Erasmus

Come learn how money really works. We’ll cover how to grow it, protect it, get out of debt, and use smart retirement and infinite banking strategies to build long-term security.

For our January meeting, we will be discussing two works of Greek history, written by the most famous Greek historian of them all: Thucydides! These will be short excerpts from his grand recounting of the war between Athens and Sparta, *The Peloponnesian War.* The first excerpt is "The Funeral Oration" from Book 2, chapters 34-46. The second is "The Melian Debate" from Book 5, chapters 84-116. I will be reading from the modern translation by Martin Hammond, available [here](https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-peloponnesian-war-martin-hammond/c58be36e4fab629a), but feel free to use whichever edition you prefer. As usual, we will meet in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in the **205-B Accessibility Room**, located on the second floor. Ask at the Center for Accessibility front desk if you are looking for us. See you there!

Think you aren't flexible enough for yoga? Afraid to get onto the floor? Living with physical aches or restricted range of motion? Then this is the perfect yoga class for you! Explore your body's strengths in a fun, supportive environment while maintaining and growing your range of motion, flexibility, balance, strength, and sense of peace. All are welcome in this therapeutic class. Come ready to try new things, laugh, ask questions, and support each other. **Please reserve your spot at www.piesfitnessyoga.com.** The session is offered both InStudio and OnLine. The Zoom link for the OnLine session will be emailed 15 minutes before class starts to those who are registered at www.piesfitnessyoga.com. **Sign up for sessions must be made at least 2 hours prior to class.** The address is 1322 Prince St Alexandria, VA 22314. Our entrance is located on the side of the building, parallel to West St. **Street parking is available and additional parking is located at Shiloh Baptist church, spaces 3,5,7,9**. The church is located across the street from the studio, on the corner of Duke St. and West St. Discount is available to seniors, teachers, students, emergency responders, and military. All can save by purchasing class packs.

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

Think you aren't flexible enough for yoga? Afraid to get onto the floor? Living with physical aches or restricted range of motion? Then this is the perfect yoga class for you! Explore your body's strengths in a fun, supportive environment while maintaining and growing your range of motion, flexibility, balance, strength, and sense of peace. All are welcome in this therapeutic class. Come ready to try new things, laugh, ask questions, and support each other. **Please reserve your spot at www.piesfitnessyoga.com**. The session is offered both InStudio and OnLine. The Zoom link for the OnLine session will be emailed 15 minutes before class starts to those who are registered at www.piesfitnessyoga.com. **Sign up for sessions must be made at least 2 hours prior to class.** The address is 1322 Prince St Alexandria, VA 22314. Our entrance is located on the side of the building, parallel to West St. **Street parking is available and additional parking is located at Shiloh Baptist church, spaces 36,37,38,39.** The church is located across the street from the studio, on the corner of Duke St. and West St. Discount is available to seniors, teachers, students, emergency responders, and military. All can save by purchasing class packs.

Let's get together again and practice our Tarot card and pendulums. This is for beginners through advanced readers to practice their skills. Everyone will get to do a reading. There will be extra decks and pendulums if you do not have some. We will try different layouts and share our experiences. All fun! There will be another class starting at noon for the library if you want to stay and keep practicing. See you there! Shaman Phil

This meeting will be dedicated to talking about the entirety of “No Longer Human” by Osamu Dazai We will be meeting in the National Portrait Gallery Atrium. To stay up to date with events and discuss meetings or books, you can join our Whatsapp group. Please message me to get added.

Is there hidden value in the difficulties and hardships of life, or are these things just to try to get past as quickly as possible? If so, how can we emerge from the current world crisis we are facing as stronger, more resilient individuals and communities? When we look at the difficult moments of our lives, aren’t those often the times when we grew the most? So many valuable lessons in life and growth opportunities are hard-won, often coming out of these trying moments. So why are we so focused on avoiding these difficulties? From this perspective, how would we as individuals and as a society confront the inevitable struggles we will be faced with? How can we build stronger communities that ensure not only that we don’t have to face struggles alone, but that we as individuals will emerge stronger as well? Come join a different kind of conversation – one that welcomes every perspective in a search for the truths that unite us all – as we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’í Teachings on the opportunity for growth during times of struggle. Join us for a lively discussion as we reflect on the meaning of the struggles of life and explore the true nature of progress. *“The troubles of this world pass and what we have left is what we have made of our souls.”* – Bahá’í Teachings \*\*\* This event is free and open to all regardless of background or belief. Donations will not be accepted.

