In celebration of WholeHeart’s 7th Birthday, community came together to listen, connect across circles, and wish one another well into the year ahead.
Gratitude to Walter Poleman for singing us in. Paula Pedersen and Sara Thomsen for singing us to reflect on gifts with Let Me Sing For You, and Stacy Raphael for singing us out with a song she wrote in one of the virtual circle of community - The Vermont Courage Cohort..
We invite you to reflect on
What helps see you through?
What is the song in you that wishes to be sung?
And we offer a community poem that was created by sharing reflections in the WholeHeart Community Birthday Gathering:
My offering back is what I have received from WholeHeart:
Centering Love. May the vision of love as an "operating system"
Spread to more people, and become
A virtuous virus in our world.
Grow the circles wider and wider still
Sincerity of purpose
Communion, Beauty and Reflection.
Surprising doorways
Build genuine community
Through productive dialog
Bringing much joy and feeling connected
to good people in the world
I would otherwise not know
where it isn't necessary
to produce, but rather be invited to just be.
Joy. Anticipation. Amazement
Deep listening.
Home.
A blessing to - and from - Whole Heart-
Be whole - know your worth and value.
Have heart - be courageous as you
move into an evolving world
that needs to be gently held.
The heart of this organization,
this community,
is a gift.
Gifts from the Heart
WholeHeart continually calls me home to myself
Offering the gift of seeing one another, and being seen
With solidarity, genuine connection, and deep listening.
WholeHeart offers a rich rhythm of a welcoming space
For listening and connecting to myself and others
For feeling unconditionally heard and accepted.
WholeHeart offers the gift of light
so I can find my way back to myself,
With a group of wonderful souls to welcome me
Without any expectations about how I show up
With sincerity, humility, respect, understanding,
Freedom from judgement
WholeHeart offers the gift of old friends,
And friends yet to make
Cultivating, welcoming connections
To be in community as our whole selves.
The gift of listening and openness
To myself and each other.
To find my own footing in the company of others
Dreaming that all beings learn to do this.
A place, a community, a ritual,
A time to reflect and to go deep together
And find the way the nautilus shell
decompresses when coming up from the depths.
When I enter WholeHeart experiences,
I come back into the place where my feet are.
Collectively woven together by:
Cameron (Craftsbury, VT); Jeanie (Burlington VT - the unceded territory of the Abenaki people ); Winton (Madison, WI); Tony (Vermont); Shelly (Colorado); Mary, (Indian Lake, NY); Audrey Elkridge, (Maryland); Suzanne, (Silver Lake, NH); Paula (South Range, WI); Trish (Greensboro, VT); Rob, (Cape Cod, MA); Jen (Burlington, VT); Wendy (St. Louis , MO); Rae (Plainfield, VT); Meredith (Elmore, VT); Jenny (Hanover NH); Veronica (Middlebury, VT); Rachel (Boston); Nate (Burlington, VT); Susan (Montpelier); Holly (Richmond, VT); Nancy (Greensboro, VT); Jo (Seattle, WA); Danielle (Cohasset MA); Jason (Burlington, VT); Steph (Chicago, IL); Connie (Dallas, TX); Stella (Lenape land Inwood NYC); Tara Reynolds (Mi’kima’ki - Nova Scotia); Elizabeth (Richmond, VT); Margaret (Berkeley, CA); Natanya (Burlington VT); Bev (Thetford Center, VT); Consie (Manchester VT); Carol (North Hero VT); Ben (Winooski, VT); Dave (Richmond, VT); Tony (Cleveland OH, on land that was the Council Bluffs for tribes from the Great Lakes to meet with tribes from the Ohio and Mississippi river systems); Marissa (PA); Walter (VT).
With gratitude for this community of practice! May we all keep exploring our inner and our interconnected voices and stories to weave a world where everyone is welcomed, listened to, and celebrated - wholeheartedly! Keep reflecting, remembering, connecting...