Guided Vacations

**Sahaja Yoga teaches a unique method of meditation, rooted in ancient spiritual knowledge.** We follow a format of continuous integration of topics in our classes so that no two classes are same and so we are able to accommodate new meditators along with experienced ones. **Through Sahaja Yoga, you can achieve a state of meditation known as thoughtless awareness. In this state, you experience and enjoy the present moment without any distractions from the past or future. Your consciousness works in flow with your inner energy ([Kundalini](https://us.sahajayoga.org/the-kundalini/)).** Some of the things we go over with in our programs are how to awaken your dormant Mother energy called Kundalini. Meditation with Mantras using power of very basic mantra to bring peace within! Meditation with music, what are Chakras, how to take affirmations, what is Thoughtless Awareness and how to find the state of your Chakras. *Meditation sessions led by an experienced fellow meditator.* **Please join us to awaken the dormant energy within you and re-balance your emotional, physical and mental state of being!** **Sahaja Yoga was founded in 1970 by Shri Mataji**. She envisioned a world where people would be transformed, and lead more balanced lives. She has worked tirelessly to help people meditate and achieve greater spiritual heights through this meditation. **Cost**: Free **Parking**: Paid parking in garages and on street. Garage-40 Cordell-St.Elmo Garage, Saint Elmo Avenue, Bethesda, MD is 2 mins walking distance from meditation center. **How to reach us?** We are at **Sahaja Yoga Meditation Center** on **4901 Saint Elmo Avenue** **Bethesda, MD 20814**, *walking distance from Bethesda Metro Center* **You can learn more about this meditation** from [us.sahajayoga.org](https://us.sahajayoga.org)

Join the Ski and Sports Club of Washington DC (SCWDC) on the slopes this season. Show your interest or solicit roommates here on Meetup. **However, [TRIP REGISTRATION IS ON THE SCWDC WEBSITE](https://scwdc.wildapricot.org/Ski-Flight-Trips)**. Trips are open to paid SCWDC members ([see all club benefits on the SCWDC website](https://scwdc.wildapricot.org/membership)), or Blue Ridge Ski Council (BRSC) members. **ASK QUESTIONS directly to the TRIP LEAD on ea SCWDC TRIP page** Trip Prices Include: -**Planning and logistics handled by Trip Leaders** -All trips supported by experienced committee members and club leaders -Club founded in 1936 **-Group roundtrip air travel & ground transportation to the slopes** -Grocery stop, may be included -Ground transportation only (book your own flights), may be available **-All posted prices, Double Occupancy** -Specify preferred roommate during registration, if identified -Trip Lead assigns a same gender roommate if none specified -Private rooms available with the additional single supplement (SS) price **-Pre-Trip DMV social meet/greet, may be included** **-During trip daily social meet/greet, may be included** **-Discount lift tickets, at additional costs, from third-parties may be included**

Now at **11 a.m.**, this beginner-friendly guided meditation class helps stabilize the mind and open the heart. The session includes traditional practices such as Shamatha (calm abiding) and Tonglen (sending and receiving), as well as Jetsunma’s Light Expansion Prayer. Both relaxing and healing, these meditations can be practiced by anyone, regardless of religious tradition. Each class concludes with a dedication that our efforts benefit all beings. All are welcome whether new to meditation or regular practitioners looking for a supportive group with whom to sit. Join us! Class is offered IN-PERSON in our Prayer Room and ONLINE on our Facebook and YouTube channel. Watch online here: [https://www.tara.org/kpc-maryland-events-calendar/](https://www.tara.org/kpc-maryland-events-calendar/) Missed a class? You can watch past classes on our YouTube channel: [https://www.youtube.com/@KunzangPalyulCholing/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@KunzangPalyulCholing/streams)

