Do you feel like you are moving faster than you want to most of the time?

How could slowing down, even for two hours, support your well-being?

Savoring Time is a (nearly) monthly mini-retreat

for you to slow down and soften,

delight your senses, and

reflect in community.

In every Savoring Time mini-retreat, we’ll engage the senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Savoring Time is an invitation to soft savoring for your whole being.

The theme for April is Showers of Water

This mini-retreat happens 10 times in 2024, usually the second Sunday of the month. Each month has a different theme. All 2024 dates below.

Want to attend all or most Savoring Time mini-retreats?

When you register for a package of 5, your 5th mini-retreat is 50% off!

April 14 September 8

May 19 (3rd Sunday) October 13

June 9 November 10

(no retreat in July) December 8

August 11

The exchange for Savoring Time is $44. If you prefer to pay via Venmo (@hartcommunication), check, or cash, use the code PAYLATER. If the cost is prohibitive, scholarship funds may be available.

Want to attend 5 of the remaining 8 Savoring Time mini-retreats? Click the button below and get a 10% discount for registering for them all at once!

Many of us feel the divisiveness of our time. We long to have honest, bridge-building conversations and yet when we try, we often end up frustrated, angry, dismayed.

What are ways to maintain connection so that both parties have a chance to speak honestly and be heard?

How do we move from “us” and “them” to a greater sense of shared vision?

This 2-hour training introduces a framework to express yourself with clarity, authenticity and understanding during challenging conversations-  at home, in the workplace, or anywhere else.

The workshop includes:

• An outline of the framework

• Introduction of strategies

• Modeling of the practice

• Skills and resources to use immediately

These strategies opens possibilities for win-win outcomes.  The training is perfect for individuals wanting tools to connect across divides, whether personal or ideological; teams wanting a common framework for communication; and anyone else wanting to cultivate greater connection in conversations.

This workshop is offered through the Justice Center of All Peoples Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

The registration fee is $40. If this is a burden for you, please contact Rus Funk of the Justice Center, justicecenter@allpeoplesuu.com.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

- Rumi

We live in a time of deep divisions where ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, good and bad, strong binaries without space for nuance and complexity, dominate the way we speak interact with one another. Shame, blame, judgment, and criticism are all around us and we’ve likely internalized these and now turn them on ourselves.

Are you longing to move away from the dominant paradigms?

What would our world look and feel like if we oriented ourselves to a different way of being?

Meeting in the field beyond wrongdoing and rightdoing, we practice opening our hearts more widely and bringing greater discernment into the way we speak with (and about) ourselves and others. Compassionate Communication offers tools and skills for the practice.

In this four-week course, you will begin to learn the art and practice of Compassionate Communication, as developed by Marshall Rosenberg. The primary goal of Compassionate Communication is mindful connection with yourself and others, so that everyone’s needs can be honored and addressed. As with any practice, you’ll have leaps forward, stumbles, successes, mistakes, and, with some self-reflection, lots of learning.

This class, focused both on self-connection and connection with others, is highly participatory with an emphasis on practice. Each week focuses on one of the four central aspects of Compassionate Communication, observation, feelings, needs, and requests, and you will practice different skills centered on the themes:

• Introduction and Observations beneath Observations: What is Compassionate Communication and what are we not seeing when we look?

• Honoring Feelings: How can we tap into the wisdom of our feelings?

• Noticing Needs: How can we cultivate awareness and appreciation of our needs?

• Making Requests to Meet Needs: How can we make requests to meet our needs?

This was my first class in Compassionate Communication, and I found it very valuable and enlightening. It is really paradigm shifting to talk about needs and requests rather "principles" and what people "should do." And even more importantly to take time and care in talking through our differences and hurts to find the connections.

-Judi J., Louisville, KY.

The most useful tools to bring to class will be curiosity, openness, and humility. A notebook and pen are also handy!

This four-week class is offered via Zoom. Classes are on Tuesdays: April 9, 16, 23, and 30, 4:30-6:30pm ET.

The standard contribution for this class is $180. The standard rate is eligible for an early bird rate of $165 for those registering by March 31, 2024.

You are invited to contribute more if you are able:

• Support Level 1, which supports Cory’s sustainability

• Support Level 2, which supports those with fewer resources to attend

• If you struggle to meet your basic needs, choose the Scholarship Level; there are two scholarship spots available. For every Support Level 2 registration, another Scholarship Level registration will open up.

If you’d like to pay in installments or to pay offine, please contact Cory here before registering.

Want more information and guidance on choosing a contribution level? Visit my Considering Money and Contribution page.

Do you feel like you are moving faster than you want to most of the time?

How could slowing down, even for two hours, support your well-being?

Savoring Time is a (nearly) monthly mini-retreat

for you to s l o w d o w n and soften,

delight your senses, and

reflect in community.

These mini-retreats are intentionally small, limited to 12 participants. In every Savoring Time gathering, we engage the senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Savoring Time is an invitation to soft savoring for your whole being.

The theme for March is Planting Seeds.

