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!