Science

Join us the 4th Friday of every month at 6 pm at Cherie Bistro for another Toronto Humanist & Atheist get-together! Catch up with friends and welcome new people.

### **“Conscious Living”** **An Experiential Community Program for Embodied Consciousness** **Ongoing until April 30, 2026** (except for March Break) **Thursdays, 7:30 PM (in person)** **Facilitator:** Sophia Barna, M.Ed., M.S.W. **Location: Toronto Theosophical Society,** 792 Glencairn Ave., Toronto, ON **(Basement Room)** “Conscious Living” is a weekly experiential program that bridges the study of consciousness with the practical realities of everyday life. Rooted in the *Map of Consciousness* developed by David R. Hawkins and *A Course in Miracles (ACIM)*, this program invites participants to move beyond theory into lived, embodied awareness. Together, we explore what it means to live “in the world, but not of it” — grounded, present, and engaged, while rooted in higher awareness. The Map of Consciousness serves as our reference point. Each meeting focuses on a specific state of consciousness, blending study and practice so participants not only understand these states intellectually, but also learn to embody and live them in daily life. In addition to the Map of Consciousness, A Course in Miracles (ACIM) provides a complementary framework for the program. ACIM offers practical spiritual principles for transforming perception, cultivating forgiveness, and recognizing the inner guidance of love and truth. Its teachings emphasize the shift from fear to love, the release of judgment, and the practice of conscious choice in every moment. Our gatherings are grounded in the states of Love, Joy, and Gratitude, corresponding to the elevated energy field of 540 on the Map of Consciousness. From this frequency of openness and lightness, we come together to uplift, inspire, and grow in awareness — individually and collectively. ### **✨A Potluck for the Body, Heart, Mind & Soul🌈** Each session is designed as a holistic experience — nourishing all dimensions of being: * **🪷 Food for the Soul:** Guided meditation, self-reflection, and self-inquiry * **🧠 Food for the Mind:** Lectures, presentations, and meaningful group discussions * **✨ Food for the Body:** Embodied practices (movement and dance meditations), singing, chanting * **💗 Food for the Heart:** Love-centered connecting and sharing ### **🌸What to Expect** Together, we will explore different states of consciousness through: * Lectures and presentations * Guided meditation * Self-reflection * Group discussions * Movement and dance meditation * Singing and chanting ### **🌸What to Bring** 1. Coloured clothes — each week a specific colour (ROGVAIV rainbow sequence: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet). *This is an encouraged part of the experience, not mandatory.* 2. Silk or large dancing scarf/veil 3. Notebook, journal, or paper with pens, crayons, markers 4. Your highest vibrational presence in love, joy, and gratitude This is a space where learning becomes lived experience — where insight meets embodiment. *To uphold universal brotherhood without distinction and freedom of thought, all elements of the evening are invitational. Participants may opt out of any component and still be welcome, as long as we engage with one another respectfully.* *This is a participatory series with optional components. In keeping with TTS values, you are welcome to opt in or opt out of any element, and the central expectation is mutual respect.* ### **Reference Texts** 1. Hawkins, D. R. (2012). Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House. 2. Foundation for Inner Peace. (1976). A Course in Miracles. Mill Valley, CA: Foundation for Inner Peace. 3. Barna, S. (2025). Flying Home: Soul Stories for the Little One Within. Toronto: LightPath Publishing. **Registration:** TTS Study Groups, ts.study.to@gmail.com Registration **optional** (for updates and materials). Walk-ins welcome. ### **About the Facilitator:** **Sophia Barna** is an educator and facilitator with a long-standing interest in the relationship between inner life and everyday life: how spiritual principles become livable, embodied realities rather than abstract ideas. Her work bridges consciousness research, reflective inquiry, and practical methods for self-observation and inner transformation. Her background includes graduate training in education and social work, and advanced professional training in EMDR. In “Conscious Living,” she draws on the Map of Consciousness (as developed by David R. Hawkins) and the spiritual psychology of A Course in Miracles, inviting participants to explore themes such as presence, perception, forgiveness, and the cultivation of love, joy, and gratitude through shared practice and dialogue. Her facilitation style is heart-centered, clear, and experiential, with space for participants to learn through reflection, discussion, and embodied exercises. ***Important distinction:*** While Sophia’s clinical experience, education, and skills shape how she holds the space and communicates, this series does not constitute EMDR therapy, psychotherapy or a clinical solution for mental or emotional problems. It is a group experience offered in the spirit of service and public learning, and it should not replace care from a licensed provider in a private and confidential therapeutic relationship.

Struggling with motivation and focus as you hammer away on your manuscript at home? Want to join a community of writers as we embrace the joys and pains (mostly pains) of writing together? Bring your laptop, pen & paper, old-school typewriter, or futuristic writing gadget, and join an enthusiastic community of science fiction and fantasy writers as we work on our current projects in the same space. The format will be similar to our online writing sprints: 30-minute blocks of focused, quiet writing time (the sprints), interspersed with breaks where we can chat, ask questions, and share our writing experiences.