This mini-retreat happens 10 times in 2024, usually the second Sunday of the month. Each month has a different theme. All 2024 dates below.

March 10 August 11

April 14 September 8

May 19 (3rd Sunday) October 13

June 9 November 10

(no July gathering) December 8

The exchange for Savoring Time is $44. If you prefer to pay via Venmo (@hartcommunication), check, or cash, use the code PAYLATER. If the cost is prohibitive, scholarship funds may be available.

Want to attend all or most Savoring Time mini-retreats?

When you register for a package of 5, your 5th mini-retreat is 50% off!

Register for the remaining 9 and get 90% off the 9th mini-retreat!

Join us on March 9 for spiritual healers, mystical vendors and experiences. SWS is hosted in-person on the beautiful grounds of Foxhollow Farm! Saturdays with Spirit is not just an event; it’s a celebration of community, spirituality, and holistic healing. Rooted in our mission to foster connections, our space is a canvas for exploration, where the human spirit and our esteemed healers & vendors alike find room to flourish.

We extend a heartfelt invitation for you to join us in your fullest being and brightest light! From the moment you step into our space, you are embraced by a sense of belonging and warmth. Everyone is not just welcomed; they are celebrated. Our community is a vibrant tapestry of connections, forming a circle of like-minded individuals eager to explore the realms of spirituality each month. We are thrilled with anticipation to welcome you into this space, to share, to grow, and to create magical moments together. Embrace the journey and embrace the light 🌈✨

The doors swing open at 8:50am, kicking off a day full of magic! Appointments are up for grabs from 9am to 11am when the doors unlock. At 11am, get ready to sign up for the next wave of enchantment from 11am to 1pm. 

Please note: Most healer services are cash only. Change cannot be made for $100 bills.

For more information, visit the Saturdays with Spirit webpage.

Does it feel like time is moving faster than you want it to?

Do you feel like you are moving faster than you want to most of the time?

Savoring Time is a (nearly) monthly mini-retreat

for you to slow down,

delight your senses, and

reflect in community.

In every Savoring Time mini-retreat, we’ll engage the senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Savoring Time is an invitation to soft savoring for your whole being.

February’s inaugural mini-retreat theme is LOVE.

This mini-retreat will happen 10 times in 2024, usually the second Sunday of the month. Each month will have a different theme. All 2024 dates below.

Register for the first 5 or ALL 10 for a 10% discount.

February 11 August 11

March 10 September 8

April 14 October 13

May 19 (3rd Sunday) November 10

June 9 December 8

The Standard Rate is $44. If you prefer to pay via Venmo (@hartcommunication), check, or cash, use the code PAYLATER. If the cost is prohibitive, scholarship funds may be available.

Want to attend the first 5 or ALL 10 Savoring Time mini-retreats? Click the button below and get a 10% discount for registering for them all at once!

Many of us deeply feel the divisiveness of our time. We long to have bridge-building conversations and yet when we try, we often end up frustrated, angry, dismayed. We want to be true to our values and to have fruitful conversations; sometimes it feels impossible to do both. 

What are ways to maintain connection so that both parties have a chance to speak honestly and be heard?

How do we move from “us” and “them” to a greater sense of shared vision?

How do we cultivate win-win conversations?

This 2-hour training introduces a framework to express yourself with clarity, authenticity and understanding during challenging conversations- at home, in the workplace, or anywhere else. 

The training includes:

• An outline of the framework

• Introduction of strategies 

• Modeling of the practices

• Discussion 

These strategies open possibilities for win-win outcomes. The training is perfect for individuals wanting tools to connect across divides, whether personal or ideological; teams wanting a common framework for communication; and anyone else wanting to cultivate greater connection in conversations. 

This workshop is offered by the Nazareth Retreat Center and registration is through the Nazareth website. Cost of the training is $40. Some scholarships available.

You and your partner love each other.

Even so, there are times when one or both of you don't show up in the way you'd like to when you’re communicating. You may find yourself falling back into patterns from your family of origin or speaking in ways that at one time served you, but no longer do.

You want to show up fully - in connection with yourself and your partner, in integrity, and with clarity. But you may not know how or wish you had a few more tools in your emotional intelligence toolkit.

Compassionate Communication offers skills and tools to cultivate connection and care for yourself and your partner, even when you are experiencing conflict.

In this 2-hour introductory workshop you will:

• learn the basic framework of Compassionate Communication that you can begin to apply immediately

• explore the connection between feelings and needs

• differentiate between demands, demands disguised as requests, and requests

• practice using the tools with guidance and support

This workshop will be in person in a home in Clifton. There are cats in the house. Address will be shared at registration. The workshop is limited to 6 couples.

From a previous participant:

I found it extremely valuable to have access to a workshop that I could invite my husband to in a group setting. It was inspiring to have other men there sharing and talking about their feelings. What a beautiful way to be in community. Thank you so much, Cory!!!

Pre-registration is required*. The Standard Rate is $70 per couple. If you prefer to pay via Venmo (@hartcommunication), use the code PAYOFFLINE and send payment. You will be considered registered once you’ve paid. If the cost is prohibitive, scholarship funds may be available.

