PhD

***¡¡¡ Pura Vida !!!*** Come alone, leave with friends! This is what Meetup is all about. Being able to join and do what you wanted to do . . just not alone. We are going to Costa Rica for 9 nights/10 days of exploration and tropical adventures. . . . **Best Meetup ever!**! To see how fun it is . . . Here are photos from when we did go before [https://photos.app.goo.gl/cswRyeNZp1r6WW9t9](https://photos.app.goo.gl/cswRyeNZp1r6WW9t9) Costa Rica is a playground for the adventurous and an eco-tourist's dream! It is an unspoiled tropical paradise. * Beautiful beaches * Rainforest biodiversity * Misty volcanoes * Roaring rivers * Lush jungles * Exotic flora and fauna * And more!! **And we are going there to enjoy it, learn about it and make memories of a lifetime!** This event is a true Meetup. We are creating it from scratch, and bringing like-minded people together on this adventure. Along the way making lifelong memories and friendships. Together . . . let’s make a Meetup to remember! * Hike around the base of the Arenal Volcano * Selvatura Zip Line Canopy Tour * Guided visit to Finca Luna Nueva Farm * Caño Negro Refuge Tour/Visit * Rio Frio Wildlife Refuge Boat Tour * Hanging Bridges Walking Tour * Ecotermales Hot Springs * Monteverde Night Walk Tour * Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Tour (daytime) * River Floating Tour * Tamarindo Beach * Sunset Sailing * Snorkeling Tour * And more! For a detailed Day By Day itinerary **[Click Here](https://forms.gle/cQdqYw74gAYqphXX8)**[ to fill out our info request form](https://forms.gle/cQdqYw74gAYqphXX8) **Land Tour cost $3350 per person, double occupancy** (we match roommates for those traveling solo, and most of us are doing just that). If you want your own room: **Solo occupancy additional $950** The only way to secure your spot for this meetup is a $300 deposit that is refundable up to 90 days before departure. **[Click here for secure deposit link](https://www.paypal.com/instantcommerce/checkout/24X2UREP9XPKC)** When you make a deposit be sure to fill out this [ATTENDEES FORM](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11uywUNCIB5ONrpZ-gU_4mk3bvpc4p_nhhL3ewsbkC5A/edit)**.** As we mentioned, . . . the cost is $3350. This is for the "Land" portion only. Airfare is not included. This gives you the flexibility to have a flight with timing that works best for you. Or to use points/miles. I can also help arranging your airfare. To receive an offer, **[CLICK HERE and send me a message.](https://secure.meetup.com/messages/?new_convo=true&member_id=14363992)** **What is Included in this trip:** * **9 Nights hotel accommodation** * **9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners.** * **Meet & Greet at the airport.** * **Pick-up from airport to our hotel, and hotel to airport at the end of the trip** * **Transportation throughout the trip** * **Private naturalist English speaking tour guide** * **All entrance fees and tours mentioned in the itinerary day-by-day description** * **Daily water bottles for the group** * **Hotel and Added Value Tax** Does not include: ***x*** *International Airfare* ***x*** *Meals other than specified* ***x*** *Optional Tours* ***x*** *All items of personal nature (telephone calls, Laundry, room service, etc.)* ***x*** *Tipping for tour guides and drivers* **Want more info?** **[Click Here to fill out our info request form](https://forms.gle/cQdqYw74gAYqphXX8)** **OR** **RSVP to the event with your email to receive additional info.** **OR** **[CLICK HERE to send me a message](https://secure.meetup.com/messages/?new_convo=true&member_id=14363992)** Whatever is easiest for you! *Still have questions?* **We do a Q & A Zoom once a month.** **[CLICK HERE](https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/296044209/)** for our Q & A Zoom. RSVP on that event to get a reminder for the zoom. [Click here for the ](https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/305233138/)**[MAIN ](https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/288444641/)[location of this event on Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/305233138/)** RSVP there to post any discussion and to get notice of any comments and discussions. As well as any updates and reminders **We believe in good decent social.** **SOT 2000318-10** **[Click Here to see all our other events](https://www.meetup.com/CulturalArts/Events)**

Join us at 11:30 a.m. for a meditation class led by Khenpo Karze, followed by a public talk and Q&A. The meditation focus varies from class to class. We are currently learning how to meditate on the Four Immeasurables: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. The class begins with 30 minutes of meditation instruction, followed by 5-10 minutes of meditation practice, and then continues with discussion and Q&A. Each session concludes with a brief Chenrezig practice in which we recite Om Mani Padme Hung (a prayer of compassion), and a dedication prayer that our efforts benefit all beings. This class offers a strong foundation in meditation, helping cultivate inner peace and compassion amidst busy lives. All are welcome! This program is open to anyone with an interest in Buddhism and you can come to all or any part of the program. Families are welcome. There is no fee, but donations are encouraged. Join us! Class is offered IN-PERSON in our Prayer Room and ONLINE on [Facebook Live](https://www.facebook.com/KPCBuddhistTemple/) and [YouTube Live](https://www.youtube.com/@KunzangPalyulCholing/streams). You can also watch online here: https://www.tara.org/kpc-maryland-events-calendar/ About the teacher: Khenpo Tenzin Karze graduated from Ngagyur Nyingma Institute’s intensive Buddhist graduate course in 2006, and was awarded the degree of Khenpo, equivalent to a PhD in Buddhist Philosophy, in 2011. He has received teachings and empowerments from many great Nyingma masters, and taught extensively in various Palyul temples in Nepal, India, Europe and Taiwan. This is his first time in the USA. We are delighted that Khenpo is now in residence at KPC and will be providing traditional Dharma instruction to help us deepen our practice of wisdom and compassion.

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Popes and Politics,”** on the history of clashes between pontiffs and world leaders, with Vanessa Corcoran, medieval historian at Georgetown University and scholar of the history of the Roman Catholic church. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/northern-virginia-popes-politics](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/northern-virginia-popes-politics) .] President Trump recently shocked many by unleashing personal attacks on Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, in a post on the Truth Social platform. Trump has been widely criticized by religious leaders for these remarks, made in response to the pontiff’s advocacy of peace with the U.S and Israel at war with Iran, and for his separate posts of AI-generated images depicting himself as a pope and as Jesus. For his part, Pope Leo has told journalists, “I am not afraid of the Trump administration,” and has found himself at the center of a heated debate over the proper role of any pope when it comes to commenting on global politics. As unsettling as such developments might be to Roman Catholics, they’re hardly unprecedented. Disagreements between popes and world leaders go back to the Middle Ages, and have played a significant role in shaping the Church and its role in the world. Explore the long history of popes’ conflicts with politicians with Vanessa Corcoran, a historian of the Roman Catholic Church who previously has given excellent talks on papal conclaves and the evolution of nativity scenes. She’ll discuss fascinating developments such as the fourteenth century Avignon Papacy, when Philip IV of France got the upper hand in a feud with the Church by pressuring a papal conclave to select a French pope and then getting the church’s leadership relocated from Rome to Avignon for nearly 70 years. In drawing parallels between recent events and medieval attacks on the Church’s authority she’ll describe how today’s anti-Church memes echo the anti-pope and anti-Catholic images that Martin Luther disseminated in large numbers with the help of woodcut printing. We’ll look at tensions between past presidents and past popes over not just wars, but issues such as abortion, stem-cell research, and abortion access. The talk will leave you with a deeper appreciation of the inherent tensions between politics and matters of faith. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: From an 1866 Nicolò Barabino painting of the death of Pope Boniface VIII after he was kidnapped and held captive for three days at the behest of King Philip IV of France (Usher Gallery / Wikimedia Commons).

Join us for conversations that go beyond small talk, diving into topics like the shifting nature of spirituality, the challenges and joys of midlife transitions, the impact of culture and capitalism, and the search for meaning in art, travel, and daily life. Our gatherings are about genuine, thought-provoking dialogue, with no set leader or strict agenda—just an open space to share ideas, perspectives, and experiences that matter to us. The direction of the discussion is shaped by everyone who shows up, making each event unique and enriching. Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others who are also seeking deeper conversations. Let the conversation flow from topic to topic. Optional questions are listed below.

Optional Questions: Life Stages & Transitions

1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging?
2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists?
3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about?

Optional Questions: Identity After the Roles

4. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you?
5. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed?
6. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted?

Optional Questions: AI & Being Human

7. What human experiences will AI never truly understand?
8. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do?
9. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated?

Optional Questions: Belief & Meaning

10. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space?
11. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live?
12. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self?

Optional Questions: The Modern Psyche

13. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have?
14. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire?
15. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept?

Optional Questions: Work & Purpose

16. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you?
17. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors?
18. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years?

Optional Questions: Relationships & Connection

19. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why?
20. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best?
21. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others?

Optional Questions: Time & Mortality

22. What are you running out of time to say or do?
23. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite?
24. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail?

Optional Questions: Society & Culture

25. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense?
26. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing?
27. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years?

Optional Questions: Personal Philosophy

28. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way?
29. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out
30. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?

**✨ Join Us at Nunu's Thai Dishes!** Join your DTs family and friends for delicious food and great conversation following our **Thursday night Happy Hour** at **Nunu's Thai Dishes**, 1100 Elden St, Herndon, VA 20170. 🌶️ **Authentic Thai flavors**, a cozy atmosphere, and a menu full of exciting dishes await! 🔗 [Check out their menu here](http://www.nunusthaidishes.com/) If possible, please RSVP on our **Facebook** or **Meetup** pages so we can let the restaurant know how many people to expect. We will have a few extra seats available for last-minute joiners, but we get a big crowd, so please let us know! We don't want to leave you sitting at the bar!

**Craving something cheesy and delicious?** 🍕 Skip the kitchen and join your DTs family and friends for a fun-filled dinner at **Pizza Hut**! After our Thursday night Happy Hour, let’s gather for some classic pizza, great conversation, and a laid-back evening at [1061 Elden St, Herndon, VA 20170](https://locations.pizzahut.com/va/herndon/1061-elden-st?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=local&utm_campaign=googlelistings&utm_content=website&utm_term=300154). Whether you're a fan of deep-dish, stuffed crust, or classic thin, there’s something for everyone! Please RSVP on our Facebook and Meetup pages so we can give Pizza Hut a heads-up on how many pizza-lovers to expect! We usually have a group of 12-20, but the more, the merrier! Walk-ins are welcome, but reserving your spot helps us plan better. We're always switching up the dinner spots for variety, so keep an eye out for next week's location—because every Thursday brings something new to the table! 🍽️

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“A Deep Dive into the Declaration of Independence,”** on the origins and impact of America’s founding document, with Denver Brunsman, chairman of George Washington University’s history department, lecturer at Mount Vernon, and noted scholar of early American history and the American Revolution. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-deep-dive-into-declaration](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-deep-dive-into-declaration) .] The celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary will take on much deeper meaning if you take time to fully understand and appreciate the document that declared our independence from England and gave rise to the American experiment. Learn essential lessons about the Declaration of Independence from Denver Brunsman, is an incredibly engaging speaker who has built a big following among Profs and Pints fans in and around Washington D.C. Professor Brunsman will start by discussing the Declaration’s background, composition, and philosophical underpinnings. You’ll learn how by 1776 American colonists had resisted British policies for thirteen years and endured open warfare with Britain for more than a year. We’ll look at how this imperial crisis influenced the Declaration’s primary author, Thomas Jefferson, as well as the larger Declaration Committee and the Second Continental Congress. In recent years, scholars have focused particularly on the previously underappreciated grievance section of the Declaration. Rather than simply being an afterthought to the more famous preamble (“all men are created equal”), the grievances followed a logical order that carefully presented the case against King George III and the British Empire for a “candid world” to consider. Professor Brunsman will fill you in on how that list of grievances rallied Americans and other nations to the cause. A document both timeless and of its time, the Declaration quickly soared beyond its humble origins as a committee report to become synonymous with American independence and an inspiration for rebellion elsewhere. Dr. Brunsman will consider the place of the Declaration in American life, from the eighteenth century to today, and how the document helped shape much of American history while influencing “the course of human events” throughout the world. The talk will close with customary toasts from the American revolutionary era. Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: From an idealized Jean Leon Gerome Ferris painting of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams drafting the Declaration of Independence.