings, the re-forged backbone of a true Child of Light.”
~ Jennifer DeLucy

“Sometimes it takes a total break to lead to complete healing and restoration.”
~ Karen Pennington

“Despair is paralysis. It robs us of agency. It blinds us to our own power and the power of the earth… Restoration is a powerful antidote to despair. Restoration offers concrete means by which humans can once again enter into positive, creative relationship with the more-than-human world, meeting responsibilities that are simultaneously material and spiritual…”
~ Robin Wall Kimmerer

“Every part of your brokenness will play a part in your wholeness.”
~ Andrena Sawyer

“Every single cell in the human body replaces itself over a period of seven years. That means there’s not even the smallest part of you now that was part of you seven years ago.”
~ Steven Hall

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, July 23rd, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with Buddy Mondlock as our guest musician!

Sunday July 23rd, 7 p.m. – House Concert with Buddy Mondlock. Potluck at 6 p.m. $20 suggested donation. More details in “Paths of Heart Presents…” section below.

Sunday, July 30th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, August 6th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, August 20th, 10:30 a.m.- ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, September 10th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering

Sunday, September 17th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, September 24th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

“Paths of Heart Presents…” We had a wonderful House Concert with Jeff Plankenhorn in June! There were 31 folks in attendance and Jeff put on a heartwarming show! We have a couple of other house concerts on the horizon for all music lovers who enjoy an intimate listening room and a chance to meet the artists and chat in an informal setting. Help us spread the word! You may pre-pay for any of these concerts on our regular donation page  https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ OR with Venmo @PathsofHeart. Though tickets may be available at the door, pre-paying is the only way to guarantee your seat so it’s highly suggested! Please indicate which concert you are paying for in the special instructions or memo line. Hope to see you!

Sunday, July 23rd, 7 p.m. concert with a potluck at 6. – Buddy Mondlock (a brilliant songwriter and author of “The Kid”, one of my all time favorite songs!) from Nashville, TN. $20 suggested donation. Learn more about Buddy at https://www.buddymondlock.com/

Friday, August 4th 7 p.m. concert with potluck at 6 – Megan Bee, our friend and songwriter artist from Athens, OH. This will be Megan’s 3rd appearance in our house concert series! $20 suggested donation. Learn more about Megan at https://meganbeemusic.com/

Please mark your calendars for these awesome shows and tell your friends!!

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light. We had a small but delightful circle in June – thanks to those who made it!
The following dates have been scheduled:
July 25th
August 15th (3rd Tuesday due to scheduling conflict)
September 26th

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work 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 to be 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. We DO love all this rain, but we hope the weather will be more labyrinth-friendly soon!

Gratitudes

What a treat it was to get up into the mountains for 4 days – a great restoration for the soul! We had a delightful time with friends, shared delectable food, played “mountain bocce”, and hiked the Big South trail. We are so grateful to live so close to such beauty!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
~ Melody Beattie

“In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

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 Our Freedom

July 9th, 2023

On the heels of Independence Day, the concept of freedom is on our minds. As a side note, we experienced “freedom” from the internet and our (cable) office phone line for 2 days because of an outage, so I’m scrambling to get this newsletter out that I actually started on Wednesday morning! 🙂 Freedom has so many different meanings and some freedoms seem particularly and unfortunately challenged these days. Join us in lively conversation this Sunday! Our gathering will be followed by a festive potluck in the backyard.

Live free ~ Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves”
~ Abraham Lincoln

“I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.”
~ Robert A. Heinlein

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
~ Viktor Frankl

“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”
~ Nelson Mandela

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi

“There is freedom waiting for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask “What if I fall?”
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?”
~ Erin Hanson

“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.”
~ Joe Klass

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Our Paths of Heart “sabbatical” has ended, and we are meeting on a more regular basis now! We hope you’ll be able to get in the rhythm of celebrating life with us on Sundays 2-3 times a month. As you can see below, Gatherings have now been scheduled through September. We know some folks have asked for a “regular” schedule (such as the 2nd and 4th Sundays). However, we’ve experienced that vacations and special events often disrupt that “best laid plan” plan for all of us, so for now we are going with what works within our family schedule. Adjustments may be made as we continue to assess attendance and finances. We may also consider an earlier start time in the summer if that’s something the majority of folks would like. Let us know your thoughts!

Sunday, July 9th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards. Please bring your own (reusable, washable) plates. We’ll provide utensils, cloth napkins, cups, and a variety of beverages. We strive for near zero waste at our events, and we appreciate your cooperation in helping us do so!

Sunday, July 23rd, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with Buddy Mondlock as our guest musician! He’ll also be with us in concert in the evening!

Sunday, July 30th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, August 6th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, August 20th, 10:30 a.m.- ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, September 10th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering

Sunday, September 17th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, September 24th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

“Paths of Heart Presents…” We had a wonderful House Concert with Jeff Plankenhorn in June! There were 31 folks in attendance and Jeff put on a heartwarming show! We have a couple of other house concerts on the horizon for all music lovers who enjoy an intimate listening room and a chance to meet the artists and chat in an informal setting. Help us spread the word! You may pre-pay for any of these concerts on our regular donation page  https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ OR with Venmo @PathsofHeart. Though tickets may be available at the door, pre-paying is the only way to guarantee your seat so it’s highly suggested! Please indicate which concert you are paying for in the special instructions or memo line. Hope to see you!