This PGCC Hand Dance class is taught by the "7" Step Hand Dance Academy. The "7" Step Hand Dance Academy is a non-profit organization, dedicated to teaching, preserving, and promoting the African American art form of D.C. Hand Dancing. If you have ever wanted to learn how to hand dance, come join us. Not only will have fun learning how to hand dance, but you will make new friends in the process! This is a 8-week course. The dates for the session are 1/17/2026 - 3/7/2026. * **Beginner** Class: 10am - 11:30am * **Intermediate** Class: 11:30am - 1:00pm Remember to wear comfortable clothing and shoes that you can turn or slide in, otherwise, you can bring socks to wear over your shoes. NO PARTNER is required. **\*\*\*TO REGISTER, DO ONE (1) OF THE FOLLOWING:** **A**. Log into the PGCC website and go to "Admissions and Registration". Then scroll down to "Course Search" and click on the link and it will bring you to the "Owl Link". Next, in the box that reads "Search for courses by keywords" type in: * **WLN-318-24553: Beginning Hand Dancing** * **WLN-319-24554: Intermediate Hand Dancing** After identifying the appropriate class **go back to the first page to** **register.** **B.** Register on campus at the Office of Records and Registration, Bladen Hall, Room 126. **C.** Contact Program Director, Ms. Sabrina Nash, at (202) 938-8805 for assistance.. **For more information**: * Ray Morton, Instructor, (240) 271-6697 (rstrdm@aol.com) * Mia Jones, Instructor, (804) 306-8390 (miajones66@yahoo.com)

Winter calls for a different mountain experience - let's trade in our hiking boots for ski boots and hit the slopes! We will meet at North Bethesda Metro (previously named White Flint) at 8AM and carpool to the resort. Drive time is about 1 hour and 30mins - Please post a comment below if you are willing to drive. Carpooling saves the environment and makes friends. ## **Mountain Facts** * **Terrain Difficulty:** 35% green runs, 40% blue runs, 25% black runs * **Lifts:** 8 * **Trails:** 16, 2 terrain parks * **Highest Elevation:** 1,190 Feet * **Lift Tickets:** Epic Season Pass or Single-Day Lift Ticket: https://www.libertymountainresort.com/plan-your-trip/lift-access/tickets.aspx * **Parking:** North Bethesda Metro Parking Garage **Trip Details:** Let's give Liberty a shot this time. Liberty is a small ski resort, but with a drive less than 2 hours, it's easy to get to the mountain and back home in time for dinner. Liberty is thought of as being more beginner friendly than the nearby Whitetail, but does offer several large terrain parks. This is not designed as a trip to help with ski/snowboard instruction. However, Liberty does offer both lessons and rentals. On the way back, I plan to stop at a hot pot restaurant called Hot Pot Hero in Gaithersburg, MD. Address is 100 Paramount Park Dr, Gaithersburg, MD 20879. **WHAT TO BRING:** * Ski/snowboard gear (rentals available onsite) * Lift ticket or season pass (available onsite) * Warm layers, gloves, and goggles (available onsite) * Helmet - optional (available onsite) * Snacks, water, and electrolytes (available onsite) * Steez **LIFT TICKETS:** You will need to either purchase an Epic Season Pass or single-day lift tickets. The ticket prices vary, but I recommend purchasing them well in advance as they can (and do) sell out. For more info: https://www.libertymountainresort.com/plan-your-trip/lift-access/tickets.aspx **LIABILITY NOTICE:** Please remember that this group operates under the common adventurer model. We are a group of friends and volunteers organizing trips for fun and shared experience. Participants are expected to be familiar with best snowboarding/skiing practices and choose trails that align with their physical abilities and experience. Organizers and members are not liable for any injuries, loss, or damage to persons or property arising from group activities. By attending this event, you agree to assume all risks associated with the activity.​ For more information on the common adventurer model, please see [Ron Watters' definition](https://www.ronwatters.com/CADefine.htm).​ If you believe you may be lost on the mountain, follow the advice of the [US Forest Service](https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/know-before-you-go/if-you-get-lost).​ See you on the slopes!

