Platonism

Suitable for beginners and the philosophically intrigued. We are going to talk about the meanings of the Sun, the Moon, the Rising sign and about basic principles to read a chart as a whole. And we are going to wonder about what kind of worldview is implied by astrology. Relaxed talk over coffee with Jean-Marc - modern, western, psychological and evolutionary astrologer My website: [https://www.jeanmarcpierson.com/](http://%5Bhttps//www.jeanmarcpierson.com/%5D(https://www.jeanmarcpierson.com/) "\[https://www.jeanmarcpierson.com/\](https://www.jeanmarcpierson.com/)") See you there! Jean-Marc

Hi everyone! Booking is now open for our next badminton session, 11am-1pm on Sunday at Ark All Saints Camberwell 140 Wyndham Road SE5 0UB. The cost is only £10 per person plus £1.62 Meetup booking fee, paid in advance before the start of the session. Bring your racket or lease one for the session for a nominal £2.00, shuttlecocks is provided. The lease rackets are available at the venue, so just make your way down. Please note we don't have enough for everybody just a few. If you damage your racket during the session you get one to use for free. So if you wish to play and don’t yet have a racket make your way down, try and have a couple of nuggets (£2.00) handy because the racket lease fee is not included with the session booking fee. Payment is by PayPal, Debit card, Credit card, Bank transfer, and Cash. Contact the host if you encounter any problem with making payment or wish to pay by other method (Payment by Bank transfer & Cash is £10.00) Direction: The badminton hall is situated at the rear of the school, read on for direction on how to locate the hall. The main entrance to the school is located on Wyndham road, on Wyndham road look for Toulon Street it is on the same side as the school. If you stand facing the school Toulon Street should be to your right. Toulon street lead on to Pitman Street which is where the entrance is located. Use the pedestrian gate to let yourself in, if it is locked use the intercom and somebody should let you in. Immediately inside the school premises the entrance to the badminton venue is the building to your immediate right. For more info, contact the host Look forward to seeing you! Many thanks Afam

Welcome back ramblers, rovers, loungers and loafers! Once again, it's time to drift. We're picking up where we left off (well, a little west of there) last month to continue our long-term unguided navigation around the whole of London. We'll stay south of the river this time and keep pushing westwards into the heartland of glorious South London, starting from Greenwich and ending up, most likely, somewhere in Lambeth, via Peckham. These are some of the liveliest, most interesting parts of the metropolis so an extended exploration is a long time coming for us! Since this is a *dérive*, I won't say much more than that. Meet out in front of Greenwich station, serviced by the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) as well as Thameslink (which cost the same as the Tube and run from big stations such as Farringdon and King's Cross) and Southwestern rail services. Check planned TfL disruptions here - there are some disruptions to certain routes on the DLR for March 15th, but Greenwich station will be fine and our day should be all clear for most everybody: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/planned-track-closures.pdf A little background on our City Drifting project here: **Now just wait a minute. What the hell is a drift ([dérive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9rive))?** A drift is any unplanned journey through the urban landscape in which participants practice a form of radical mindfulness, collectively exploring new ways of relating mentally, ideologically and materially to the "ordinary" urban environment we all think we know so well. First theorised publicly by Situationist thinker, artist and provocateur Guy Debord in his 1956 essay *[Theory of the Dérive](https://libcom.org/article/theory-derive-guy-debord)*, drifting is a sort of *critique of ideology* done by walking, looking, and feeling. **The urban environment of London is not a neutral space:** it is packed with surveillance equipment, anti-homeless architecture, consumerist [Gruen transfers,](https://www.smartcapitalmind.com/what-is-the-gruen-transfer.htm) crowd management systems and security perimeters, among a thousand other subtle and not-so-subtle methods of population control. Moreover, our everyday relationship to the city and its pathways is conditioned deeply by our habits of movement and our habitual perceptions: our commute to work, to school, our nips down to the shops, etc. **All these routines create what Marxists call a *reified* relationship with the urban environment: through over-familiarity it becomes something seemingly natural, "just there", ordinary, unchangeable - boring.** This boredom and familiarity kills the radical imagination, without which we're fucked. To be able to start to imagine how society could be transformed, we also need to imagine how spaces, buildings, their use, their whole purpose (and who these serve) could themselves be transformed. A necessary step in this process, according to Debord and the Situationists, is the drift. Like the 19th-century gentleman *[flâneur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fl%C3%A2neur),* by wandering the city with an attitude of "fresh eyes", we can shake loose our ingrained sense of what London and its streets are like. **As a collective, we will work to "estrange our senses" and see the streets, buildings and people differently, as if we were encountering them for the first time.** That is to say: these aren't just random walks around London - with the right frame of mind, they will be opportunities to turn the world upside down, if only for a moment! But don't take it from me - as Debord observed: *"In a dérive one or more persons during a certain period **drop their relations, their work and leisure activities, and all their other usual motives for movement and action, and let themselves be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and the encounters they find there.** Chance is a less important factor in this activity than one might think: from a dérive point of view cities have [psychogeographical](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychogeography) contours, with constant currents, fixed points and vortexes that strongly discourage entry into or exit from certain zones."* See you on the streets comrades, and remember, as [Raoul Vaneigem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raoul_Vaneigem) once wrote: *"All space is occupied by the enemy. We are living under a permanent curfew. Not just the cops — the geometry".*

