Orlando Stoics

Plato's Cave and UU Inquiring Minds have invited StoicDan to present "Shoshin - The Beginner's Mind" this Sunday morning at 9AM. This is a one-time lecture. Shoshin is the Zen Buddhist term for “beginner’s mind”. It means to be open-minded and eager to learn. In today’s world, shoshin can help us become less fearful and to approach challenges with a positive attitude. Also, shoshin can prevent closed-mindedness and bias, which we've discussed on past Sundays. Most importantly, in a pandemic, shoshin can help us enjoy life with continual learning - it's a sort of “play”. Join us this Sunday as StoicDan takes us back to where the term shoshin began. The Zen Buddhist Monk Shunryu Suzuki first wrote about it in his book "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" in 1970. We hope you can attend, and possibly bring a friend. The presentation is 10-15 minutes, followed by an hour of discussion. Reading Material (Optional) Article: https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-cultivate-shoshin-or-a-beginners-mind Wikipedia summary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshin Zoom Info The meeting time is 9AM Eastern. CLICK TO START MEETING - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86390590096 If you don't have a computer with camera, you can also dial using a phone. Pick one of these numbers and add ID[masked]# [masked] US (Chicago) [masked] US (New York) [masked] US (Houston) [masked] US (San Jose) [masked] US [masked] US Like Orlando Stoics, this group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations. If we differ in our opinions, then "we agree to disagree". The long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions. This meeting is free and open to the public.

This is the field trip for Orlando Stoics on SECOND Sundays. It's free. Our meeting spot is the Baldwin Park fountain (near Gator's Dockside Restaurant). Then we walk around the lake "counter-clockwise" (walk down the steps to the lake, then go right, not left). If you're a little late, you can catch up to the group. This walking meditation is 2.6 miles around Lake Baldwin. It's about 1 hour. Plus, sometimes we chat afterwards. The meeting time is 6:00PM, so please be on time. We like to complete the walk before sunset. It's also a great time of day to walk. The temperatures are lower, and it's usually breezy around the lake. If the weather is cool, you might bring a sweater. Some of our friends may join from other local groups, so this will be fun. The other groups are called "Modern Buddhism" or "The Emerson & Thoreau Discussion Group". If you know of another group that's interested, please share this event with them. Please bring a water bottle. At the half-way mark, we have a bathroom break. Orlando Stoics usually has meetings that are structured conversations (with an outline), but this walking meditation is un-structured. So, you can discuss whatever topics you like, or you can walk silently. Directions - from the intersection of Colonial Drive and Bennett Road - go north on Bennett for 1/2 mile - turn right on New Broad Street and go to the end (less than 1 mile) - you'll see the fountain in the middle of the traffic circle - park nearby on the street or in the parking garage Google Maps - https://goo.gl/maps/nx3YkEjDMbA2 Parking - Free parking along all the nearby streets. Remember to observe parking signs and loading zones. This meetup is free.

This is the Monday night meeting for Orlando Stoics. It's online. This week, we will explore the Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza [masked]), and his views on nature, psychology, emotions, and the philosophy of love. This detailed (and long) article by Donald Robertson also covers important areas of coping with problems and premeditation of misfortunes. Spinoza agreed with some Stoic ideas, but differed on other areas. This will be a fascinating conversation! Reading Material As usual, I'll prepare an outline of discussion points, so you don't have to read or watch in advance. Article - https://medium.com/stoicism-philosophy-as-a-way-of-life/spinozas-philosophical-psychotherapy-94ff758f6f15 Bio - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_Spinoza Zoom Info The meeting time is 7PM Eastern, 6PM Central, 5PM Mountain. CLICK TO START MEETING - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82659560546 If you don't have a computer with camera, you can also dial using a phone. Pick one of these numbers and add ID[masked]# [masked] US (Chicago) [masked] US (New York) [masked] US (Houston) [masked] US (San Jose) [masked] US [masked] US Our group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations on Stoicism and how it relates to science, culture, philosophy, other belief systems, and even pop culture (books and movies). Sometimes "we agree to disagree", but the long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions. In general, Stoicism teaches us how to handle difficult people and events, how to avoid anger and worry, and overall to use moderation in all aspects of our lives. This meeting is free and open to the public.

This is the Friday night meeting for Orlando Stoics. We are meeting online. We will review 2 videos on the philosophy of TAOISM and the concept of WU WEI, then compare to Stoicism. Many common ideas here. This is going to be a fascinating conversation! For example, in Taoist philosophy, one desires to be like water and use gentle persistence. This is similar to a Stoic's idea of avoiding conflict and using reason. As usual, I'll prepare an outline of discussion points for the meeting, so you don't need to read or watch in advance. Reading material Video 1 - https://youtu.be/JtGtqmC5wU4 (11 minutes) Video 2 - https://youtu.be/NvZi7ZV-SWI (5 minutes) ZOOM Info CLICK TO START MEETING - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86559843870 The meeting time is 7PM Eastern, 6PM Central, 5PM Mountain. If you don't have a computer with camera or mic, then you can attend by telephone. Dial one of these numbers and add meeting ID[masked] # [masked] US (Chicago) [masked] US (New York) [masked] US (Houston) [masked] US (San Jose) [masked] US [masked] US In general, Stoicism teaches us how to handle difficult people and events, how to avoid anger and worry, and overall to use moderation in all aspects of our lives. We will discuss how Stoic practice can lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life. Our group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations on Stoicism and how it relates to science, culture, philosophy, other belief systems, and pop culture (books and movies). If we differ in our opinions, then "we agree to disagree". The long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions. Our group does NOT discuss religion or politics. This event is free and open to the public.