• What we'll do Learn how to take great pictures BEFORE you go on that expensive trip! And we will teach you how to use your camera IN THE FIELD, not in a classroom! Join our standard Monuments and Memorials workshop, offered Wednesdays and Saturdays, in which the instructor takes you to some of DC’s most popular attractions: White House, Lafayette Park, the Einstein, Lincoln, Korea, and Vietnam Three Servicemen Memorials, and finally to Union Station, where you learn to make all the moving people DISAPPEAR! Remember, it was Confucius who said: "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do, and I understand." At Washington Photo Safari, we help you "do " and understand! That is why our motto is "See. Click. Learn." This $71 Safari (a 20% discount from the regular $89 price) begins with a 45-minute travel photography orientation, giving you basic tips in composition, F-stops and shutter speeds, portraiture, and interior photography. While you are taking pictures, you receive hands-on guidance on how to make those images even better! Advanced and smartphone photographers will appreciate the instructor’s extensive knowledge of the best camera angles in DC. This is suggested as a preliminary course before taking special safaris. Open to any photographers at any skill level with any camera, phone, or tablet. Transportation from site to site is provided by the instructor. • What to bring camera and all lenses • Important to know travel, architectural, portrait and street photography techniques

# Melani N. Douglass # *Prescription is HOME: A Manifesto* **January 23-April 18, 2026** **Opening Reception** **Saturday, January 31, 1:00-4:00 p.m.** **Mason Exhibitions** **3601 Fairfax Drive** **Arlington VA 22201** **\*Editor’s Note: Inclement Weather Notice—Check with venue prior to attending event. East City Art is unable to update listings due to cancellations or other schedule changes.** Melani N. Douglass will provide an artist talk and discussion with the families featured in the exhibition. It’s not a housewarming without a little family competition! We’ll have a spades tournament, and a table ready for those who are interested in learning. A live DJ and light refreshments will assist in bringing the community together to warm this HOME exhibition. *The Prescription is HOME: A Manifesto* is a community-sourced, immersive visual arts exhibition. Created in collaboration with community members, the exhibition reimagines the home as a site of healing, cultural memory, and collective care. Through participatory installations, visitors are invited to contribute personal stories, photographs, and recipes, shaping an evolving communal archive. Anchored by a symbolic house frame and a shared kitchen table, the exhibition blurs the boundaries between personal and collective space. *The Prescription is HOME* positions home as both sanctuary and catalyst - where connection, care, and transformation begin. **[Masonexhibitions.org](http://masonexhibitions.org/)** Hours: Wednesday, 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. * * * * ***

This event marks the **interest deadline** for *The Entry Experience: South Africa* — a small, guided travel-planning experience designed for women who want to thoughtfully plan their own journey to South Africa with clarity, confidence, and cultural awareness. This is **not a group trip**. Instead, The Entry Experience supports women who are: * Considering South Africa within the next 12–18 months * Planning to travel solo, with a partner, or with a small family * Looking for structure, insight, and trusted guidance *before* booking Participation is intentionally limited. Those who join the interest list by this date will: * Be the first to receive registration details * Receive full information once enrollment opens * Have priority access before the experience fills There is **no obligation** to join by adding your name to the interest list. This simply signals that South Africa is a destination you are genuinely considering. If you’ve been curious about South Africa but want to plan with intention—this is your moment to raise your hand. **Interest list link is available here below:** [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYrv7rR6G8lw9kTrULYQGq7c06Yy3XhgO-MQUIvr1qrOOH1A/viewform?usp=header](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYrv7rR6G8lw9kTrULYQGq7c06Yy3XhgO-MQUIvr1qrOOH1A/viewform?usp=header)