**\*Please note we had to increase the session fees to £14 due to increase in court hire and shuttles.** Sunday Morning Badminton Date: 15 March 2026 Time: 10 am to 12 Noon Courts: 4 courts available Shuttles: Feather (quality feathers) Session Fee: £14 per person. TWO HOURS OF BADMINTON - £14, Venue: Somers Town Community Sports Centre 134 Chalton Street, London NW1 1RX Free Street Parking Available. This session is for those that are intermediate and above (strictly no beginners/ improvers/ Low Intermediates). We want to ensure the quality of play while controlling the standard of the club, this means that players who are not quite up to the standard may be asked politely to leave. PLEASE PAY BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION EITHER VIA BANK TRANSFER/ PAYPAL. IMPORTANT: OUR TERMS! Coronavirus: Stay Safe, Play Safe https://www.meetup.com/Central-London-Badminton-Club/boards/thread/52704882 Badminton Tactics: https://www.meetup.com/Central-London-Badminton-Club/messages/boards/thread/52043613 \*PLEASE NOTE: LATE CANCELLATIONS (AFTER 8PM ON SATURDAY) OR NO-SHOWS WILL INCUR A PENALTY CHARGE OF £14. YOU WILL NEED TO PAY THE PENALTY CHARGE BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO RSVP AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE SESSION. • You are responsible for your own well-being and we and the sports facility representatives will not be responsible for any injury, stolen or damaged property or any other occurrences during our sessions. • Organisers: Mohammed (mr. nice guy), Vin (the merciless) and Moynul (the dark side of badminton)

A contemplative spiritual gathering in which you can take time to reflect on life in the company of others. A rare opportunity to experience this form of gathering in person. (More info: [www.heartandsoulcircles.org.uk](http://www.heartandsoulcircles.org.uk/))

**\*Please note we had to increase the session fees to £15 due to increase in court hire and shuttles.** Sunday Singles Badminton Date: 15 March 2025 Time: 10 am to 12 Noon Courts: 2 courts available Shuttles: Feather (quality feathers) Session Fee: £15 per person. TWO HOURS OF BADMINTON - £15, Venue: Somers Town Community Sports Centre 134 Chalton Street, London NW1 1RX Free Street Parking Available. This session is for those that are intermediate and above (strictly no beginners/ improvers/ Low Intermediates). PLEASE PAY BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION EITHER VIA BANK TRANSFER/ PAYPAL. IMPORTANT: OUR TERMS! Coronavirus: Stay Safe, Play Safe https://www.meetup.com/Central-London-Badminton-Club/boards/thread/52704882 Badminton Tactics: https://www.meetup.com/Central-London-Badminton-Club/messages/boards/thread/52043613 \*PLEASE NOTE: LATE CANCELLATIONS (AFTER 8PM ON SATURDAY) OR NO-SHOWS WILL INCUR A PENALTY CHARGE OF £15. YOU WILL NEED TO PAY THE PENALTY CHARGE BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO RSVP AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE SESSION. • You are responsible for your own well-being and we and the sports facility representatives will not be responsible for any injury, stolen or damaged property or any other occurrences during our sessions. • Organisers: Mohammed (mr. nice guy), Vin (the merciless) and Moynul (the dark side of badminton)

