Creative Self-Expression

[*Brian is facilitating this week*] The Jungian shadow is an unconscious, hidden archetype representing the repressed, inferior, or disowned aspects of the personality. It contains socially unacceptable impulses, such as anger, greed, and selfishness, but can also include unlived positive traits and creative potential. -Wikipedia **QUOTES**: "One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." "Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is." "That which you most need will be found where you least want to look." -Carl Jung **QUESTION**: Do you agree that "*that which you most need will be found where you least want to look*"? Why or why not? Why do you not want to look there? \-\-\-\-\- ***“I am struck with how rare it is to find a few good friends on the path. It is easy to find people who simply want to sit and be entertained by teachers, or who want to sit and entertain by playing the role of teacher. In other words, the quest for affirmation often outweighs the quest for truth.*** ***Yet you may have one or two good friends, and definitely have one or two waiting to be discovered. Find them; be thankful.”*** ***— Shawn Nevins*** 'What will make me happy in life?' ... 'Am I my thoughts?' ... 'What is Enlightenment?' ... We meet every week to ask questions like these in the pursuit of Self-Knowledge and Truth. We are interested in topics like: Zen, stoicism, spirituality, psychology, mindfulness, Nisargadatta, non-violent communication, Socrates, existential philosophy, Alan Watts, taoism, Eckhart Tolle, meditation, Ramana Maharshi, etc. But we are not affiliated with any dogma, philosophy, or religion. Our goal each meeting is to serve as mirrors for one another using question-based inquiry in a safe environment. In a session, every participant takes turns discussing the week's question or topic, and the group asks reflective questions without any agenda besides trying to understand the person's beliefs. A few other guiding principles of our group: * No one is obligated to share * Be honest with yourself and others * Do not try to convince others to believe or think as you do * Keep the focus on the person being questioned We meet at the [Bethesda Library](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GWMozF8zpY1m1PY26) every Monday. The library is a 5 minute walk from the Bethesda Metro on the Red Line, approx 25 minute Metro ride from Metro Center and Gallery Place stations. The library has a a parking lot with metered parking for $1/hour. \*\*\* WE WILL BE IN MEETING ROOM 3 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED ----- THE MEETING ROOM IS IN THE BACK OF THE LIBRARY \*\*\* Please contact us with any questions!

Join us for a writing workshop! Please submit your pieces to our Google Drive folder here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Fs6SX-XO5kRk6uPAJzvgDY3PpmvHPtyE?usp=drive_link When entering submissions, please consider the following guidelines: 1\. Keep submissions to approximately 2\,000 words\, maximum 2\. Consider adding a brief Author's Note to introduce your work and let us know what kind of feedback you are looking for 3\. Please ensure that your submission is appropriate for a general audience and include trigger warnings as necessary 4\. Try to post your submission by Saturday or Sunday at the latest so that people have time to read it before the event\. If you are coming to participate in Workshop, please read the submissions in the folder by Monday evening and prepare your feedback! We will aim to discuss each piece in the submission folder, although some pieces may be pushed to the following workshop if time runs short. Feel free to add your notes as comments on the document itself, write them up in a separate file, or jot them down so that you can provide them to the writer.

The Russian Novelist's semiautobiographical novel set in a Soviet cancer ward shortly after Stalin's death One of the great allegorical masterpieces of world literature, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's Cancer Ward is both a deeply compassionate study of people facing terminal illness and a brilliant dissection of the cancerous Soviet police state. Cancer Ward, which has been compared to the masterpiece of another Nobel Prize winner, The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, examines the relationship of a group of people in the cancer ward of a provincial Soviet hospital in 1955, two years after Stalin's death. While the experiences of the central character, Oleg Kostoglotov, closely reflect the author's own―Solzhenitsyn became a patient in a cancer ward in the mid-1950s, on his release from a labor camp, and later recovered―the patients, as a group, represent a remarkable cross section of contemporary Russian characters and attitudes, both under normal circumstances and then reexamined at the eleventh hour of illness. A seminal work from one of the most powerful voices in twentieth century literature, Cancer Ward offers an extraordinary portrait of life in the Soviet Union.