Join your community of fellow Intuitives and MBTI nerds for a casual evening of engaging conversation. We get together every second Sunday – with a mix of regulars and new friends. There is no fee to attend, though we ask that you support the venue by ordering something to eat or drink. **Feel free to contact event host B. via Facebook/Meetup messenger, or text/call 416-712-8635 for directions**. About the venue: The Pint Public House Nearest Subway: Union Station Map / Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/G5GfXDSQXeifJ5ot5 We make an effort to find pubs that are quiet and introvert friendly, with a section to ourselves. We make no effort to muffle our extroverts, but should they get out of hand, our resident INTJ will use their death stare, to pull them back in line.

*Note: this is an external event, hosted by an outside organization. We will meet 15 minutes prior to the event as a group.* **Event Description**: Su J Sokol and Rachel A. Rosen will be discussing the role of art - and speculative fiction in particular - as a tool of community organizing and social justice imagining, and fighting fascism. Moderated by Megan Kinch. Author panel, reading and Q&A with authors/activists Su J Sokol & Rachel A. Rosen Free! All welcome! **More Information:** * [https://www.facebook.com/events/st-stephen-in-the-fields-anglican-church-103-bellevue-ave-toronto/speculative-fiction-and-the-fight-against-fascism/938052088984656/](https://www.blogto.com/events/speculative-fiction-and-the-fight-against-fascism-toronto/) * [https://www.blogto.com/events/speculative-fiction-and-the-fight-against-fascism-toronto/](https://www.blogto.com/events/speculative-fiction-and-the-fight-against-fascism-toronto/)

Baruch Spinoza's *Theological-Political Treatise* (1670), originally published anonymously, is one of the most important and controversial philosophical works of the early modern period. Aiming to "liberate the individual from bondage to superstition and ecclesiastical authority", the work has been characterized as one of the most significant events in European intellectual history, laying the groundwork for ideas about liberalism, secularism, and democracy. In it Spinoza discusses at length the historical circumstances of the composition and transmission of the Bible, demonstrating the fallibility of both its authors and its interpreters. He argues that free enquiry is not only consistent with the security and prosperity of a state but actually essential to them, and that such freedom flourishes best in a democratic and republican state in which individuals are left free while religious organizations are subordinated to the secular power. His Treatise has profoundly influenced the subsequent history of political thought, Enlightenment philosophy, Bible hermeneutics, and textual criticism more generally. The work attracted harsh criticism and vigorous attempts by religious leaders and conservative authorities to suppress his work entirely, with one critic describing it as being "Forged in hell by the apostate Jew working together with the devil". **\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \*** This is Day 1 of a two day conference presented by the University of Toronto's Centre for Ethics on the contemporary relevance of Spinoza's *Theological-Politico Treatise* (or *Tractatus Theologico-Politicus*) published in 1670. The conference is free to attend and open to the public. The Conference Schedule [Thursday, April 23rd](https://www.meetup.com/the-toronto-philosophy-meetup/events/314226963/) * 9:45 AM – Julie Klein (Villanova University) – OBEDIENCE * 11:00 AM – Daniel Garber (Princeton University) – THEOCRACY * 1:30 PM – Yitzhak Melamed (Johns Hopkins University) – POWER & RIGHT * 2:45 PM – Mélanie Zappulla (UW-Madison) – THE PEOPLE * 4:00 PM – [Michael Rosenthal](https://philosophy.utoronto.ca/directory/michael-a-rosenthal/) (University of Toronto) – THE JEWS [Friday, April 24th](https://www.meetup.com/the-toronto-philosophy-meetup/events/314352946/) * 10:00 AM – Jac Jacob Zellmer (UW-Madison) – FLATTERY * 11:15 AM – Justin Steinberg (Cornell University) – SEDITIOUS SPEECH * 1:45 PM – Willi Goetschel (University of Toronto) – FREEDOM OF THOUGHT * 3:00 PM – Jason Yonover (Yale University) – GENEALOGY About the Centre for Ethics (http://ethics.utoronto.ca): The Centre for Ethics is an interdisciplinary centre aimed at advancing research and teaching in the field of ethics, broadly defined. The Centre seeks to bring together the theoretical and practical knowledge of diverse scholars, students, public servants and social leaders in order to increase understanding of the ethical dimensions of individual, social, and political life. In pursuit of its interdisciplinary mission, the Centre fosters lines of inquiry such as (1) foundations of ethics, which encompasses the history of ethics and core concepts in the philosophical study of ethics; (2) ethics in action, which relates theory to practice in key domains of social life, including bioethics, business ethics, and ethics in the public sphere; and (3) ethics in translation, which draws upon the rich multiculturalism of the City of Toronto and addresses the ethics of multicultural societies, ethical discourse across religious and cultural boundaries, and the ethics of international society. The Ethics of A.I. Lab at the Centre For Ethics recently appeared on a list of 10 organizations leading the way in ethical A.I.: https://ocean.sagepub.com/blog/10-organizations-leading-the-way-in-ethical-ai