**Honouring the earth** Part 3 of the book club 'Cherishing the Earth' led by Alison Bybee and David Carter. 'Changing Hearts and Minds' Join us for insightful discussions over tea and cake, as we explore a book that celebrates and reflects on our planet, searching for a spiritual response to the ecological crisis that confronts us all. We will meet on the 3rd Sunday of every month for four months. The book, *Cherishing the Earth – Nourishing the Spirit*, edited by Maria Curtis, presents a range of Unitarian responses to the global environmental crisis. Contributors include ministers, lay people, and children, writing from diverse theological and ethical perspectives, exploring what it might mean to live in right relationship with the Earth. Their insights range from the prophetic and political to the practical and intensely personal, but all share a sense of gratitude for the sacred gift of life. Maria Curtis asks what changes we need to make in ourselves and in our society if we are to work towards healing the Earth and restoring balance to the global ecosystem: *“We need to re-imagine what a healthy relationship between humanity and the natural world might look like, one conducive to the flourishing of all beings onEarth.”* Rev. Dr Maria Curtis is a Unitarian minister with a background in education and psychology. Our four book club sessions: **18th January: Prophetic Voices** **15th February: Honouring the Earth** **15th March: Changing Hearts and Minds** **19th April: Active Hope and Young Voices** Each session will be standalone so that you can attend all, several or just one. We encourage participants to buy or borrow the book and to have read the sections if possible beforehand. **Buy the book: email *[alonghurst@unitarian.org.uk](mailto:alonghurst@unitarian.org.uk)* (£12 plus £3.50 P&P) Subsidised books available by request for those in financial need, just contact: [ministryteam@rosslynhillchapel.org.uk](mailto:ministryteam@rosslynhillchapel.org.uk)** Suggested donation: £10, for those who can afford to make a contribution. We are a registered charity - please give what you can.

**PLEASE NOTE: You need to purchase your ticket in order to attend:** https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983877136921?aff=oddtdtcreator The Spring Equinox marks the moment when day and night stand in perfect balance. Light and dark. Expansion and stillness. Doing and being. This half-day retreat is an invitation to pause at that threshold and turn inward. To explore the balance between your inner world and the way you show up in the outer one. Between the parts of yourself that feel easy to share — and the parts you quietly keep hidden. What if both belong? Together, we will gently explore: * What aspects of myself do I naturally express? * What do I tend to hide, soften, or suppress? Through intentional yoga, balancing breathwork, guided journaling, reflection time and embodied exercises, you’ll be supported to reconnect with your whole self — not just the polished, productive or “positive” parts, but the tender, uncertain and powerful parts too. This is not about meeting yourself more fully. By the end of the retreat, you will feel: * More aligned between who you are inside and how you show up outside * More compassionate toward the parts you’ve judged * More grounded in your visibility Spring reminds us that growth happens naturally when light and dark are both honoured. If you’re craving depth, reflection and a space to be seen without having to perform, this day is for you. **What is included?** -expansive breathwork -yoga -reflection & journaling -embodied exercise -snacks & teas -optional social afterwards **What to Bring?** -A journal + pen -A water bottle Join my WhatsApp community to stay in the loop about upcoming classes & events: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/JSwy4GT3zeM8ywHHR931A1](https://chat.whatsapp.com/JSwy4GT3zeM8ywHHR931A1 "https://chat.whatsapp.com/JSwy4GT3zeM8ywHHR931A1") See my work on instagram: aga.tokarskaa [https://www.instagram.com/fromwithin.aga](https://www.instagram.com/fromwithin.aga "https://www.instagram.com/fromwithin.aga") **Important information:** Breathwork is a safe practise, but it can be a powerful and sometimes intense experience. This practice is not recommended for pregnant individuals or for those with certain medical conditions. Breathwork should be avoided if you have any of the following: cardiovascular conditions, seizure disorders or epilepsy, recent injury or surgery, severe asthma (participants with mild asthma should bring an inhaler), a history of aneurysms, glaucoma, retinal detachment, osteoporosis, lung, heart or spinal conditions, severe diabetes or serious mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or psychosis. By registering, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and accepted the information above. **About me:** I am a certified Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin yoga teacher, women’s circle facilitator, expansive breathwork instructor and transformational coach passionate about helping people reconnect with their bodies, breath and their inner selves. I hosted many workshops, yoga classes and women's circle in the UK, Mexico and Spain. My sessions merge multiple modalities in order to provide immersive experience and make sure that everyone takes value from the session. My life purpose is to create spaces for personal development, healing and growth. Spaces where people can discuss what truly matters and realise that the biggest happiness comes from within. For any questions message me on instagram: fromwithin.aga

SCIENTOLOGY **TOOLS** **FOR LIFE** What if you had simple tools which you could use to improve your relationship with others? What if a step-by-step procedure could help you achieve your goals in life? What if you could learn the secret to mastering any subject you wanted to master? Come and find out!

