September 15th, 2024
We were hiking in Smith Rock State Park in Redmond, OR last fall when we looked up and saw this sight – there were people slacklining between sheer cliffs hundreds of feet in the air!! Talk about a balancing act! It was quite mesmerizing to watch. Since we won’t be meeting on September 22nd, the first day of fall, we thought we’d talk about the Autumnal Equinox a little early and explore the exquisite art of balance in our lives. We’ll also have a potluck directly after our gathering in the backyard – the weather forecast looks quite nice! Join us, won’t you?
Falling for fall, Colleen and Mark
Quotes to ponder
A balanced lifestyle is simply a state of being, in which one has time and energy for obligations and pleasures.
~ Madisyn Taylor
The cycles of nature guide our lives and their wisdom can be our wisdom too. We often forget that our body is part of the body of the universe and so when we reference, integrate and live the movements of the cosmos within our own selves, our lives too take on the same natural flow.
~ Kristina Dryža (Dree-zha)
“The dance between darkness and light will always remain— the stars and the moon will always need the darkness to be seen, the darkness will just not be worth having without the moon and the stars.”
~ C. JoyBell C.
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”
~ Lauren DeStefano
“There comes a time when autumn asks,
“What have you been doing all summer?”
~ (unknown)
“The art of living lies in balancing the acts of life”
~ B.S. Murthy
Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest
(dates subject to change)
Sunday, September 15th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. Community Potluck following. Bring bring some food to share and your own reusable plates. We’ll provide utensils, cups, cloth napkins and a variety of beverages.
Sunday, September 22nd – NO Paths of Heart Gathering
Sunday, September 29th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering
Sunday, October 6th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, October 13th – in person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.
Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!
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 as 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
What a delightful Paths of Heart we had last Sunday with Judi Lucero and Emma Sloniker joining us in song! We continued the frivolity at Ace Gillett’s that night where Rudy surprised Judi with a birthday celebration while Mark entertained us with snazzy jazz. A very memorable day!
What are you grateful for today?
“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson
“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart
“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy
“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle
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!