**Rockville Science Center Chess Night and Lessons by FIDE Master Luke** **Time/Date: Monday evening, 6:30 to 9:00 PM** Join us as FIDE Master Luke delivers a chess lecture with notes. He begins teaching at 7:15pm. **Location: RSC "Storefront" Location,** 36C, Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850 **Parking:** First two hours free at Parking Garage "A", 20 Maryland Ave #450, Rockville, MD 20850 * Casual Chess - Everyone is welcome. * You do not have to know how to play chess(!!!!) * Chess sets available on a first come - basis. * Wonderful chess sets provided, BYOC (bring your own clock) Host: Howard Lichtman More information about the RSC is at https://www.rockvillesciencecenter.org/

📅 March 23–29, 2026 Get ready for an unforgettable experience in Thailand with Afro Elevate 💛 This curated group trip is all about soft life, connection, culture, and unforgettable memories with an amazing group of women. From stunning beaches to vibrant nightlife, cultural experiences, and aesthetic moments you’ll never forget, this trip is designed to give you the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure. ✨ What to expect: • Luxury hotel stay + beautiful accommodations • Curated group activities + excursions • Beach clubs, island vibes, and photo-worthy moments • Cultural experiences + local exploration • Time to relax, reset, and enjoy Thailand This event is for the ladies who have already secured their spots to: • See trip updates/photos • Leave a review after the experience 💛 Your feedback helps Afro Elevate grow and allows future travelers to feel confident booking their own experience ✨ Thank you all for being part of this journey. Thailand is about to be AMAZING 🇹🇭🌴✨

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Digital Device Detox,”** a guide to breaking free from the addictive and destructive powers of social media and apps, with Jillian Tucker, licensed clinical social worker in private practice, adjunct professor of clinical social work at Columbia University and New York University, and therapist with nearly 15 years of experience in addiction treatment and behavioral change. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-digital-detox]( https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-digital-detox) .] Many of us have had the same experience: We’re trying to get things done and stay focused on the positive in our lives, but we can’t stop looking at a cell phone that tells us that we live in troubled times, that everyone else is better looking and having more fun, and that escape awaits in the worlds of Candy Crush or Pokémon Go. Maybe it’s time to find effective ways to loosen the grip of that cell phone and rediscover the happiness that comes with using digital devices less. Join Jillian Tucker, who previously has given several excellent Profs and Pints talks related to mental health, for a crash course on how to restore balance in your relationship with digital devices to ensure they’re simply tools you use rather than instruments through which other people use you. She’ll start by discussing social and mental-health trends connected to the use of digital devices. We’ll delve into the specific ways that their overuse can be biologically and psychologically harmful and leads to division, depression, anxiety and anguish on an individual and societal level. Professor Tucker also will look at why digital habits are hard to break, citing neuroscience and what we know about behavioral addiction. You’ll learn the many ways in which devices and apps are deliberately designed to be hard to stop using. You won’t be urged to just chuck your cell phone, though. After all, such devices can keep you socially connected, be sources of joy and learning, and even save your life if you need to summon help in an emergency. Instead, we’ll look at effective strategies for reducing digital device use, considering approaches that treat the overuse of such devices as “addiction” but moving beyond them to consider more nuanced ones as well. We’ll explore how to find our core motivation to change and how to carry out a change plan. We’ll consider how those who failed in past attempts to reduce digital-device use can overcome impasses in their effort to change their behavior. We’ll discuss ways to minimize the feelings of inconvenience and withdrawal that might come with reducing digital-device use, and we’ll discuss strategies for regaining the social skills and reviving the in-person strategies that our device use had compromised. You’ll learn how the same conditioning and power of habit that got us using our devices so much more also can be harnessed to help us use them much less. You’ll learn how to curate and enhance the positive aspects of digital devices, to help maintain them as a source of connection, joy, humor and learning and keep them from causing you unhappiness or stress. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Photo by Japanexperterna (Creative Commons).