**[️ Grab your ticket here ️](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/psychedelic-coffee-medicine-growth-chats-tickets-1983701362174?aff=oddtdtcreator)** **⟶ There will be 60+ people coming as we promote this event on multiple platforms.** Meet deeper people, share psychedelic experiences, explore life and make new friends. You’ll join groups of four, rotating every 45 minutes using custom conversation prompts designed to spark deeper, more personal discussions. We gather 60-70 intentional people together monthly for a fully facilitated and carefully curated social experience over drinks or food — with space to share stories, insights, and opinions, focused on personal growth, fun and connection. This is not group therapy, an integration circle, or an academic discussion. It's an intentionally designed social experience, giving you a rare opportunity to talk freely with others about your personal growth and psychedelic experiences. Opinions are welcome. **Expect:** → Led by psychologist & coach → Fully hosted & facilitated experience → Exclusive private lounge & bar → Groups of 4 with 3 rotations → Opening breathwork & intention setting → Custom conversation cards → Closing collective moments → Craft drinks, cocktails & hot plates → An immersive, curated event → Stay after to socialise til' late **➤➤➤ Limited to 70 tickets. Previous events sold out.** Deep-dive into meaningful conversations about personal growth, relationships, spirituality, consciousness, purpose, and of course… psychedelics. Make new friends and talk about what *really* matters. **WHO'S IT FOR?** Everyone’s welcome - whether you’re a seasoned psychonaut or have only had one experience. The aim is to enable open conversations you wouldn’t normally get to have elsewhere. You might gain new insights, hear unique stories, or even make a new friend or two! **FACILITATOR & HOST** Dina is an organisational psychologist, facilitator and coach dedicated to creating spaces where people can deepen their self-awareness, surface and challenge underlying assumptions and build meaningful connections. She leads reflective spaces where people can slow down, reflect and connect more deeply. **BRAND NEW VENUE!!!** Bubba Oasis is a homely lounge bar located on Upper St, Angel, Islington with a relaxed, inviting atmosphere and creative living-room feel. We have the entire first floor to ourselves where they serve high-quality coffee, cocktails, wine and craft drinks, alongside super-healthy hot food and light snacks (available throughout the afternoon and evening). The venue remains open after the event, so guests are welcome to stay on for drinks to continue conversations into the night. **SCHEDULE** * **2pm:** Arrive, grab drink/food & find a table * **2.30pm:** Welcome. Light grounding, intention setting & breathwork. * **2.40pm:** We begin. * **3.25pm:** Rotation 1. * **4.10pm – 4.40pm:** Break. Grab food & drinks. Socialise. * **4.40pm:** Rotation 2. * **5.25pm:** Collective closing (10 mins) * **5.35pm:** Finish. Socialising continues (venue is open til’ late) * ️ Get your **[ticket here](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/psychedelic-coffee-medicine-growth-chats-tickets-1983701362174?aff=oddtdtcreator) !!!** **\*Please note:** You may be turned away if you arrive after 2.30pm. We will scan your ticket QR code on the door. An **Unseen** event. Unseen is an events company hosting curated social experiences in beautiful London spaces, designed for curious minds who want to meet deeper people and build meaningful friendships. Come alone, talk about what really matters and leave connected. **FOUNDER: Ben Jay** Ben is an entrepreneur and mentor, with an earlier career as a signed touring musician. He’s deeply invested in mentorship, mental health and community work for the disadvantaged, with a strong focus on personal growth. Over the last 20 years, he’s founded ventures in the creative, tech & mental health space, spanning charities, community projects & creative businesses. He’s currently building UNSEEN **-** curated offline social experiences for people seeking deeper friendships. ➤ ➤➤ More about Ben: **[ben-jay.co.uk](https://ben-jay.co.uk/)** **\>\>\> [Join our WhatsApp here](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Cbc7UO1mSJa7Nq9zMaXheb?mode=gi_t)** (for early access to future events) **<<<** **CONVERSATION PROMPT EXAMPLES:** – What first drew you to psychedelics? \- What makes you feel most alive? – Biggest lesson from a journey? \- What was your turning point in life? * **[️ Grab your ticket here](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/psychedelic-coffee-medicine-growth-chats-tickets-1983701362174?aff=oddtdtcreator) ️️** * **\*\*\*We will be taking photos and videos at this event**. If you don't want to be included, notify us before the event starts. **\*\*\*We cannot offer refunds.** Tickets are limited capacity. **\*\*\*Please note:** This event does not involve the use of psychedelics or any illegal substances. It is a facilitated social discussion space only. We do not promote sourcing, sharing, organising, or facilitating illegal activity. Experiences and perspectives may be discussed, but this is not a therapeutic space and does not provide medical or psychological advice.