Walk for Children - 2026 Save Soil Walkathon in Columbus 🌍 Over 52% of the world soil is degraded and scientists warn we may have only a few decades of fertile soil left. As Sadhguru shares, soil is a living system—and when it degrades, our food, health, and future are at risk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyT-6qiubd0 🚶‍♂️🌎This Earth Day, Join the Walk for Children-2026 SaveSoil 5K Walkathon here in Columbus and help raise awareness about soil for the future of our children! Every step you take helps: ✔️ 1. Raise awareness in your communities about protecting and restoring soil. ✔️ 2. Supports sustainable food systems. ✔️ 3. Helps secure our children’s future. 📅 Date: April 26, 2026 📍 Location: Scioto Audubon Metro Park Check-in address 400 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215 ⏰ Time: 8:30 a.m. check-in event starts at 9:30 a.m. 👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walk-for-children-2026-save-soil-walkathon-in-columbus-registration-1986596534713?aff=oddtdtcreator 👉🏼Free and Open to All. Share this message and bring your neighbours, friends & family along to celebrate our planet! Let’s make it happen!

Bienvenue! Columbus French Conversation group invites you to our Saturday morning French conversation club. Expect a casual and welcoming atmosphere in which to learn french! I will bring my laptop so we can look up new vocabulary as needed! The venue is a beautiful French restaurant so you can really get into the zone :)

**Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). Topic: This month Chris Pazsint will be talking about Agentic Coding. How does one use CLI Based Agents, and Agentic IDEs such as Cursor, Kiro, Antigravity? How to include agentic coding plugins for IDEs you already love such as Visual Studio Code. We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.com

**💖 Virtual Speed Dating – Columbia Singles, Curated by Personality** This online speed dating format leans into the human side: strong hosting, repeat attendees, and a sense that the event is part of a growing community. Meet Columbia singles from home. We sort the matching, you just turn up. Quick, hosted rounds on Zoom with Columbia singles paired to your age group and personality. No awkward pauses — just natural conversation. **Register under your age group:** - **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=464.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Columbia&groupurlname=spark-new-gay-friendships-every-night&ar=18-32&face_v=15.0) - **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=464.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Columbia&groupurlname=spark-new-gay-friendships-every-night&ar=30-46&face_v=15.0) - **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=464.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Columbia&groupurlname=spark-new-gay-friendships-every-night&ar=40-58&face_v=15.0) **⚠️ Important: RSVP ≠ registration.** To join, pick your age group below, sign up, and finish the personality quiz. Spots are limited. --- 👥 **Best for:** - Anyone curious about speed dating in a relaxed setting - Introverts who shine in one-on-one conversations - People re-entering the dating scene after a break 📍 **Event snapshot** - **Format:** Virtual on Zoom – hosted and well-structured - **Location:** Your space – couch, desk, wherever suits you - **Host:** Friendly host guiding every round **How the event unfolds** 1. **Sign up** – Tap the link for your age range above. 2. **Complete the quiz** – Short personality quiz so we can match you well. 3. **Hop on Zoom** – Join the call and your host will walk you through it. 4. **Meet your matches** – Cycle through short chats with compatible Columbia singles. ⭐ *"So much better than apps. Actual conversations with real people."* – Columbia attendee **Frequently Asked Questions** **What happens after?** Mutual matches are sent out after the event. **What's the personality quiz for?** **Do I need experience?** **Do I need anything besides Zoom?** --- ✨ Real people, real conversations — all from your home. 🥰 ✨ Compressed version with the essentials only. Concise by design so people can decide quickly. 🤝 **Community angle** - The host keeps the pace clear and the room welcoming - The community matters as much as the session itself - Repeat attendees help create familiarity and momentum The long-term goal is a room people want to come back to, not a one-off event people forget about.

We invite you to an in-person session in Seattle exploring the real impact of AI on knowledge-driven industries — from shifting economics and the disruption of traditional SaaS and consulting models to where organizations can still build lasting competitive advantage. As AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini continue to redefine how work gets done, organizations face a critical question: how can they adapt, remain competitive, and create lasting value? We’ll discuss practical strategies for integrating AI while preserving human expertise, along with actionable approaches to upskilling teams for an AI-driven workplace. Drawing on real-world experience from training thousands of professionals and deploying AI solutions, this session will provide clear, applicable insights for today’s evolving landscape. Following a short presentation, the session will open into an interactive discussion where attendees can share perspectives and explore key questions around the evolving role of humans, organizational adaptation, and staying competitive in an AI-first world. **Who should attend:** • Executives and managers in SaaS, consulting, and knowledge-driven organizations • Professionals exploring AI upskilling and workforce transformation • Anyone interested in the future of AI and knowledge work 📍 **Location:** Data Science Dojo, 5010 148th Ave NE, Suite 200A, Redmond, WA, United States 🔗 **Google Maps:** [https://lnkd.in/d8WA-yNc](https://lnkd.in/d8WA-yNc) **💻 Online Access:** A livestream will be available for those unable to attend in person; however, the full interactive experience is reserved for in-person participants.