Category: Newsletter

weekly newsletter

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day weekend!

March 15th, 2024

Hi there! Though we aren’t meeting this Sunday, I’m sending out a quick email as I’ve had to make some adjustments to the schedule, wanted to remind you of things coming up, AND announce our first house concert of the year! We ended up having to cancel our Zoom Gathering last week because of a major flight delay in Newark that got us home Sunday morning instead of Saturday night! Thanks to you Zoomers for your understanding.
Next Sunday, March 24th, we’ll have Judi Lucero coming in from Grand Junction to join us in some fine and merry music making. She’d love to see all her “Paths Pals” so we hope you can make it! Easter Sunday we plan to have a potluck after our gathering – affirming good weather so we can perhaps be outside!
Saturday, April 13th is our first house concert of 2024 and what a treat it will be! Nashville’s Americana/Folk Rock Artist Dana Cooper will grace our stage, ahead of releasing his highly anticipated 32nd studio album, “The Ghost of Tucumcari”. Featuring an All-Star lineup of guest artists, the album marks a major achievement for this veteran musician after more than 50 years in the business. Artists lending their voices to this project are Lyle Lovett, Hayes Carll, Susan Gibson, Mando Saenz, Darden Smith, Shake Russell, Libby Koch and others. Details of this exciting night with Dana will be forthcoming, but mark your calendars now!
Please make a note of some changes to the schedule below.

Enjoy your weekend! Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
~ Irish Blessing

May your blessings outnumber
The Shamrocks that grow.
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~ Irish Blessing

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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


Sunday, March 17th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, March 24th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. Judi Lucero will be our guest musician (God willing and the creek don’t rise!” as we both like to say!)

Easter Sunday, March 31st, 10:30 a.m. – in person POH gathering, followed by a potluck.

Sunday, April 7th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Saturday night, April 13th, “Paths of Heart Presents…” singer/songwriter Dana Cooper. Concert details to follow. Mark your calendars for this truly special evening!

Sunday, April 14th – No Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, April 21st – 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.

Paths of Heart Song Circles have been discontinued due to lack of attendance. We’re sorry to see them go!

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 so grateful for the moisture that this snowstorm brought us! Spring is on its way and I’m looking forward to seeing lots of green soon!

We are getting closer to finishing the upcoming Sloniker family CD (6 years or so in the making! Darn Covid…). Myles has been working with an engineer in NYC on the final mixes and we’re excited to share this long awaited project with you!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Practicing mindfulness of gratitude consistently leads to a direct experience of being connected to life and the realization that there is a larger context in which your personal story is unfolding…”
~ Philipp Moffitt

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.”
— Henry Miller

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 Grateful Heart

March 10th, 2024

When I feel my life is off kilter, I can usually attribute it to the fact that I’ve temporarily forgotten gratitude in my daily practice. We have had lots to be grateful for this week, as we’ve gathered with family and friends to celebrate the Patriarch of the Crosson family at his 95th birthday party. So many memories of family times come to mind and our blessings are many. Let’s fill our cups with thoughts of gratitude and share our collective blessings! We’re on ZOOM this week and here’s the link:
Topic: Paths of Heart Zoom Gathering
Time: Mar 10, 2024 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81048493816?pwd=VS9xSHRvVWZvaDhRNzFTbEd2NU9Tdz09

Meeting ID: 810 4849 3816
Passcode: 442502

Do remember that we “Spring Forward” this Sunday, so set your clocks one hour ahead on Saturday night!
Grateful for you in our lives! Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Going to sleep with a grateful, open heart
is a powerful healing practice. Your dreams will become
more inspiring and you will awaken in the morning
with a lighter state of mind.”
~ Dr. John Demartini

“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”
~ G.K. Chesterton

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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


Sunday, March 10th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. Remember, Daylight Saving Time begins! And so does Ramadan!

Sunday, March 17th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, March 24th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. Judi Lucero will be our guest musician (God willing and the creek don’t rise!” as we both like to say!)

Easter Sunday, March 31st, 10:30 a.m. – in person POH gathering

Sunday, April 7th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, April 14th – No Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, April 21st – 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.

Paths of Heart Song Circles have been discontinued due to lack of attendance. We’re sorry to see them go!

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 so grateful for our family time together this week in NJ! We had a family band concert for Dad and many of his friends came to celebrate with us.