All, it is that time of year. Ground Hog day in the US, Badger Day in Germany and Candlemas to Catholics...La Chadeleur in France celebrated countrywide with Crepes. Come read the weather guides and make your own crepes. Sweet crepes obviously, maybe a few galettes. I will provide sweet and savory crepe batter. Please let us know what you will be bringing either as a filling for the crepes or a beverage of choice. Cidre bouche is the traditional drink of choice. And if you can flip your crepe one handed while holding a coin you are in for a year of good fortune! A Bientot!

*theme:* **Casual Group Psychoanalysis - healthy repression?** Psychoanalysis "unlocks the past, informs the present, and expands the future. video clips: **Psychoanalytic theory in 3 minutes** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucB1b6f750k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucB1b6f750k) **Psychoanalysis A Curiosity about the mind 6min** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcmVjQBF4MQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcmVjQBF4MQ) Psychoanalysis = a theory and practice treating symptoms and personality as **disguised compromises** around unconscious conflicts, using a structured relationship (transference) to make those patterns visible so you can **repeat less blindly** and **choose a bit more freely**. "Until you ***make the unconscious conscious***, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." Carl Jung \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Interpersonal Process Group** **Psychodynamic shared exploration, learning and growth** Interpersonal process groups focus on the interactions and dynamics between group members to facilitate personal growth and learning. These groups provide a courageous space for individuals to explore their interpersonal patterns, receive feedback, and develop more effective social skills. **The core principle is that the group itself becomes a microcosm of a member's real-life relationships, allowing for insights and behavioral changes.** Key aspects of interpersonal process groups: * **Exploration of Interpersonal Dynamics:** Members examine their communication styles, relationship patterns, and how they relate to others within the group. * **Feedback and Self-Awareness:** The group provides a platform for members to receive feedback on their behaviors and develop greater self-awareness. * **Development of Social Skills:** Members practice new ways of relating, communicating, and collaborating within the group, leading to improved social skills. * **Microcosm of Relationships:** The group mirrors real-life relationships, allowing members to observe and analyze their patterns in a safe and controlled setting. * **Personal Growth and Well-being:** Through these processes, individuals can experience significant personal growth and enhanced well-being. Benefits of participating in an interpersonal process group: * **Increased self-awareness:** Understanding one's own behavior and its impact on others. * **Improved communication skills:** Learning to communicate more effectively and assertively. * **Stronger relationships:** Developing more fulfilling and meaningful relationships. * **Reduced anxiety and stress:** Finding support and coping mechanisms for social challenges. * **Enhanced empathy and understanding:** Learning to see situations from others' perspectives. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Join us for an exciting meeting of personal growth as we delve deep into the realm of self-development. This meetup is designed for personal growth addicts like you who are eager to unlock their hidden potential and take charge of their lives. Don't miss this chance to meet fellow personal growth enthusiasts, share experiences, and learn from one another. Step into a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and transformation. Come prepared to engage in provocative conversations, share your opinions, wrestle with challenging ideas, and leave with a renewed sense of deeper meaning and learning. **Tentative Agenda:** 1:00pm Social, Setup & Introductions, guidelines, terminology; 1:15pm Interactive open dialogue conversation & sharing; 2:45pm debrief, summary, debrief 3:00pm finish **2nd Floor food court dining area** **Whole Foods Boro Tysons Corner** 1635 Boro Place McLean, VA 22102 **Whole Foods** is off Westpark Dr from Leesburg Pike (Rt 7) in Boro Tysons Corner McLean, VA off I-495 beltway exit 47. **The Food Court Dining area** is on the 2nd floor, look for comments for specific table area. Feel free to buy your own snacks or drinks.

