Learn the History and Traditions of Freemasonry

**Curious about Toastmasters?** We're Free Spirits Toastmasters - an established club that meets twice monthly on Sundays from 3:30 - 5:00pm. **Meet us and join a meeting in action at our Open House on Sunday, June 14th from 3:30 - 5:00pm.** No need to get fancy - come as you are and enjoy refreshments with a casual, friendly, and encouraging group. *This year is our 30th Anniversary!* What Free Spirits Toastmasters Club is all about: * Build confidence speaking in front of people, * Learn the art of interesting conversation, * Have fun and build skills to speak "off the cuff" and through prepared speeches, * Members supporting other members in bettering ourselves, * A rich learning environment - our members span a wide range of ages, backgrounds, careers, languages, and life experiences! * A hybrid (in person and via Zoom) meeting option means you can join us remotely if unable to attend in person. **So that we can plan quantity for food and drink, please RSVP soonest by text to 703.795.2967 or by email to officers-5160@toastmastersclubs.org.** #PublicSpeaking #BestSelf #Confidence #Friends #Leadership #Learning #PositiveFeedback

Learn to manage stress and achieve self-growth through simple relaxation and Meditation. Heartfulness Meditation is a simple, modern, methodical approach to meditation. Rather than homing in on your breath or repeating a mantra, you simply focus inward, on your heart, to cultivate inner strength and serenity. Heartfulness meditation is gaining traction in recent years. It focuses on the heart, allowing individuals to connect with themselves on a deeper level, and ultimately achieve peace, relaxation, and clarity. It is a practice that encourages patience, self-compassion, and acceptance, helping cultivate a deeper appreciation for the present moment. This practice is offered with love and at no cost

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 at 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.

Want to develop your magical skills? Want to be more consistent with your practice? This group is for you. Bi-weekly we will work together to craft individually tailored spells to each attendees needs and support each other on our magical journeys. Open to witches of all skill levels and practices. Led by Carmilla Harker, a practicing witch of six years and high priestess-in training who's bread and butter is spellwork. Working one on one with clients for three years, Carmilla is uniquely experienced in crafting desires into workings. Bring pencils, paper, and an open mind! Fee: $25 No admittance under 18.

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.

Dulles South Toastmasters club meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of every month at Gum Spring Library with the meeting hours 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm. Club Officers will be in the room at 3:15 pm to answer your questions and provide information. Guests are welcome. Pleas join us!

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/d/b/d/600_16364477.jpeg Greetings and welcome new members! Play 9 or 18 holes at Algonkian Regional Golf Course. Algonkian Regional Golf Course located in Sterling, Virgina, remains the area's most popular public course. Algonkian offers a challenging, 18-hole championship golf course, located in a beautiful riverside setting. Algonkian’s front nine tree-lined fairways are long, straight and flat while the back nine features hills and several dogleg and water holes. *** Greens Fee - walking: 9-holes $39.50; 18-holes $57.00 Greens Fee - riding: 9-holes $55.50; 18-holes $78.00 Pull Carts: 9-holes $4; 18-holes $5 47001 Fairway Dr.Sterling, VA 20165 703-450-4655 https://www.novaparks.com/golf/algonkian-golf-course Please be mindful and keep pace with the group in front of you to avoid congestion on the course. \*\*Note there is a $2 charge to sign up for this Meetup. This is a non-refundable fee used for no-show and website costs. Each golfer is responsible to pay green fees on the day of the event, to the course. If you fail to show up on the day of the event (without canceling by the date specified above, you will be responsible for your greens fees to the course). NoVA Golfers Association, LLC is a Meetup group only, and it is not responsible for any liabilities associated with the event.