We are ecstatic about some movement on our upcoming Sloniker family CD (6 years or so in the making! Darn Covid…). Myles has been working with an engineer in NYC on the final mixes. Stay tuned!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Practicing mindfulness of gratitude consistently leads to a direct experience of being connected to life and the realization that there is a larger context in which your personal story is unfolding…”
~ Philipp Moffitt

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.”
— Henry Miller

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 Path of Compassion

March 3rd, 2024

One of the things that personally keeps me (Colleen) engaged in Paths of Heart is that when I am having challenges in my own life, we can pick a topic that helps in the learning and healing process of that particular challenge and I can steep myself in the wisdom of others while we prepare for Sunday’s message. Frequently we’re told it’s a message you needed to hear that day, too, so how cool is that?! We’re all in this together and we have more in common than we sometimes (want to) realize. Thanks for joining us on a journey of compassion this week!
Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”
~ Coretta Scott King
(this was in last week’s newsletter, but lo and behold, compassion was in there, so I kept it!)

“As we grow in our consciousness, there will be more compassion and more love, and then the barriers between people, between religions, between nations will begin to fall. Yes, we have to beat down the separateness.”
~ Ram Dass

“For me, forgiveness and compassion are always linked: how do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?“
~ bell hooks

“The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.”
~ Thomas Merton

“Great teachers emanate out of knowledge, passion and compassion.”
~ A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

“Compassion brings us to a stop, and for a moment we rise above ourselves.”
~ Mason Cooley

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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

Sunday, March 3rd – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, March 10th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. Remember, Daylight Saving Time begins! And so does Ramadan!

Sunday, March 17th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, March 24th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. Judi Lucero will be our guest musician (God willing and the creek don’t rise!” as we both like to say!)

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 Song Circles have been discontinued due to lack of attendance. We’re sorry to see them go!

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 so grateful for all who came to our 10 year Celebration of Paths of Heart! It was such a lovely morning of sharing! Big thanks also to Katharine Gregory for co-facilitating!

We are ecstatic about some movement on our upcoming Sloniker family CD (6 years or so in the making! Darn Covid…). Myles has been working with an engineer in NYC on the final mixes. Stay tuned!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

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 10 Years on a Path of Heart: Our Collective Journey

February 25th, 2024

It’s really quite remarkable that this month we celebrate 10 years of gatherings at Paths of Heart!! What a journey it’s been, and you’ve all played a significant part in it, no doubt about it. So this Sunday we’ll CELEBRATE and also explore what led us on our individual eclectic spiritual paths, and perhaps Paths of Heart specifically. We’d love to hear your stories. We are pleased to have Katharine Gregory co-facilitate the morning with us! Our gathering will be followed by a community potluck and we hope you can stay for that, too. We’ll plan on being indoors, but the way this weekend’s weather is shaping up, we may choose to be outside for our meal!

Thanks for walking this path with us, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”
~ Coretta Scott King

“It may be that when we no longer know which way to go that we have come to our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings”
~ Wendell Berry

“We don’t heal in isolation, but in community.”
~ S. Kelley Harrell

“Every human activity can be put at the service of the divine and of love. We should all exercise our gift to build community.”
~ Jean Vanier

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

“The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water, and food.”
~ Dean Ornish

“To walk the spiritual path is to continually step out into the unknown.”
~ Wallace Huey

“There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community.”
~ M. Scott Peck

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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

Sunday, February 25th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. We’ll be celebrating 10 years of Paths of Heart with a potluck, immediately following our gathering. Woo hoo!

Sunday, March 3rd – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

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

Sunday, March 17th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, March 24th – 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.

Paths of Heart Song Circles have been discontinued due to lack of attendance. We’re sorry to see them go!

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 so grateful for all our music students who bring us joy in so many different ways as they express themselves through musical exploration! We also love these warmer days that remind us that spring is on its way!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

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 Super Kind of Love

February 11th, 2024

Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is around the corner and “love” is in the air. But there’s so much more to this thing called love than what Hallmark would have us believe in. Let’s go beyond the commercial and the romantic and delve into what LOVE is really about. We’re on ZOOM this week and here’s the link:
Topic: Paths of Heart Zoom
Time: Feb 11, 2024 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84721848387?pwd=UlpKR2pNRU5GbzhBWTNkcVhELzk4UT09

Meeting ID: 847 2184 8387
Passcode: 522583

Love’s the Thing, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“God is Love — a Love so vast, so wise, so inclusive, so healing, that we can scarcely comprehend it…”
~ Roger Teel

“Real love knows nothing of the ego. Real love starts as self-love. Self-love knows nothing of comparison with others. You simply love yourself as you are. Ego comes with comparison with others.
In real love, there is no division. The lovers melt into each other. In egoistic love, there is great division.”
~ Swami Dhyan Giten

“The most important aspect of love is not in giving or the receiving: it’s in the being. When I need love from others, or need to give love to others, I’m caught in an unstable situation. Being in love, rather than giving or taking love, is the only thing that provides stability. Being in love means seeing the Beloved all around me.”
~ Ram Dass

“Real love is also courageous, fierce, and willing to rock the boat and set the house on fire to facilitate transformation.”
~ Troy Hadeed

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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

Sunday, February 11th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 18th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, February 25th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. We’ll be celebrating 10 years of Paths of Heart with a potluck, immediately following our gathering. Woo hoo!

Sunday, March 3rd – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

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

Sunday, March 17th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, March 24th – 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.

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

(via Mark…I think you’ll be able to tell!) We are so grateful to have a place to call Home! And part of what makes us so grateful is that even though it has been hit by lightning, challenged by flood (no really), blown upon via those wacky Wyoming winds…even compromised by soil/mud and dirt…Earth-wind and fire (water too), even the limbs of our beloved trees have lumbered down upon us and damaged the very roof over our heads! Currently we’re facing a new set of issues rocking our very foundation (threatening veritable domicide)!!! Yet we are still here, so thankful for this house, this home to grow kids in…this place to grow old in…Thank You, for this place we call home!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

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

It’s a Surprise…!

February 4th, 2024

Since I’ve been unexpectedly in NJ all week and Mark and I haven’t had a chance to discuss a topic for this Sunday, it’ll be a surprise (for all of us – haha!). Maybe bring some of your favorite poetry to share…maybe we’ll talk about the shadow side of things in honor of Punxutawney Phil (Happy Groundhog Day everybody!)…maybe it’ll be about grief, or living in the moment, or all of these things. All that really matters every Sunday at Paths of Heart is that you come with an open heart and simply BE with us. It always flows from there.
Looking forward to BEing with you, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught to fly.”
~ Patrick Overton

“Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all. When there’s a big disappointment, we don’t know if that’s the end of the story. It may just be the beginning of a great adventure. Life is like that. We don’t know anything. We call something bad; we call it good. But really we just don’t know.”
~ Pema Chödrön

“What day is it?” asked Pooh.
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,” said Pooh.”
~ A.A. Milne

“Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.”
~ Walt Whitman

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”
~ Amit Ray

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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

Sunday, February 4th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 11th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 18th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, February 25th – 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.

Paths of Heart Song Circles have been discontinued due to lack of attendance. We’re sorry to see them go!

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 that our daughter Emma could step in last Sunday and help facilitate with Mark as well as join in the music! I needed some restorative rest before my trip.

I am personally grateful to be spending time with my dear Dad in NJ. I am grateful to have the time and the means to do so.

I continue to work from afar on donation letters for tax purposes and am sending the remaining ones by email. How grateful we are that there are so many of you supporting Paths of Heart! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

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 Season for Non-Violence

January 28th, 2024

The Season for Nonviolence was established in 1998 by Arun Gandhi, Mohandas Gandhi’s grandson, as a yearly event celebrating the philosophies and lives of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. The Season marks the 64 calendar days between the memorial anniversary of the assassination of Gandhi on January 30 and King on April 4. It is anchored by a mission, statement of principles, and commitments by participants towards living in a nonviolent way. This Sunday, we’ll be looking at ways to do just that!
Love and Peace, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Nonviolence is not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an inseparable part of our being.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi

“Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”
~ Martin Luther King Jr.

“Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi

“The essence of nonviolence is love. Out of love and the willingness to act selflessly, strategies, tactics, and techniques for a nonviolent struggle arise naturally. Nonviolence is not a dogma; it is a process.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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

Sunday, January 28th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 4th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 11th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 18th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, February 25th – 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.

Paths of Heart Song Circles have been discontinued due to lack of attendance. We’re sorry to see them go!

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

As we approach our 10 year anniversary (can you believe it?!), we are so grateful for your ongoing financial support that allows us to continue our Sunday gatherings and special events throughout the year. We are working on donation letters for tax purposes and will have them out to you in the next few weeks. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

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

Unarmed Truth and Unconditional Love

January 14th, 2024

We’ll be on ZOOM this Sunday and will be celebrating the legacy and wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We hope you can join us! Here’s the link:
Time: Jan 14, 2024 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83594043542?pwd=QVpmOHdkTjNuQmU5bzJBbGE3eDNtdz09
Meeting ID: 835 9404 3542
Passcode: 701089
Sticking with love, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”
~ Mother Teresa

“Loving people live in a loving world. Hostile people live in a hostile world. But it’s the same world.”
~ Wayne Dyer

“If you intend to be of assistance, your eye is not upon the trouble but upon the assistance, and that is quite different. When you are looking for a solution, you are feeling positive emotion, but when you are looking at a problem, you are feeling negative emotion.”
~ Abraham-Hicks

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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

Sunday, January 14th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 21st – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, January 28th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 4th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 11th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 18th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, February 25th – 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.

Paths of Heart Song Circles have been discontinued due to lack of attendance. We’re sorry to see them go!

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

As we approach our 10 year anniversary (can you believe it?!), we are so grateful for your ongoing financial support that allows us to continue our Sunday gatherings and special events throughout the year. We are working on donation letters for tax purposes and will have them out to you in the next few weeks. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

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

Beginner’s Mind

Januray 7th, 2024

Blessings to you in this New Year, ripe with bright possibility! It’s been a minute since we sent out a newsletter – we trust the last few weeks treated you to some comfort and joy and peaceful moments with friends and family. We sure enjoyed our family holiday time, and want to thank all that came out to our Christmas Eve concert – what a magical night! Now it’s time to contemplate this new year before us – perhaps reflecting upon the successes and challenges of 2023 and then setting intentions for 2024 – what we’d like to create and maybe change in our lives going forward. Some like to think of each new year as a “clean slate” or to approach the year with “Shoshin”, the Zen Buddhist concept meaning “beginner’s mind.” This will be the topic of our discussion on Sunday. We hope you’ll join us!
Love and Light, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“If your mind is empty… it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”
~ Shunryu Suzuki

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes.”
~ G.K. Chesterton

“So, I close my eyes to old ends, and open my heart to new beginnings.”
~ Mandy Hale

“Start over, my darling. Be brave enough to find the life you want and courageous enough to chase it. Then start over and love yourself the way you were always meant to.”
~ Madalyn Beck

“Many years ago I resolved never to bother with New Year’s resolutions, and I’ve stuck with it ever since.”
~ Dave Beard

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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

Sunday, January 7th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 14th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 21st – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, January 28th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 4th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 11th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 18th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, February 25th – 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.

Paths of Heart Song Circles have been discontinued due to lack of attendance. We’re sorry to see them go!

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 have had some delightful “downtime” during the holidays, visiting with friends and family, sharing wonderful meals together, watching movies and “puzzling”. We’re renewed and ready for 2024!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

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

More Light = More Love

December 17th, 2023

We continue with our theme of Light as we move towards the Winter Solstice and Christmas! The world needs your light more than ever these days – let it shine!
Continued light and peace to you, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

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

“These are the darkest days of the year, and it’s no coincidence that the flickering flames of the menorah, the twinkling lights on the tree and the Kwanzaa candelabrum all harken to the human need for the comfort of light.”
~ Tracy Grant

“Remember to light the candle of joy daily and all the gloom will disappear from your life.”
~ Djwhal Khul

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”
~ Albert Schweitzer

“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world.
All things break. And all things can be mended.
Not with time, as they say, but with intention.
So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally.
The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.”
~ L.R. Knost

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

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

Sunday, December 17th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 24th – no morning gathering, but we WILL be celebrating the Season of Light and Peace at our Christmas Eve concert at 7 p.m.  (Doors open at 6:30). Myles and Emma Sloniker will join us in merry music making! Please RSVP as space is limited. Donations to Paths of Heart that night are most appreciated.  Some folks have asked us about bringing food to share – this is one night when we do the concert only and don’t have a potluck before or afterwards, since so many folks have other family commitments. Thanks for offering, though!

Sunday, December 31st – NO Paths of Heart. Happy New Year!!

Sunday, January 7th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 14th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 21st – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, January 28th – 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.

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.

Our last Song Circle of 2023 is December 19th (Songs of the Season). We hope you’ll join us for a holly, jolly time!

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 be sharing the holidays with family this year! Myles arrives next week and we look forward to lots of music and family fun!

Colleen is grateful for another beautiful visit with her Dad in NJ. Myles also joined for a couple of days – even more fun!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

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

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

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