It is irresistible, to enjoy a Spanish and Portuguese convo with appetizers, glass of wine and rail drinks. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via ([info@merevents.com](http://info@merevents.com)). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speakers\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \([info@merevents.com](http://info@merevents.com/)). We have a school and will arrange you a class. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

* **Explore or examine how we treat God’s creatures, other people, and ourselves** * **Learn new actions we can take, such as a new way of thinking or being** * **Open the heart to love and understanding** **Join us as we explore this topic at our next ECK Light and Sound Service. You will have the opportunity to share your insights with like-hearted individuals. We gladly welcome people of all faiths; feel free to invite friends and family. We look forward to seeing you in person or on Zoom.** **Attend in person at:** **The Maryland Eckankar Center** **1738 Elton Rd., Suite 104** **Silver Spring, MD 20903** **Join Zoom Meeting:** **[The ECK Light and Sound Service](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83425712995?pwd=GoEk28Hlj95P5PPbmoCem6GP7tHqlm.1)** **Meeting ID: 834 2571 2995** **Passcode: 403417** **Dial-In: 301-715-8592** **For more information:** **Call or text: (301) 439-2120** **[MEC@eckankarmaryland.org](mailto:MEC@eckankarmaryland.org)** **“The law of life known as the Law of Karma is the great teacher. As you sow, so shall ye reap. It’s not a vindictive law; it’s a law designed to open the heart to love and understanding.”** **—Harold Klemp, The Awakened Heart, p 89.** **Presented by the Maryland & D.C. Satsang Societies, Inc., chartered affiliates of ECKANKAR.** **Copyright © 2026 ECKANKAR. Terms ECKANKAR, ECK, EK, MAHANTA, SOULTRAVEL, and VARAIGI, among others, are trademarks of ECKANKAR, PO Box 2000, Chanhassen, MN 55317-2000 USA.**

❄️✨ Ya Tú S.A.B.E. Social ✨❄️ On St. Elmo 📍 4915 St Elmo Ave Bethesda MD 20814 Beginner Salsa on2 lesson from 9:30 to 10 PM with Trevor “El Morenito” Brown! Social dancing runs from 10 PM to 1 AM 🎶 Music by DJ Stephen Greene $15 for the lesson and social $10 for social only [Get tickets HERE!](https://elmorenito.ticketspice.com/ya-tu-sabe-jan-31st-2026?fbclid=IwRlRTSAPhH8xleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeq1GI7XVprxC_ArNzRXxwDoRj9xOOCUSTdkuJ0-iv5SbZPgS6K5NUyaITtkM_aem_hRBohO6JQrdKkFMqIvpujQ)

Dale Gnidovec, Curator of the Orton Hall Museum of Geology at The Ohio State University, will be presenting a program he has wanted to share with us for a long time: Plate Tectonics. His description of his program: Continents on the move - Nothing in Earth history makes sense without moving continents - it tells us why mountains, volcanoes, minerals, and fossils are where they are. This talk examines the evidence for continental drift, why it was disbelieved, and explains how the more-encompassing theory of plate tectonics was developed and eventually proven. Dale is an energetic, incredibly knowledgeable, and very entertaining speaker and this will be another wonderful program by Dale. Hope to see you there! Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration! This session is open forum to share your current projects—whether complete or in progress, it’s all interesting! Whether you’re deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, you’ll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired. This session will be at the Worthington Park Library in the Olentangy Meeting Room.

Join us for an interactive Bombay Gin Cocktail Class at TownHall — a fun, social experience designed to bring people together over great drinks, great food, and great conversation. During the class, you’ll learn how to craft several different Bombay Gin cocktails, guided by a master mixologist in a relaxed, high-energy setting. This isn’t a lecture — it’s hands-on, engaging, and built to spark connection, laughter, and good vibes. Whether you come solo or with friends, this experience makes it easy to meet people, enjoy expertly crafted cocktails, and unwind mid-week. ✨ What’s Included (A Ton 😁) • Multiple Bombay Gin cocktails • Interactive cocktail instruction • Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall • A lively, social atmosphere 🍸 Sponsored by Bombay Gin 🍽 Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall Must be 21+ to attend $20 fee per person 

**First Gathering: Love as Transformation** Reading: **The Forty Rules of Love** by **Elif Shafak** We begin Men, Meaning, and Madness with a novel that treats love not as sentiment, but as a force that disrupts, humbles, and reshapes the self. The Forty Rules of Love explores love as discipline, surrender, and moral risk. It asks what happens when certainty breaks, when the ego is wounded, and when meaning is found not through control, but through transformation. This gathering is for men interested in serious literature and honest inquiry into how love shapes character, responsibility, and the inner life. Discussion will be guided by questions rather than summaries. The aim is depth, not debate. Come having read the book or engaged with it seriously.

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, February 11 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.

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!