If you prefer to pay offline or are in need of scholarship assistance, please contact Cory using the button below before registering.

*Registration is non-refundable, but may be transferred to someone else if you register and are not able to make it.

Are you ready for a fresh start in 2024?

Would you like an opportunity to see where you are- what your personal starting line is as you begin the year?

Do you understand things better when you can see them?

Mapping Life: Moving Forward in 2024 offers a Compassionate Communication framework to clearly see your starting point as you begin the year and consider how you want to move through the year. The workshop will include a guided meditation, short teaching of the framing, and guidelines to create your map. Then you’ll have ample time to work, looking at where you are and beginning to make plans for steps you want to take in the coming year so that you thrive!

Through this visual mapping you will:

• see more clearly where you are now

• understand the needs and values that you want to tend to in 2024

• make plans for action steps to meet those needs, noting steps you can take on your own and where/how you can get support

Toward the end of the second hour, you will have a chance to hear and share insights discovered during the process. You’ll also receive guiding questions for further reflection.

This in-person workshop includes all supplies and light refreshements and will be hosted at the beautiful Ace Esthetics in the Highlands. Registration is limited to 12 people.

The Standard Contribution Level is $55. The Pay-It-Forward Contribution Level is $70 (this contribution level supports scholarships for this or future events). The Scholarship Contribution Level (limited in number) is $35. Please consider mindfully what you are able to contribute.

Want guidance on choosing a contribution level? Read more here.

This workshop has an online partner workshop, Mapping Life: Looking Back at 2023, on December 28, 2023 at 7:00pm ET.

Sign up for both for a 20% discount!

Would you like fresh perspective on the last year?

Will consciously closing the year help you to move into the new year with a clean slate?

Do you understand things better when you can see them?

Mapping Life: Looking Back on 2023 offers a Compassionate Communication framework for examining the past year more closely. The workshop will include a guided meditation, short teaching of the framing, and guidelines to create your map. Then you’ll have ample time to work on your map, looking back over the year and seeing where you want to consciously close the year and where you want to practice openness in 2024.

Through this visual mapping you will:

• see more clearly the places you experienced abundance and scarcity in 2023

• understand the needs and values that have motivated you to action or depleted you of energy

• begin to explore ways you can address needs that are not currently being met

This workshop will be recorded. The recording will be available for 2 weeks after the workshop.

The Standard Contribution Level is $44. The Pay-It-Forward Contribution Level is $59 (this contribution level supports scholarships for this or future events). The Scholarship Contribution Level (limited in number) is $29. Please consider mindfully what you are able to contribute.

Want guidance on choosing a contribution level? Read more here.

This workshop has an in-person partner workshop, Mapping Life: Moving Forward in 2024, on January 1, 2024 at 2:00pm ET. You may choose to attend one or both workshops.

Sign up for both for a 20% discount!

Gratitude practices are central to many spiritual traditions. Scientific studies show that they give us a spiritual boost AND enhance our physical and psychological well-being.

Join me in using a Compassionate Communication framework to delve into and visually map the gifts your life has given you!

Many of us have strong feelings and reactions to the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israelis and the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestinians. We may have friends and family in the area that heighten these emotions.  We may have questions we don’t know how or where to ask and emotions (our own and others’) we don’t know how to hold with care. 

On Sunday, November 12, we invite you to gather with Rus Funk and Cory Lockhart to intentionally create a space where we “hold each other” mindfully and with care as we express our emotions, questions, and concerns. This gathering is meant to be an intentionally brave space where people can share their experiences and responses to the violence.* 

This is a free in-person event (donations accepted, not expected). Registration is required so that facilitators can plan appropriately.

*NOTE: This is not meant to be a debate, a “Question and Answer” session, or a place where anyone is expected to choose sides.

Trauma-informed facilitators Rus Funk, the Director of the Justice Center, and Cory Lockhart, a Nonviolent Communication trainer, bring their experiences in Israel and Palestine to open space for community-building conversations. 

Join us on November 11 for spiritual healers, mystical vendors and experiences. SWS is hosted in-person on the beautiful grounds of Foxhollow Farm! The main event is all indoors but as the beauty of the farm uplifts you, you are welcome to venture out and explore the nature trail, the stone circle and much more. Below you’ll find of images of healers and vendors. Come enjoy a day of healing, visit the mystical vendors and enjoy the different experiences we will be offering.

Doors open at 8:50 am EST to grab your beautiful session! This event is walk-in only, appointments are not accepted. Event is 9am EST – 1pm EST. Please note: Most healer services are cash only. Change cannot be made for $100 bills.

For more information, visit the Saturdays with Spirit webpage.

Are there parts of you longing for care and connection?

Do you sometimes hesitate to bring your whole self into certain scenarios?

Come and re-member all of who you are.

Allow yourself time to slow down and connect through meditation, journaling, and creative play.

You are encouraged to bring a journal.  All other supplies will be provided.

This mini-retreat is offered by the Nazareth Retreat Center and registration is through the Nazareth website. Cost of the training is $40. Some scholarships available.