Sunday, July 23rd, 7 p.m. concert with a potluck at 6. – Buddy Mondlock (a brilliant songwriter and author of “The Kid”, one of my all time favorite songs!) from Nashville, TN. $20 suggested donation. Learn more about Buddy at https://www.buddymondlock.com/

Friday, August 4th 7 p.m. concert with potluck at 6 – Megan Bee, our friend and songwriter artist from Athens, OH. This will be Megan’s 3rd appearance in our house concert series! $20 suggested donation. Learn more about Megan at https://meganbeemusic.com/

Please mark your calendars for these awesome shows and tell your friends!!

One other upcoming show! Though this isn’t a POH event, we though you might like to know about a Garden Party/House Concert that Colleen, Mark, and Emma are doing tomorrow, July 8th at the home of Lee and Sam Cooper. Please reach out if you’d like details. All are invited – the more the merrier!

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light. We had a small but delightful circle this past Tuesday – thanks to those who made it!
The following dates are scheduled so far:
July 25th
August 15th (3rd Tuesday due to scheduling conflict)
September 26th

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work to bolster our finances and get back 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 to be 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. We DO love all this rain, but we hope the weather will be more labyrinth-friendly soon!

Gratitudes

Well, I didn’t think I’d still be talking about the rain for about 2 straight months, but we are still so grateful for it!! After being in a drought for many years, it’s really glorious to see the landscape so alive with color and the greenest of green! It fills me with joy and it makes my life so much easier without my complicated watering regimen. Just as long as the rain doesn’t interfere with tomorrow’s outdoor concert – ha ha!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
~ Melody Beattie

“In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

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

Where Does the Time Go?

June 25th, 2023

It feels like I just wrote last week’s newsletter – how can a week go by so fast? Our Holland-Belgium trip seems like ages ago, and yet we’ve only been back for a month. The “feeling” of time is a weird thing…this Sunday on Zoom we’ll explore the concept of time and our perceptions of it! Here’s the link:
Time: Jun 25, 2023 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85037932900?pwd=ck45OW12M1UwZFpTclFpU1IvUlhKZz09

Meeting ID: 850 3793 2900
Passcode: 689638

Time is on your side! ~ Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Time is an illusion.”
~ Albert Einstein

“It’s being here now that’s important. There’s no past and there’s no future. Time is a very misleading thing. All there is ever, is the now. We can gain experience from the past, but we can’t relive it; and we can hope for the future, but we don’t know if there is one.”
~ George Harrison

“Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.”
~ Lao Tzu

“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”
~ Marthe Troly-Curtin

“The timeless in you is aware of life’s timelessness. And knows that yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream.”
~ Khalil Gibran

“Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”
~ Anthony G. Oettinger

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Our Paths of Heart “sabbatical” has ended, and we are meeting on a more regular basis now! We hope you’ll be able to get in the rhythm of celebrating life with us on Sundays 2-3 times a month. As you can see below, Gatherings have now been scheduled through September. We know some folks have asked for a “regular” schedule (such as the 2nd and 4th Sundays). However, we’ve experienced that vacations and special events often disrupt that “best laid plan” plan for all of us, so for now we are going with what works within our family schedule. Adjustments may be made as we continue to assess attendance and finances. We may also consider an earlier start time in the summer if that’s something the majority of folks would like. Let us know your thoughts!

Sunday, June 25th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, July 9th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, July 23rd, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering

Sunday, July 30th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, August 6th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, August 20th, 10:30 a.m.- ZOOM POH Gathering

Sunday, September 10th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering

Sunday, September 17th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering with a potluck afterwards

Sunday, September 24th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM POH Gathering

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

“Paths of Heart Presents…” We had a wonderful House Concert with Jeff Plankenhorn a couple of weeks ago! There were 31 folks in attendance and Jeff put on a heartwarming show! We have a couple of other house concerts on the horizon for all music lovers who enjoy an intimate listening room and a chance to meet the artists and chat in an informal setting. Help us spread the word! You may pre-pay for any of these concerts on our regular donation page https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ OR with Venmo @PathsofHeart. Though tickets may be available at the door, pre-paying is the only way to guarantee your seat so it’s highly suggested! Please indicate which concert you are paying for in the special instructions or memo line. Hope to see you!

Sunday, July 23rd, 7 p.m. concert with a potluck at 6. – Buddy Mondlock (a brilliant songwriter and author of “The Kid”, one of my all time favorite songs!) from Nashville, TN. $20 suggested donation. Learn more about Buddy at https://www.buddymondlock.com/
Friday, August 4th 7 p.m. concert with potluck at 6 – Megan Bee, our friend and songwriter artist from Athens, OH. This will be Megan’s 3rd appearance in our house concert series! $20 suggested donation. Learn more about Megan at https://meganbeemusic.com/

Please mark your calendars for these awesome shows and tell your friends!!

One other upcoming show! Though this isn’t a POH event, we though you might like to know about a Garden Party/House Concert that Colleen, Mark, and Emma are doing on July 8th at the home of Lee and Sam Cooper. Please reach out if you’d like details. All are invited – the more the merrier!

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. The following dates are scheduled. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light. We had a small but delightful circle this past Tuesday – thanks to those who made it!
The following dates are scheduled so far:
July 25th
August 15th (3rd Tuesday due to scheduling conflict)
September 26th

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work to bolster our finances and get back 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 to be 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. We DO love all this rain, but we hope the weather will be more labyrinth-friendly soon!

Gratitudes

The continuing rain has continued to give us a chance to continue slowing down and enjoy being inside (ha ha!) ~ reading, watching a good movie or two, working on that challenging puzzle. It’s been really beautiful watching and listening to the downpours…opening the doors and windows and smelling that freshness! Yesterday’s storm was a little scary though!! Yet when I took a walk around the yard to survey any damage, there was very little, and now I get the continued reprieve from watering!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
~ Melody Beattie

“In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

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