Jujutsu

Welcome to the Fairfax Home Board Game Group. I have been running this group for 3+ years, every other Saturday. The group has evolved since I first started, so I thought I should update the description to more closely describe how it runs today. This group is hosted at my home in Fairfax and primarily plays hosted games, meaning a player owns the game and will teach others at the table how to play. Below are some tips for a great first visit and what to expect. *** **Tips for the Best Experience for Newcomers** 1. Check the event messages periodically, and more frequently as the event gets closer. If you see someone hosting a game you are interested in, respond to the post to reserve a space. 2. Watch a "how to play" video for the game you want to play. While the host will teach the game at the table, coming prepared will make for a better experience. Most hosts will post a link to a "how to play" video in their initial post. If you want to host a game feel free to post in the event and see if there is interest! 3. Arrive on time. Games tend to start promptly between 8:30pm and 8:45pm — I make it a rule not to wait past 8:45pm. Please also avoid arriving earlier than 8:15pm; if you get to the house before then, please wait in your car as we are usually still getting last-minute things ready. If you do arrive late you are welcome to come in, but depending on when you arrive there may not be a seat available. The last thing I want is for someone to drive all the way out only to miss the game, so please be on time! =) *** **What to Expect & General Tips** **Game Length** — Most games take anywhere between 2 and 3 hours, including the teach, which means you will typically only play one game per evening. Occasionally a shorter game wraps up early and that group may play a second, but that is more the exception than the rule. **Game Difficulty** — This group primarily plays medium to complex games, and while new players are always welcome — the host will teach you at the table! — it's worth knowing what to expect before you come. If you are looking to play games like Scrabble, Monopoly, Uno, or party games, this is probably not the right event for you. In three years I have seen only two party games played and zero classic board games. **Update Your Status** — Please be considerate of others who would like to attend but may be held back by space constraints. If you can no longer make it, update your status as soon as possible so others can attend — even if there is no waitlist. This also helps me plan seating and choose games appropriate for the number of players. *** In between sessions, join the conversation on our Discord, where we chat about games, minis, and other game-related topics! Discord invite: [https://discord.gg/JyprPCvmMj](https://discord.gg/JyprPCvmMj)

Pack up a blanket, lawn chairs and a picnic dinner - or grab takeout at a local restaurant! Join us at the gazebo for a laid-back evening of good music and good times with your neighbors. Jameson Green Band delivers soulful Americana infused with rock, country, and blues influences. Their performances combine heartfelt songwriting, rich instrumentation, and an easygoing stage presence that connects instantly with audiences.

**Join us for Soul Coffee, an informal gathering where we can connect a bit deeper, check in on each other, and share some real soul conversation together - as always, across beliefs and traditions.** Soul Coffee is a gathering by BreadBreakers, a community for people of all stripes to build meaningful relationships and have curious conversations. **Our mission in BreadBreakers is to be a place of compassion and belonging in a time of division and isolation; to rebuild the town square, one table at a time.** Usually we do this by breaking bread and having facilitated conversations over dinner, but sometimes it's good to just meet over coffee and spend some unstructured time talking about the deep stuff. At each Soul Coffee, we'll keep it simple and talk about three questions: - How's your soul doing? - How have you experienced wonder lately? - What do you need right now? No matter your religion, or if you even are religious; no matter where you are spiritually; no matter if you even think souls exist - come to be seen and known, to just be humans together in a crazy world, to talk about those things of the spirit that are so central to the human experience but rarely get discussed. **Join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of being in community with one another.** BreadBreakers, an initiative by[ Restoration United Methodist Churc](https://restorationreston.org/breadbreakers)h in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community, a collaboration between the church and those of all different beliefs. All faiths and all stripes are welcomed. Our leadership, volunteer team, and community include people who attend Restoration and people who don't.

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, [https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf](https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf) and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike. **9 miles with 600 feet elevation gain.** **Fee Free Day!** ***Join us in celebrating Flag Day*** ***for a nice hike along the scenic Potomac River and adjoining forests of C&O Canal National Historical Park, Great Falls, Maryland.*** **Description:** We'll start our hike traveling to the Ford Mine Trail. Once completing that trail, we will then reconnect to the towpath and head to the Potomac Overlook on Olmsted Island for some great views of the falls and cascading water. After reconnecting on the towpath for a short distance, we will connect to the Gold Mine loop trail in the forest and Gold Mine Overlook and return to our cars. There are a couple of short hills while in the forest but they are small, otherwise the route is mostly level. There are a few small stream crossings on Ford Mine trail that are easily crossed. We may include the River Trail which runs along the shore of the Potomac, depending on the water level conditions. **Participants will have the option to do as much of the hike as they desire.** The pace will be about 2.5 mph. **Bring**: Adequate water/hydration, snacks/lunch, and sturdy hiking shoes since there are some rocky areas and tree roots in the forest. Restrooms are open near the Tavern visitor center. May want to also bring some insect repellent and sunscreen. **Meet:** We will meet on the sidewalk in front of the old refreshment snack bar on the right side of the parking lot before you get to the restrooms and Tavern visitor center. The snack bar is currently closed but it is under the tree canopy. Look for me by the fence anxiously awaiting your arrival. Please plan on being there at 8:45am so we can get everyone signed in and start the hike on time. **Dogs are welcome. Dog Policy** [https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy](https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy) ***Please note that dogs are not allowed on the Olmsted Island boardwalk, so if you bring your dog, you will have to wait for us at the entrance to Olmsted Island*** **Park Fee**: ***Park Fees waived on Flag Day.*** If you haven't hiked with me before, please provide your name, contact number and emergency contact number. You can text me the info of direct message me on Meetup. Do not pose in comments. Map of Hiking Trails at Great Falls, Maryland: [https://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/upload/Great-Falls-Hiking-Map.pdf](https://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/upload/Great-Falls-Hiking-Map.pdf) **Directions to Park:** [https://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/greatfallstavernvisitorcenter.htm](https://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/greatfallstavernvisitorcenter.htm) **GPS: 39.00223, -77.24697** Any questions, please message me on Meetup or text/call @202-528-0456. If you text me, please include your name.

**Welcome to Men's Circle, hosted at Sticks and Stones!** This is a group oriented towards fostering connection between men in our local community, while also accomplishing magickal working and intentional discussion around metaphysical topics. Please read the following code of conduct for our group, and message the facilitator or call the shop and ask for Merlin for any questions. Code of Conduct 1. We are all, in good faith, men. Whichever way that manifests, we take it on good faith that all attendees are male identifying. 2. We respect all walks of life and spiritual practice. We honor and respect men from every walk of life and spiritual practice. Freedom ends where it infringes on the practice of another. We do not evangelize, prostelitize, or talk down on others. There is no initiation, or universal code of spiritual conduct here. 3. What happens in Men's Circle stays in Men's Circle By attending, you accept a sacred duty to keep the trust and faith of the other attendees, do not share or discuss anything we share in circle. *(The secret answer to the question is "Salt on the Wind")* 4. Respect the circle Once the circle is cast, we are focusing our energy on magickal topics, and making the best use of everyone's time. With great love, we may ask you to redirect or keep a line of thought shorter or more intentional. 5. Arbitration is immediate and help-oriented If you run into a pain point or offense in our group, please speak up immediately and let your thoughts be heard. We are here to respect and grow and support each other as a community, let us help and grow together. **The next few weeks, we will be focusing discussion and practices around the following topic:** TBD

Blackbeard, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and a cast of thousands established the first Democratic Republic in the New World, reveling in their freedom and ability to wage warfare as professional thieves. Learn about the Colonial Republic of Pirates from Ed Moore, historian and journalist, from the Maritime Museum in Newport News. Registration required. RSVPing on Meetup does not register you for the program. To register, please [click here](https://pwcgov.libnet.info/events?term=pirates&r=range&start=2026-05-19&end=2030-12-31).

**Merry Meet!** In an effort to make ***The Most Excellent Order of the Black Hat*** a safe and sacred event, we will now be charging an ***event fee of $15.00.*** Please stop by the front desk to sign in. Our Samhain event fee will be $25.00. Thank you for understanding. The Order of the Black Hat is an international eclectic order of witches. We take our spiritual path very seriously, yet strive not to take our egos too seriously. We each have a responsibility to grow in the wisdom, love, and power of our deities, and continually learn, heal, and become stronger. We all have a responsibility to share our skills and insights with others, and to serve within our community and beyond it. **Important Black Hat Rules and Reminders:** 1\. To cast a circle is to create a place of protected and safe space\. Our circle is sacred\, please follow these simple guidelines\. 2\. If you are leaving or entering the circle\, you MUST wait for a visualized "doorway" to be opened for you by one of the HPs\. 3\. Please use the restroom before or after Circle\. 4\. Again\, it is not only rude\, but people moving in and out of the circle destroys the energy and effectiveness of the circle 5\. No texting and no chit\-chat when others have the floor\. 6\. We recognize that this is a place of healing\, and we all do our part to share with the intent of healing ourselves and the world\. We share stories not advice\, realizing that we are all works in progress\. **Important Reminders:** 1\. When leaving the circle\, please check your space for any items or trash that you might have left\. 2\. When using your phone as a flashlight\, please be considerate of those across the circle from you\, those bright lights can cause migraines\. Our circle is a magickal space for all of us. Thanks in advance for your help in making this a wondrous time for us all! Please remember doors are locked at 7 PM. Feel free to bring food to share for our Feast! Again, to make ***The Most Excellent Order of the Black Hat*** a safe and sacred event, we will now be charging an event fee of $15.00. Our Samhain event fee will be $25.00. Thank you for understanding. I look forward to seeing you all again!!! Goddess Bless! GrannyMoon

**In a time of division and isolation, come be part of the community that's rebuilding the town square, one table at a time.** **This dinner in particular will be very special as we celebrate America's 250th birthday. How better to honor a semiquincentennial of democracy that spending an evening practicing it?** In BreadBreakers, we use the common space of the dining table to have conversations where neighbors can **hear, be heard, and know one another.** If you're hungry for good conversation and deeper community, join us for a Community Dinner in Reston and help blaze the trail to a healthier, more connected society and democracy. Here’s how it works: For just two hours, multiple tables of people set aside the need to "win" and instead focus on sharing, listening, and connecting. Guided by experienced table hosts, we'll tell our stories, try to understand each other, and practice being in community with those with different views or backgrounds. **At this dinner, participants will get to choose between three different topics, including some current events.** Topics range from the political, to the "slice of life", to the spiritual, to the philosophical, to the off-the-wall - but no matter which table you choose to sit at, you can be sure it'll be like no dinner conversation you've had before! You can also **suggest a topic** by emailing us at BreadBreakersInfo@gmail.com. Food will be provided for free. For those who wish to provide a donation to help fund BreadBreakers, you can [give here](https://pushpay.com/g/restorationrestonumc?fnd=pO6G-N7oO7FH7Mp1u-x6mA&fndv=Lock&r=No&lang=en&src=pcgl) or at the event. We'll have vegetarian and gluten-free options available. If you have any additional dietary restrictions (Celiac Disease, vegan, etc.) please let us know at BreadBreakersInfo@gmail.com so that we can implement the appropriate food handling procedures. **Join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of talking with one another.** BreadBreakers, an initiative by [Restoration United Methodist Church](https://restorationreston.org/breadbreakers) in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community. We are a collaboration between people of all faiths and stripes. Our leadership, volunteer team, and community include people who attend Restoration and people who don't.

This group is for anyone who wants to explore Buddhist meditation in a relaxed and supportive setting. Each session includes a short meditation, a simple teaching from Buddhist psychology, and an open discussion about how these ideas show up in everyday life. While our foundation is Buddhist practice, we love weaving in wisdom from other traditions whenever it helps us grow, find peace, and support each other. Members of our community come from many different backgrounds, and you do not need to consider yourself a Buddhist to attend. All are welcome. The session runs from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., with doors open from 6:30 to 9:00. Come early or stay after if you’d like to enjoy some quiet reflection or casual conversation with the community. On the first Wednesday of each month, we share a potluck meal. Bring a dish if you’d like, but the most important thing you can bring is yourself. We look forward to seeing you!

Learn the basics about the internal and extrenal systems you need to form a beautiful and proactive relationship with one ot more Spirit Guides. Join renowned Medium Darren Bucare as he shares his experience and insights into the realm of spirit while being protected.

New to practicing? Interested in mythology and pagan practices? Join Carmilla in her new series tackling different deities from pantheons all around the world. Each class will focus on one deity, their correspondences, portfolios, stories, and worship. Deity work can be challenging and difficult to research, but in this class we offer facts and fun while discovering a new potential ally. Taught by Carmilla Harker, also known for her herbology, dark magic, and history classes at Sticks and Stones. She has been practicing witchcraft for six years and counting. She has her degree in art history and a fascination with the occult to tackle the fascinating world of belief and deitywork. Bring a notebook/pencil! Fee: $25 No admittance under age 18.