Ready for an overnight retreat? Our weekend retreats are a great place to start if you’ve established a mindfulness practice or taken a mindfulness class and you’re ready to take it to the “next level.” A weekend retreat is also a wonderful way to renew and refresh a long-standing practice. Our lives as mindfulness practitioners deepen when we’re ready to enter into the sustained practice of retreat. This residential retreat will be held mostly in silence at the beautiful [Samish Island Campground and Retreat Center](https://www.campsamish.org/) and will include a series of gently guided mindfulness practices including sitting meditation, walking meditation, gentle yoga, and the body scan. Informative talks on the process of being on retreat, mindfulness, stress reactivity, and other topics will be presented by the instructor. Small and large group discussion at the beginning and end of the weekend will center around our experience together walking, sitting, and breathing in the quiet of the beautiful retreat site. ### SCHEDULE DETAILS * Starts Friday with 4pm – 5pm check in followed by dinner and an orientation, after which we will begin our silence. * Saturday is a full day of silent practice (6:30am to 8:30pm with breaks after the meals). * Sunday is a short morning practice period, followed by breakfast and closing activities. * The retreat concludes at about noon on Sunday after cabin clean up, with a sack lunch provided for the road. **LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE:** [https://mindfulnessnorthwest.com/events/spring-weekend-retreat-samish-mar-27-26-tim/](https://mindfulnessnorthwest.com/events/spring-weekend-retreat-samish-mar-27-26-tim/) ### LOCATION [Samish Island Campground and Retreat Center](https://mindfulnessnorthwest.com/venues/samish-island-campground-and-retreat-center/) ### COST **$355 - $635** (or $89 - $159/month) * **[Sliding scale](https://mindfulnessnorthwest.com/about/program-policies/#sliding-scale-fees):** Choose what’s right for you. * **Payment plan option:** 4-months, no-interest. * **Limited scholarships available:** No need to apply; just choose a scholarship tuition during registration. * **Lodging:** Rustic cabin is included in reservation. Optional upgrade to E-cabin at registration.

Hey Poetry Lovers! This group is on a roll. Here’s the gist: We meet at the **Capital One Café in Chinatown** from **12pm - 2pm** every other week. For enrichment, we start by reading and reflecting on a **“published poem”**, suggested by someone in the group. No advance preparation is necessary. But feel free to check out some of the poems we’ve read [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSyE_wCLQCPHRrKmN5F9tOIeeRQUZESxjRXGVBoCF2uU8Gm0_d0uECiCBCQXEy6ksxfsBOhtRIOpW3T/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true&widget=true&headers=false%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E). Or submit suggestions for future meetings [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexGc2Z2Kp6bZW0D3_hfJ7NUUkfNHf7TXX-43FglCeBd9EF2Q/viewform?usp=send_form). Next, we **share our work and offer feedback**. Depending on attendance, everyone gets \~10 minutes to use as they like. (No need to share, though; you’re welcome to come even if you prefer just to listen.) We maintain a **Discord server** to help share our work and communicate outside our bi-weekly meet-ups. If you haven’t used Discord before, take a moment to download it and create an account before arriving. When we meet you on Saturday, we will add you to our server, the “DC Poetry Workshop”, and can help you navigate the app if you have questions. Finally, if you plan on sharing a poem, consider how you will do so. Some options include: * Print 5-10 copies to distribute in person * Take and share screenshots in the Discord chat. * Copy the poem into a google doc, change sharing settings to “anyone with link”, and copy the google doc link into the Discord chat. Most importantly, we’re excited to meet you! Catch you on Saturday, Diego / Ian / Cayden / Nate / Otasha / Lia / An

Discover the path to stress management, life's tranquility, and self-improvement through Heartfulness Meditation. Embrace relaxation, meditation, and emotional detoxification practices to unlock your best self. Join our free sessions every Wednesday at 730 PM at MD. Experience the profound benefits of these simple yet powerful practices. Commit to a few months of meditation and witness the transformative impact firsthand. We eagerly await your presence at these enlightening sessions.