**A half-day gathering of embodiment & authentic connection in West London. Workshops, ecstatic dance sound journey & community social space.** **For booking and more info:** [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983612456254?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983612456254?aff=oddtdtcreator) **CONNECTIVAL** **Connection, Emodiment, Ecstatic Dance & Community in the Heart of London** **📍 The Amadeus, Maida Vale, West London** **📅 Sunday 15 February** **⏰ 2:30pm–8:30pm** **🔞 18\+ \| Sober Event** **Why Connectival? And Why London Needs It** London is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, yet many of us feel disconnected, overstimulated, and yearning for genuine human connection. Connectival, created and hosted by **Ecstatic Dance London** in collaboration with guest facilitators, is a response to that need. This gathering offers practical tools for connection that you can take into everyday life through movement, presence, and authentic conversation. These practices foster deeper relationships with yourself and with others, particularly in a fast-paced city environment. Connectival widens the idea of love beyond romance into something more human and sustainable. ***Connection, community, expression, presence, and belonging.*** Connectival is rooted in consent, inclusivity, embodied awareness, and respect for boundaries. This is a space to feel safe, welcome, and human. In a city that rarely slows down, Connectival is an invitation to pause, move, and reconnect with yourself and with others.

Level up mentally and physically. Join our growing community this Sunday. Psyfer leads a bespoke yoga session from 11am. AnnieV guides the group through another literature roundup, with readings and writing challenges from 1pm. First time entry free / Advance tickets [here](https://btcpay.btc.aw/apps/rvvVwGSSSiJ7UgtzjmBdxy1Uq6a/pos "https://btcpay.btc.aw/apps/rvvVwGSSSiJ7UgtzjmBdxy1Uq6a/pos") No unsolicited photograhy. Stay humble.

**You must register to attend:** [https://luma.com/d04bupgn](https://luma.com/d04bupgn) ​Attention London agent tinkerers and curious humans 🤖✨ ​Come join us for **ClawClub AI Agents Hackday** \- a bring\-your\-laptop afternoon for playing with AI agents\, agent UX \(AUX\)\, OpenClaw\, Moltbot\, or any agent idea you’ve been meaning to try\. ​No talks. No demos. Just tables, power, Wi-Fi, snacks, a shared scratchpad, and maybe a place where agents can hang out together. * ​​**bring a laptop 💻** * ​bring an agent (or curiosity) 🤖 * ​​register quick to avoid disappointment! 🎟️ * £10 ​​ticket price covers food, drinks & venue costs 🍴 * ​​hosted at [Newspeak House](https://newspeak.house/), The London College of Political Technology 🏛️ **You must register to attend:** [https://luma.com/d04bupgn](https://luma.com/d04bupgn)

Welcome to our **Free Event - Master the Art of Communication**! Join us at the Church of Scientology **Life Improvement Centre** to learn valuable basics of communication and skills that will help you in both your personal and professional life. During this event, you will learn some fundamentals of communication - what is it, what are the vital parts of the communication formula.... and have the opportunity to participate in these new skills. Hear from trained and experienced communicators, and practice communication techniques in a supportive environment. Whether you struggle with public speaking, conflict resolution, or simply want to improve your relationships, this is for you! Come and discover the power of knowledge and how to achieve effective communication. Find out how you could guide and control communication in your life! Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your communication abilities and connect with like-minded individuals. We look forward to seeing you here!

So this month's prompt is more general. I think we can all agree that we are living in "unique" times that require coping skills. I think that one role and/or purpose of philosophy is to help us deal with our daily lives and our "unique" times. So, let's share our feelings and thoughts about which philosopher/philosophy we turn to in order to deal with our crazy events. Who/what helps you stay focused in your daily life and helps you sleep at night. I find that Stoicism with a little philosophical pessimism mixed in goes a long way in helping me deal with what I see as very destructive, fearful and mean spirited public policies at both the state and federal levels. Hope to see you on March 28th!

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!