Self Exploration

## **Moving Beyond Us Versus Them with Sister Jenna** **Join renowned speaker, Sister Jenna, at our new Brahma Kumaris location in Chantilly, VA for this powerful event!** ## ***Beyond sides. Beyond stories. Into connection.*** In a world increasingly shaped by polarization, uncertainty, and “Us versus Them” thinking, many people are feeling weary, guarded, or disconnected, sometimes without realizing how deeply it has affected them. *Moving Beyond Us Versus Them* offers a timely and healing invitation to step out of division and into understanding. In this reflective session, Sister Jenna guides us to examine how labels, opinions, and unconscious biases quietly shape our perceptions and reactions. Rather than engaging in debate or blame, this session creates space to rise above conditioned thinking and reconnect with our shared humanity, where compassion, dignity, and mutual respect naturally emerge. This session is not about choosing sides, it’s about choosing consciousness, connection, and the courage to see one another anew. ***Sister Dr. Jenna*** *is a spiritual mentor, author, radio and TV personality, renowned speaker, and the founder of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum located in Maryland. She hosted the popular America Meditating Radio Show and is a recipient of the President’s Lifetime National Community Service Award. Sister Dr. Jenna is a member of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle, a group of thought leaders from diverse disciplines in service to conscious evolution and was selected by Empower A Billion Women 2020 as one of 100 most influential leaders of 2015.* *She is the author of “[Meditation: Intimate Experiences with the Divine through Contemplative Practices](https://www.amazon.com/Meditation-Experiences-Contemplative-Practices-Sentience/dp/194502691X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3A4J9WRQ16QAJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.va3qPnUsFjEWH641OraGTqBHm8wDhdhrTu3hpjHufKo.7mA_AgIvDXQuQ9_Uu4ucZgQIOKmCfKb6yBHsIqamhPY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Meditation%3A+Intimate+Experiences+with+the+Divine+through+Contemplative+Practices&qid=1753065633&sprefix=meditation+intimate+experiences+with+the+divine+through+contemplative+practices%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-1),” a profound compilation featuring insights from over 30 contributing authors and she contributed to “[Mr. President – