Becoming a Friend Unto Life

“Becoming a Friend Unto Life”

Sunday, August 1st, 2021

This Sunday, Ralph Knox will be our guest presenter! If you’ve ever spent time with Ralph or seen his Facebook posts, you know that he has an ever present positive and love-filled attitude about life and exudes a constant state of gratitude. He’ll speak about the “Importance of Harmony maintained, generosity of one’s being, and fulfilling the Divine Plan of Life.” Ralph recognizes what a gift it is “to be born & embodied at this particular point in time. All of us create our song unto Life and create our most unique Music.” We sure like the sound of that! We hope you’ll join us.
With new CDC guidelines based on the rise in the Delta Variant, we are asking everyone (even the fully vaccinated) to at least bring a mask and we’ll decide as a group what feels appropriate. Thanks for your understanding and patience as we work through this new development. Your comfort and safety are of utmost importance to us!
No need to rsvp – there’s plenty of room to spread out. See ya Sunday,
Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

What follows two small words has the power to change your life.
What are those words? I Am…
” ~ Charles F Glassman

You are already that which you seek” ~ Ramana Maharshi

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

In the Garden of the Heart there is a Dream Seed — placed there by Love, at the dawn of creation. It now waits for YOU to activate it and Dream Awake a New Reality … through intention, focus, action and responsible co-creation. In the Heart’s Garden, timeless truths are waiting to be unveiled and unique gifts and talents are ready to take root and bloom.” ~ Stacey Robyn

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Paths of Heart Schedule (Sundays, 11 a.m.) :
August 1st ~ in person, indoors, Ralph Knox, guest presenter
August 8th ~ ZOOM gathering
August 15th ~ in person, indoors, Jim Deitchler, guest presenter
August 22nd – in person, indoors
August 29thNo Paths of Heart gathering

Request for guest presenters and musicians! ~ Thanks to those who have stepped up to present a topic on Sunday, or to share music!  Please let us know if you’re interested or have ideas of other speakers/musicians you’d like to invite. A small honorarium is available. 

Sending “Good Juju” and prayer ~ If anyone ever wants to receive our collective positive thoughts and prayers on a Sunday morning, please ask!  We can be as specific or as anonymous as you’d like. Let us know if we can surround you and your loved ones in love and light!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth – What a joy it was to envision and oversee the creation of our labyrinth and Zen Garden last summer!  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 to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day!  We also welcome volunteers to help keep our labyrinth looking beautiful and free of debris and weeds. Thank you in advance.

Giving Opportunities – Two ways you can support Paths of Heart without costing you an extra penny are detailed below:

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!

Amazon Smile – We do love shopping locally and very often do, but Amazon sometimes fits the bill. If you are an Amazon shopper, you can make a difference by shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/81-4175487 to generate donations for Paths of Heart!

During this past year when we weren’t meeting often, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are still always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. You can even sign up for monthly giving, which we deeply appreciate. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart!

Gratitudes

Thank you to Pam Lampe for this week’s gorgeous Paths photo! And to Peggy Short for the fun potato heart!
Also, from Judi Lucero, who graced us with her presence and music a couple of weeks ago: “I want you to know what a joy it was to see ALL of you who were able to attend Sunday and to visit with many of you. To ALL of you I send my heartfelt thanks, love, and big hugs!”

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” ~ Amy Collette

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ Gilbert C. Chesterton

“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” ~ Mary Davis

“If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner

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

The Power of Words

“The Power of Words”

Sunday, July 25th, 2021

This week, we have had several dichotomous experiences with WORDS and the choices that we all make in their use. Words can feel gentle or biting, empowering or deflating. The impact of our words can have lasting consequences (we learned long ago that the old adage we heard as kids – “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me” – is not necessarily true!). Our discussion on Sunday will center around the powerful impact of our words. You are welcome to join the conversation and share relevant experiences and “aha” moments!
Since we’ll be inside, we ask that those who are not fully vaccinated continue to wear a mask. Of course you are also welcome to remain masked even if you are vaccinated – things are still constantly changing and we want everyone to feel comfortable. No need to rsvp – there’s plenty of room to spread out. See ya Sunday!
Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

Be Impeccable With Your Word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” ~ Miguel Angel Ruiz

Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

The worst distance between two people is misunderstanding” ~ Neetesh Dixit

The words we choose and use to describe ourselves and others, our relationships, our work, our experiences and our environments make a difference.
Let us choose wisely. Let us choose words that empower us, that inspire us, that uplift us, that fulfill us. Most of all, let us live within our own definitions of what those words really mean and what life is about.
” ~ Chris Asaad

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Paths of Heart Schedule (Sundays, 11 a.m.) :
July 25th ~ in person, indoors
August 1st ~ in person, indoors
August 8th ~ ZOOM gathering

Request for guest presenters and musicians! ~ We’d love to get back to having members of our community (or the wider community) present a topic of their interest to our group and/or providing music or joining the “house band” on a Sunday!  Please let us know if you’re interested or have ideas of other speakers/musicians you’d like to invite. A small honorarium is available. 

Sending “Good Juju” and prayer ~ If anyone ever wants to receive our collective positve thoughts and prayers on a Sunday morning, please ask!  We can be as specific or as anonymous as you’d like. Let us know if we can surround you and your loved ones in love and light!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth – What a joy it was to envision and oversee the creation of our labyrinth and Zen Garden last summer!  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 to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day!  We also welcome volunteers to help keep our labyrinth looking beautiful and free of debris and weeds. Thank you in advance.

Giving Opportunities – Two ways you can support Paths of Heart without costing you an extra penny are detailed below:

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!

Amazon Smile – We do love shopping locally and very often do, but Amazon sometimes fits the bill. If you are an Amazon shopper, you can make a difference by shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/81-4175487 to generate donations for Paths of Heart!

During this past year when we weren’t meeting often, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are still always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. You can even sign up for monthly giving, which we deeply appreciate. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart!

Gratitudes

Thank you to our friend York for a most awesome Paths of Heart picture featured in this Sunday’s newsletter!
Also, from Judi Lucero, who graced us with her presence and music last week: “I want you to know what a joy it was to see ALL of you who were able to attend Sunday and to visit with many of you. To ALL of you I send my heartfelt thanks, love, and big hugs!”

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” ~ Amy Collette

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ Gilbert C. Chesterton

“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” ~ Mary Davis

“If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner

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

The Dream Realm

“The Dream Realm”

Sunday, July 18th, 2021

It’s a dream come true to have Judi Lucero back IN PERSON at Paths of Heart this Sunday! She’ll be creating music with us that morning and since one of the songs we picked to do together is called “In Dreams”, what’s better than a “dream theme”? Who knows where this topic will lead, and you’re invited to explore it with us! 🙂 We think Emma Sloniker will be able to join us on vocals, too – another dreamy situation too rare these days. Since we’ll be inside, we ask that those who are not fully vaccinated continue to wear a mask. Of course you are also welcome to remain masked even if you are vaccinated – things are still constantly changing and we want everyone to feel comfortable. No need to rsvp – there’s plenty of room to spread out. See ya Sunday!
Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.”
~ Arthur O’Shaughnessy

“Sometimes the dreams that come true are the dreams you never even knew you had.” ~ Alice Sebold

“We become what we think about.” ~ Earl Nightingale

“Trust in dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.” ~ Khalil Gibran

“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” ~ Edgar Allen Poe

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” ~ Gail Devers

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Paths of Heart Schedule (Sundays, 11 a.m.) :
July 18th ~ in person, indoors, Judi Lucero is our music guest!
July 25th ~ in person, indoors
August 1st ~ in person, indoors
August 8th ~ ZOOM gathering

Request for guest presenters and musicians! ~ We’d love to get back to having members of our community (or the wider community) present a topic of their interest to our group and/or providing music or joining the “house band” on a Sunday!  Please let us know if you’re interested or have ideas of other speakers/musicians you’d like to invite. A small honorarium is available. 

Sending “Good Juju” and prayer ~ If anyone ever wants to receive our collective positve thoughts and prayers on a Sunday morming, please ask!  We can be as specific or as anonymous as you’d like. Let us know if we can surround you and your loved ones in love and light!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth – What a joy it was to envision and oversee the creation of our labyrinth and Zen Garden last summer!  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 to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day!  We also welcome volunteers to help keep our labyrinth looking beautiful and free of debris and weeds. Thank you in advance.

Giving Opportunities – Two ways you can support Paths of Heart without costing you an extra penny are detailed below:

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!

Amazon Smile – We do love shopping locally and very often do, but Amazon sometimes fits the bill. If you are an Amazon shopper, you can make a difference by shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/81-4175487 to generate donations for Paths of Heart!

During this past year when we weren’t meeting often, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are still always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. You can even sign up for monthly giving, which we deeply appreciate. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart!

Gratitudes

Some cooler temps have been nice this week! CO wildflowers are abundant, and water and sky are a good combo!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” ~ Amy Collette

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ Gilbert C. Chesterton

“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” ~ Mary Davis

“If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner

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

The Path of Freedom

“The Path of Freedom”

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

It’s great to be back in Colorado after a wonderful visit with Colleen’s Dad on the Jersey shore! We flew back on Independence Day, which has us thinking about freedom and what it means to us. Surely this last year gave us even more to ponder about when considering that sometimes loaded word. What is your perception of “freedom” and has it changed at all for you? This Sunday, Paths of Heart will be on Zoom at 11 a.m. Please RSVP to receive the link. We look forward to being with you!
Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people….every day.”
~ David Foster Wallace

“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

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

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” ~ Nelson Mandela

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Paths of Heart Schedule (Sundays, 11 a.m.) :
July 11th ~ ZOOM gathering
July 18th ~ in person, indoors
July 25th ~ in person, indoors
August 1st ~ in person, indoors
August 8th ~ ZOOM gathering

Request for guest presenters and musicians! ~ We’d love to get back to having members of our community (or the wider community) present a topic of their interest to our group and/or providing music or joining the “house band” on a Sunday!  Please let us know if you’re interested or have ideas of other speakers/musicians you’d like to invite. A small honorarium is available. 

Sending “Good Juju” and prayer ~ If anyone ever wants to receive our collective positive thoughts and prayers on a Sunday morning, please ask!  We can be as specific or as anonymous as you’d like. Let us know if we can surround you and your loved ones in love and light!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth – What a joy it was to envision and oversee the creation of our labyrinth and Zen Garden last summer!  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 to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day!  We also welcome volunteers to help keep our labyrinth looking beautiful and free of debris and weeds. Thank you in advance.

Giving Opportunities – Two ways you can support Paths of Heart without costing you an extra penny are detailed below:

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!

Amazon Smile – We do love shopping locally and very often do, but Amazon sometimes fits the bill. If you are an Amazon shopper, you can make a difference by shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/81-4175487 to generate donations for Paths of Heart!

During this past year when we weren’t meeting often, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are still always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. You can even sign up for monthly giving, which we deeply appreciate. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart!

Gratitudes

We were grateful to have the opportunity to be with family and friends on the East Coast. Our travel experience was smooth, too, which were thankful for as well!

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

“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

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

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