This is a **four-part community art workshop series**, where participants will collaborate to create a **public artwork that will be exhibited in May**. Participants are required to attend **all four workshops**. Please **sign up using the link below first**, and then **RSVP on the Meetup group**. [https://forms.gle/kdKdZ91zZYcrBgGC9](https://forms.gle/kdKdZ91zZYcrBgGC9) **Community Member Call: Public Art Project** Your story becomes public art. Art in Daily Spaces 2026 invites you to join a community-based public art project where you don’t need to be a professional artist to join. No prior exhibition experience required. If you’re curious, creative, and open to collaboration, you are welcome. Journey of Belonging explores themes of movement, home, identity, roots, and connection. Together, we will share stories, create art, and transform everyday space into a meaningful public installation. **Who Can Join** • Anyone interested in art and community • No professional art background required • Local residents, emerging creatives - all are welcome **This Project Is For You If ...** • You have ever wondered, “Can I be part of an art exhibition?” • You want to turn personal or community stories into art • You enjoy creating with people, not just for yourself **Workshop Venue & Schedule** Four-Session Community Art Workshop Series **John Calvin Presbyterian Church** **(6531 Columbia Pike, Annandale VA 22003)** **• Saturday, March 28, 1-3 PM** **• Sunday, March 29, 1-3 PM** **• Monday, March 30, 7-9 PM** **• Tuesday, March 31, 7-9 PM** "Your journey matters. Your presence creates belonging."

Discover the path to stress management, life's tranquility, and self-improvement through Heartfulness Meditation. Embrace relaxation, meditation, and emotional detoxification practices to unlock your best self. Join our free sessions every Sunday at 8 AM and Wednesday at 7 / 7:30 PM at various centers in MD and VA. Experience the profound benefits of these simple yet powerful practices. Commit to a few months of meditation and witness the transformative impact firsthand. We eagerly await your presence at these enlightening sessions.

Dive into a transformative experience at our Be Yourself Dance Fitness: Hip hop, Latin dance, African, Bollywood, a FUSION of World Dance! Come feel the vibes!! Awaken Your Spirit. [Come share your love for dance, movement, and spirituality where you will BU & LIVE ALIVE, step outside of your zone, align your chakras through rhythmic expression. Explore the connection between movement and consciousness as we guide you through sound healing sessions and exercises to enhance your spiritual awakening. ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNYX9RVF)Whether you are new to chakras or a seasoned practitioner, Be Yourself Dance Fitness offers something for everyone. Connect with like-minded individuals in a welcoming environment focused on love, happiness, and self-discovery. This event is perfect for those interested in exploring the intersection of dance, spirituality, and fitness. Let go of inhibitions, unleash your creativity, and elevate your mind, body, and soul. Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a journey towards holistic well-being and self-realization. Bring bottle of Water and plenty of attitude. The Event is Free , However, We accept donations $Cash APP $BU314 Venmo: Wayne-Christopher-8

Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, March 25 at Streetlight Guild. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. **SCHEDULE:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. **BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.

This is an in-person meeting. Would you like to know the Real You, not just a shadow of yourself? Does your life energy feel somehow trapped within? Does your self-confidence get easily shaken? Do you get in the way of your own goals? We will discuss the real source of all this, what holds you back in life, and how to handle it so you can achieve more successful and happier living. Perhaps you get weighed down with negative emotions you can't seem to shrug off. Or find yourself doing strange and irrational things - not really being yourself. We will cover why that is and tools that work to help you unearth your self, your self-confidence and motivation. This meeting will help you learn about how to effectively overcome: -Out-of-control unwanted emotions -Low self-esteem -Anxiety -Negativity -Stress -Irrational fears -Traumatic or painfully emotional incidents -Breakups -Betrayals -Feeling like you're not really yourself -Self-doubt... We will discuss how to unleash the inner you and tap into your true potential. So come to this online meetup! This meeting is sponsored by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation of Central Ohio

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!

Join us for this free, in person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships. Do you want more motivation and confidence to build lasting relationships? Are you burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse. Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival, while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well. Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship. Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action? Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships! Break free from self imposed limitations Here we will discuss: • How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes. • Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you? • Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it? • Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love? • Fights & arguments - what's really behind them? • What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others? • How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change? • Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them? • How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about? • How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career? Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general. Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person. Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life. We look forward to having you join us! This class is held at the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington. The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo. Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine. We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you. The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly. Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome. The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit. Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times. Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have. Happy writing!

Communication is everything in life You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024