Aaaahhh ~ The most wonderful time of the year is upon us, some might say! We DO love these winter holidays, the upcoming Solstice, the twinkling lights, comfort and joy, kindness and good cheer. The Elf has been busy decorating for the season, our son, Myles will arrive in a few days and we are looking forward to our (greatly missed!) Christmas Eve Music Celebration after a 2 year hiatus. There are still some seats left, and if you plan on joining us, we really do need an RSVP to reserve your seat. We will most likely not be able to accept walk-ins and we’d hate to turn you away (like Mary and Joseph from the Inn!), however space is limited. Also, if you’d made a reservation and find you can’t make it, please let us know, as we’ll also likely have a waiting list.
We are so grateful for the donations we received during our Facebook Giving Tuesday Campaign – over $1,500! This, along with support from our loyal monthly donors, has our finances shaping up again and we hope to schedule a few sporadic ZOOM and in-person gatherings in the coming months. We miss you!!
Read on for other upcoming events at Paths of Heart, and Happy Holidays to you!
Gratitude, Love and Light, Colleen and Mark
Quotes to ponder
“From home to home and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas brings us close to each other.”
~ Emily Matthews
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
~ Hamilton Wright Mabie
“Winter Solstice is my favorite time of year. It’s the dark of the dark, the interior time, a time when we can palpably feel magic stirring, ever so softly, but oh so deeply. It’s a time when we get to hold ourselves gently as we review and let go of the last trip around the sun, and open to what awaits in the coming light.”
~ Alison Marks
“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
Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest
Paths of Heart is taking a sabbatical from regular Sunday gatherings for the next 4 months or so. You can read more about our decision here: https://www.pathsofheart.org/2022/10/11/important-paths-of-heart-update/
As our financial situation improves, we hope to reintroduce Sunday gatherings, and in the meantime, we have planned many other events to keep our community engaged and thriving. See below and mark your calendars!
Saturday, December 24th, 7 pm – We are pleased to welcome the return of our Christmas Eve Music Celebration, with songs and readings from various traditions during the Season of Light and Peace! Emma and Myles Sloniker will be there to share in the music, and Judi Lucero will try her “darndest” to be with us as well! It’ll all depend on the weather and driving conditions, so let’s affirm grace and ease for that! We will be limiting the seating to 45 people so you will need to reserve your spot. Please honor this, as we will likely not be able to accept “walk-ins”. We will gratefully accept donations to benefit Paths of Heart that evening. The program will run about 75 minutes.
Saturday, January 14th, 2023, 10 am – 4 pm – “Paths of Heart Presents…” a ‘Write with Your Heart’ Playshop: Communing with The Muse ~ A simple, sweet day of community, creating space for inner exploration through music, journaling, art, silence, and meditation. Colleen and Mark will play short sets of themed music as prompts, and participants will then have a chance to integrate those ideas into several sessions of art, journaling, poetry, or meditation time. There are really no rules, so this time is yours to explore as your heart moves you. We will share a lunchtime meal together and there will be time for sharing your experiences if you’d like to do so. Suggested donation for the day is $60.00 (always your choice depending on ability/desire).
WHAT TO BRING:
• A lunch dish to share
• A journal or your favorite paper & writing instrument
• An open heart
• Sketchbook
• Meditation mat, pillow & blanket
• Very comfy clothes
Email info@pathsofheart.org to sign up or call 970-484-9600 for further questions. We hope you can join us!
Saturday, February 11th, 7 pm – “Paths of Heart Presents…” a Celebration of LOVE. Join Mark and Colleen in a lovefest of love songs to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
We’ve decided to restart our Paths of Heart Song Circles, the last Tuesday of (most) every month, 7- 8:30 pm! Come join us for an informal gathering of singing together. Bring your life affirming song suggestions! $10 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink.
December 27th
no January Song Circle
February 28th
March 28th
Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart will continue to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work to bolster our finances and get back to Sunday gatherings at some point in the future. 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 a way to easily 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!
Two ways you can further support Paths of Heart 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!
“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 (not usually a problem in Colorado!).
Gratitudes
This time of year holds so many blessings and opportunities for connection with family and loved ones. We are grateful to be celebrating a simple Christmas with our 2 adult children this year and hope to see many of you out and about during the holidays. Love and Light to you!
What are you grateful for today?
“I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.”
~ Will Arnett
“When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.”
~ Kristin Armstrong
“Gratitude can lead you, as it did me, away from the darkness of complicated need into the light of Simple Abundance.”
~ Sarah Ban Breathnach
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!