Let's take this traditional Adventuring winter hike (previously nicknamed The Ice Hike). Not just waterfalls and more waterfalls, these will be some of Shenandoah’s most iconic. This hike is part of the Hike All the Named Waterfalls in SNP series (number 4). If you’re into waterfalls, this is surely the best hike in all of Shenandoah National Park. If the falls are iced over, then this hike upgrades to transcendent. There will be nine waterfalls in all, ranging from a series of gorgeous cascades to the spectacular Upper and Lower Whiteoak Canyon Falls. For the water to fall so dramatically, the terrain must be steep; we will be ascending and descending next to where the water is falling. We'll take plenty of short stops to savor the views (to catch our breath and to take those all-important selfies). With its 8.5 miles length, and 2306 feet of elevation gain, this circuit route is very strenuous. Also, be prepared for two shallow stream crossings on the return leg along Cedar Run, so leaving a pair of dry sox and street shoes in the car is recommended. Bring lunch, 3 liters of water, and sunscreen, and be sure to wear waterproof hiking boots with good treads (the path is steep and rocky and those rocks can be slippery). Dressing in layers is essential. You will be peeling them off and adding them back on throughout the day. Packing a set of ice traction cleats or crampons is suggested, but not required. This ice gear must not be worn on wet rocks, where it becomes a hazard. If you carpool, transportation and trip fees will be $20, which includes the $5 Adventuring fee (paid by all) and $15 for your driver. Also factor in the cost of our restaurant stop on the return. This is a full day hike. We'll meet for forming our carpools at 8:30 a.m. at the East Falls Church Metro Kiss & Ride parking lot. We will make a convenience pit stop half way to the trailhead (Sheetz). We may return as late as 9 p.m. Please [click here](https://adventuringlgbtq.com/Adventuring_Release_Form.pdf) to review our release form. When you RSVP to an event, you affirm that you have read and agree to the terms of the release.

Join us at **Unity of Columbus** for *Spa for Your Soul*, a restorative and inspiring workshop designed to nourish your spirit, awaken your inner wisdom, and reconnect you with the sacred rhythm of life. Drawing from the rich spiritual insights of **Matthew Fox** and the timeless theological wisdom of **Thomas Aquinas**, this workshop invites participants into a deeper experience of spirituality rooted in compassion, creativity, and divine presence. Together, we will explore spirituality not as something distant or abstract, but as a lived, embodied experience—one that honors joy, justice, beauty, and the inherent goodness of creation. Through guided reflection, gentle spiritual practices, discussion, and contemplative moments, *Spa for Your Soul* offers a sacred space to release stress, renew clarity, and remember the divine spark within. This is an opportunity to pause, breathe, and tend lovingly to your soul—much like a spa experience, but for your inner life. Whether you are seeking spiritual refreshment, deeper understanding, or simply a peaceful space to be present, this workshop welcomes you exactly as you are. **Come, rest, reflect, and renew—your soul deserves it.**

Hi ladies. Let's hike the multi-purpose trail - approximately 4 miles. Meet in the Maple Grove Picnic area.

**Community Dance – Every Friday at Unity of Columbus** Let go of the week’s stress and move into joy! Join us every Friday for an evening of community, connection, and dance at Unity of Columbus. It’s a chance to meet new friends, express yourself through movement, and experience the emotional healing that comes from music and rhythm. No dance experience needed — just bring your energy, an open heart, and your dancing shoes! Dance is freedom. Dance is healing. Dance is fun.

At Unity of Columbus, our Youth and Family Ministry nurtures the spiritual growth of children and families through love, joy, and practical spiritual teachings. Each Sunday, children explore timeless spiritual principles through stories, creative activities, music, and group sharing in a safe and welcoming environment. Our program encourages children to discover their own inner light, express kindness, and develop a personal connection with God. Together, we celebrate diversity, cultivate understanding, and inspire each child to live with purpose and compassion. Parents and families are invited to join in this uplifting journey of learning, laughter, and spiritual connection.

Join us as we get together for something dark, humorous, twisted, violent and thrilling: SEND HELP! Rachael McAdams and Dylan O’Brien star in this film that follows a worker and her boss stranded on an island following a plane crash and their attempts to survive. Here are details, trailer and a plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: Two office colleagues find themselves stranded on a deserted island after they are the only survivors of a plane crash. They must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it is an unsettling and darkly humorous battle of wills and wits to make it out alive. The film is directed by Sam Raimi (the Evil Dead franchise, the Toby Maguire Spider-Man trilogy) and stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4wiXj9NmEE PLAN: Details for this event have already been confirmed! Please purchase your ticket for the 7:15pm showing and meet in the lobby area between 6:45 and 7:00pm! Tickets just $5.50 and advance purchase is advised! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments below! Pre-show bite at nearby El Vaquero at 5:30pm! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan