Philosophy & Ethics

Please join us this Sunday to discuss discomfort, growth and personal development. We will meet at the Captain Melville at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp. **Please note the new $5-10 mandatory donation entry fee** (cash or transfer on day) to help with MeetUp subscription costs, venue costs (food & drinks for table), etc. There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged. This event is also posted to the Socrates Cafe group. Topic questions below, however please note these are open sessions not strict to the below: * What does it mean to “improve” oneself? Are we trying to become our true selves, or create better versions of ourselves? * Does growth require discomfort? * Can unnecessary suffering be mistaken for productive discomfort? * Can suffering produce wisdom when it is reflected on properly? * Is courage the willingness to remain present inside discomfort? * Can comfort become a prison and lead to a shallow life? * Is personal growth possible without some form of sacrifice? * Is there a danger in constantly treating oneself as a project? * Should personal development aim at happiness, virtue, freedom, usefulness, wholeness or holiness? * Make makes a strong family? * What duties do children owe their parents, and what duties do parents owe their children? * What have religions and spiritual traditions said on the above questions? Hope to see you there!

Please join us this Sunday to discuss discomfort, growth and personal development. We will meet at the Captain Melville at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp. **Please note the new $5-10 mandatory donation entry fee** (cash or transfer on day) to help with MeetUp subscription costs, venue costs (food & drinks for table), etc. There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged. This event is also posted to the Philosophy Circle group. Topic questions below, however please note these are open sessions not strict to the below: * What does it mean to “improve” oneself? Are we trying to become our true selves, or create better versions of ourselves? * Does growth require discomfort? * Can unnecessary suffering be mistaken for productive discomfort? * Can suffering produce wisdom when it is reflected on properly? * Is courage the willingness to remain present inside discomfort? * Can comfort become a prison and lead to a shallow life? * Is personal growth possible without some form of sacrifice? * Is there a danger in constantly treating oneself as a project? * Should personal development aim at happiness, virtue, freedom, usefulness, wholeness or holiness? * Make makes a strong family? * What duties do children owe their parents, and what duties do parents owe their children? * What have religions and spiritual traditions said on the above questions? Hope to see you there!

**With 1000s of spontaneous cases with children** investigated and documented over the past 60+ years, the team at DOPS has accumulated a formidable body of evidence suggestive of reincarnation. The types of evidence include detailed memories of verified past lives, personal traits, skills, interests and phobias, etc. and among these the most compelling aspect is cases of birthmarks and birth defects that align with injuries sustained in the previous life, often at the time of death. **In this session, Russ Townsend** will lead a discussion around spontaneous past-life memories in children, how they are investigated and verified, common objections and refutations, and then a number of detailed case studies related to birthmarks and birth defects. At the conclusion, he will walk through the interpretations and theories about this phenomenon. **About Russ:** * Meetup Organiser * Lifelong enthusiast for science, philosophy, and spirituality * Member of AIPR * Trainer / Facilitator * radio show host * Author **Post-Event Social Lunch Hangout (12.45 - 1.45pm)** NOTE: TRYING OUT NEW LUNCH VENUE... Afterwards, you are invited to lunch with everyone at **Gopal's Restaurant** (5min walk from the venue) **PLEASE NOTE:** * **11AM Start -** Please be considerate and arrive early. * **$10 Cover Charge:** Room hire, facilities, and running costs.

**SoulTime Nillumbik** is back! And we’re very excited to introduce...***SoulTime Kids!*** After a short hiatus over the past few months, we’re really looking forward to gathering again and reconnecting as a community. SoulTime offers a welcoming space for **reflection, meaningful conversation and connection** in a peaceful setting overlooking nature. Sessions include gentle music, short readings from diverse cultures and perspectives, and open discussion around uplifting themes relevant to everyday life. This month, we'll be exploring **Happiness - what contributes to happiness within us, and around us.** To help make SoulTime more accessible for families, we’re now also offering ***SoulTime Kids*** — a parallel session for primary-aged children while adults attend the main gathering. Children will enjoy creative, reflective and values-based activities facilitated by a qualified primary school teacher (with Working With Children Check). SoulTime remains open to everyone, regardless of background, beliefs or life stage. Light refreshments will be served following the group discussion. We hope you can join us! 🌿

Join us for the Mangala Sutta Lecture Series -a journey into wisdom, blessings, and practical teachings for everyday life. Guided by Shifu Shengchi, this 8-week series explores the timeless teachings of the Mangal Sutta, offering insight into how to cultivate true happiness, harmony and well-being. Starting: April 12,2026 (Every Sunday) Location: 7/663 Malvern Roac Toorak VIC 3142 Weekly Schedule: 10:30 - 11:00 Baduanjin Qigong (Eight Brocades) 11:00-12:00 Nianfo Meditatio 12:00-13:00 Vegetarian Lunch 13:00-14:00 Mangala Sutta Dharma Talk Whether you are new to Buddhist teachings or looking to deepen your practice, allare welcome.

**Stand Out, Stop Competing and Build a Category of One Brand** In a world oversaturated with AI content and everyone sounding the same, the winning brands are raw, real and unapologetically themselves. In this workshop, one of our incredible members - Erin Morris - will show you how to double down on the one key differentiator no one can copy – you! When you have a brand that is YOUniquely you, you stop being another [coach / service provider / e-commerce store] and become a category of one. People find you on Instagram and feel like they know you. Sales become easier because you have a warm and engaged audience. The opportunities you thought were out of your league – speaking gigs, major retailers, collaborations – start seeking you out. Everything becomes easier, and growth becomes faster when you simply own your voice. During this workshop, you’ll… * Create your own magnetic brand voice guide. * Learn to embody your authentic voice, so you attract “pinch me” dream customers who are excited to work and buy from you. * Reclaim the voice you lost to the robots or who you “thought” you needed to be to make sales. * Naturally stand out in saturated markets without resorting to being the loudest (or most unethical) voice in the room. * Learn how to use your brand voice guide so everything you write becomes instantly recognisable as you, or hand it to a contractor so every word they write sounds like you wrote it. **About the host** *Erin Morris is a copywriter, messaging and launch strategist for impact-driven founders. Erin partners with heart-centred women to help them stand out, fill their group programs and have profitable, high-converting launches, so they stop trading time for money, scale their income and impact and live a life of purpose, passion and freedom.* *Her connection-first framework builds genuine relationships with readers to ethically increase demand and sales. This approach has helped clients sell-out programs, have multiple six-figure launches and consistently beat conversion benchmarks.* *Influenced by almost 2 decades of full-time travel and living around the world, Erin is deeply committed to helping her clients live their biggest, most fulfilling lives and believes that powerful copywriting and obsession-worthy messaging is how you achieve this.*

Join us for a transformative 4-week immersion workshop in Authentic Relating and practice of **deeper listening**, designed to enhance your experience of intimacy and aliveness within connection, and **cultivate the embodied skills** required to navigating deep connections. Each week, we will explore themes, including self-awareness, vulnerability, empathy, and **artful communication**. Through experiential learning, group discussions, in a supportive environment, you will learn be able to practice "active listening", express yourself authentically, and cultivate more meaningful exchanges. There will also be a deeper dive into the practice of artful reflecting and responding to others, and how to respond to someone's sharing in a way that makes them feel seen while expresses the core of what you wanted to share. This is an ongoing process of learning these skills, but we will be covering some of the core foundations of this skill, through discussion and practice. There will be a strong emphasis on slowing down, tuning into the body, and allowing the habitual communication patterns to relax, while organically giving space for the novelty of spontaneous truths to be spoken and revealed. Having a closed group of participant and journeying over **4 x 3 hour classes**, over 4 weeks, will allow for a new level of depth and practice to extend and expand your capacity for more aliveness and more realness. This is a workshop for people who seek for more depth in their relating, for those who have a curiosity that calls them forward into the mystery of life. The workshops will consist of core authentic relating practices, but with the continuation of participants and familiarity it will allow for greater depth, nervous system regulation and greater sense of safety. some other practices that usually won't be run in one-off events, will also be able to be explored due to the increased depth of the group. If this sounds like something you want to explore, I look forward to sharing the space with you and others. If you have any questions, please reach out. \*\* people in challenging financial situations are welcome to reach out and we work something out The pricing of the event is done in a way which hopefully makes it accessible to most people; however it is more expensive than the monthly AR nights per session. This for few reasons: -the level of space holding and depth that the deep dive facilitates requires more space holding -there is a cap on the group as to not make it too large -there is more actually teaching and coaching around the authentic relating practice compared with the Monthly. all bookings must be made through [https://events.humanitix.com/authentic-relating-deep-dive](https://events.humanitix.com/authentic-relating-deep-dive) If you need to talk to me, please email me at authenticcmelb@gmail.com or FB [Authentic Connection Melbourne ](https://www.facebook.com/authenticmelb/) Looking forward to journeying with you! Daniel - Authentic Connection Melbourne Details Cost $250 early bird. $300 General admin DATES 4 Sundays MAY 17th, 24th,31st, JUNE 7th 5:30PM-8:30PM \*\*Participants will need to arrive on time, and the door will be closed by 15 minutes after starting. This is done to set the energy and foundations of the evening as a group. \*\*If you miss one of the sessions, you will still be able to attend the other sessions.

**Who We are..... 🤝** Our journey to bring people together began in January of 2022. The group was started with a simple intention to gather and meet some likeminded people - connecting through the powerful act of meditation and sharing our genuine selves while sitting in a circle that represents equality, harmony and wholeness( *we believe everyone in the circle is a teacher and a student at the same time)*. And over the last 4 years of consistently coming together, we have fostered a beautiful, loving, dependable community where members from all walks of life have experienced a sacred space to sit in silence together and meditate, share their authentic selves, give presence to others and forge meaningful and long lasting connections. The Meditations are guided by Sana(co-founder and host), who is a Trained and certified meditation teacher by the Meditation Association of Australia, and has been guiding meditations for 3+ years in corporate and community settings. ✨ **Do you wish to....** * Experience a simple yet powerful meditation and breathing practice to find calm, relaxation and clarity * Connect with like-minded people in your local community and foster meaningful connections * Meet others who are passionate about growing, uplifting themselves, and supporting others * Share insights from your personal journey (or simply listen and learn) Or maybe you just want to... ☮️ **Spend your Sunday evening in a peaceful, zen space and meet new people? Bring a friend (or two!) and let’s connect.** **What’s on the evening’s flow?** * **Open meet & greet** – connect and settle in * **5 min guided meditation** to land into the space and connect within * **Sharing circle** (totally optional!) – share your thoughts or simply listen * **20-30 min guided meditation** – for relaxation and deeper connection **Where?** 📍 **250 George St, Fitzroy VIC 3065** Enter through the church gates. You’ll see a small garden on the left and stairs on the right leading up to the **Dance of Life Yoga Studio (first door on your right upstairs).** **What to bring?** * **Donation:** A contribution of **$15 or more is recommended**. Your donations directly help us cover venue, meetup membership and other costs, provide valuable resources, and keep this meditation community alive and growing. * **Warm jumper/jacket** (just in case!) * **Water** * **Any books/resources/inspiration you’d love to share** **Important Notes:** * Spaces are **limited**, so if you can’t make it, please update your RSVP to “Not going” or send us a quick message. * **No-show policy:** To keep it fair for everyone, repeat no-shows without notice may not be able to RSVP in the future. * Attendees under 18 must have a guardian present. **Everyone is welcome!** All ages (with guardians for under 18), backgrounds, genders, and experiences – no meditation experience needed. The event runs for about **2.5 hours**, but you’re free to come and go as you need.

Join us in our cosy new centre in Carlton North. Whether you are new to meditation or an experienced practitioner you are welcome at these relaxed and informal sessions. Simple instructions are provided and you can sit in a chair or on a cushion. Masks optional but not mandated. Bring your own sealed drink bottle. $10 for workers or $5 for concession. Find out about our Centre's activities Browse our bookshop for books, incense and dharma items. 803 Nicholson Street, Carlton North. Website: https://melbourne.rigpa.org.au/

Sunday Evening Meditation 5.30 to 6.30pm Join us in our cosy centre in Carlton North. Whether you are new to meditation or an experienced practitioner you are welcome at these relaxed and informal sessions. Simple instructions are provided and you can sit in a chair or on a cushion. Masks optional but not mandated. Bring your own sealed drink bottle. $10 for workers or $5 for concession. Find out about our activities. Incense and other dharma books and items for sale 803 Nicholson Street, Carlton North. Website: https://melbourne.rigpa.org.au/

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** EVERY SUNDAY AT 11AM Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You'll gain insights into: * The true definition of the subconscious * How it generates unwanted emotions * Its real purpose and function * What determines the pressure it exerts on you But this isn't just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It's interactive and engaging - you can ask questions at any time. FREE ADMISSION Reserve your spot today. Seats are limited, so don't wait too long to sign up.

Sunday evening meditation from 5.30 - 6.30. Join us in our cosy centre in Carlton North. Whether you are new to meditation or an experienced practitioner you are welcome at these relaxed and informal sessions. Simple instructions are provided and you can sit in a chair or on a cushion. Masks optional but not mandated. Bring your own sealed drink bottle. $10 for workers or $5 for concession. Browse our shop for books, incense and dharma items. Find out what our Centre is offering 803 Nicholson Street, Carlton North. Website: https://melbourne.rigpa.org.au/

There have been some requests in the group for an afternoon tea, so here’s a really unique one! Oxi Tea Room was awarded one Hat this year and delivers an incredible afternoon tea experience. Here’s an example video of one of their previous menus: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIA3AtEh4bf/?igsh=MW5lN3ZmaGxkeHFwag== The new menu titled ‘Hatched - The Loop’ has just been released (menu here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cO4e2-mPF2ZE_C6Pce3FTallVZGlP1nJ/view) and I have booked this for 6 Fine Diners to enjoy from 12pm on Sunday 17 May. The price is $128 per person and includes a tea and a welcome drink. You can purchase additional teas/drinks on the day if you wish. 

Join the waitlist to express interest. Once I have names in the waitlist, I’ll send you a ‘Meetup Message’ to confirm you have a spot and how to pay. You’ll need to send me the full cost of $128 to secure your place as this is charged for cancellations. Once paid I’ll move you from the waitlist to going. Please check that you don’t have your settings blocking messages; if I can’t contact you I’ll have to move on to the next person. Also if you don’t respond to my message within 3 days, I’ll let you know that I’m offering the seat to the next person on the waitlist. 

Thanks and I’m looking forward to trying this beautiful-looking afternoon tea with you!

Main Library, Meeting Room 2B Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.

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

ASH is Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists of First Unitarian Universalists of Columbus Ohio TBD Snacks are usually available, and you are welcome to bringing something to share!

By popular demand, the group wanted to read and discuss the semi-autobiographical novel by Henri-Pierre Roche, that inspired the Truffaut movie we watched last year. The book is available through the Columbus Library's interlibrary loan system. They reported there are twenty-eight copies available in the state of Ohio. If you have a library card, you can file an interlibrary loan request here: https://www.columbuslibrary.org/library-services/ . There are also used copies available on Amazon and eBay for under twenty dollars. You may want to rewatch the movie after reading the book, so we can compare and contrast in our discussion. The Columbus Library has four copies on DVD, and it's streaming on HBOMax.