In the midst of worry, deaths, and vaccines in this year of the pandemic, we have found buoyancy in community story-sharing. Welcoming people to show up as they are — with whatever they are holding, experiencing and questioning has become a weekly ritual. Sharing our lives with one another cross pollinates possibility to navigate both grief and gratitude. We wish to share one story-seed with you - to remind you that while you may never know the impact of your showing up in small, big, and authentic ways - you contribute to the whole.

One of WholeHeart's core values is listening - based on seeing how little we listen to one another - and how many ways there are to listen and know. The upcoming book, The Gatherings: Reimagining Indigenous-Settler Relations, offers a glimpse into what is required to listen our way into authentic relationships across cultural and historic divisions of harm. The Gatherings is a touchstone for what is possible beyond the walls of a retreat - in the landscape of community where settlers might learn to listen beyond agendas and doctrines. We are pleased to invite Shirley Hager, author of The Gatherings (along with thirteen Indigenous and non-Native co-authors), to share a bit of this journey, with the hope that these voices spark your own listening practices on and with the homelands where you dwell.

In celebration of WholeHeart’s 7th Birthday, community came together to listen, connect across circles, and wish one another well into the year ahead. And we offer a community poem that was created by sharing reflections in the WholeHeart Community Birthday Gathering…

We have each taken time to reflect on the gifts of these cross-pollinating circles. We paused to listen and then create. Here is our collective braid of gratitude to you - reflecting the gifts threaded among and between WholeHearted circles and conversations this year.

As WholeHeart steps into hosting the 21st year of the Living Courage Cohort, we thought we’d share a participant’s learnings from the past year. Stacy Raphael offers her voice - written and musical - as she reflects about her evolving roles and perspective in the world. Stacy speaks about the courage it takes to step into difficult and messy conversations within herself and in the classroom; navigating racism and healing; weaving the personal, professional and political together; and finding purpose and responsibility in the healing process. Be sure to listen to her song!

As the ground shifts under us, so many of us are looking for connection at the heart level. WholeHeart offers space to nourish humanity in community. It is in finding ways to cultivate relational trust that we remember what we stand for and what we stand with.

Be + longing = belonging.

Here are some voices from the WholeHeart community that speak to the journey of weaving a sense of belonging in these divisive times.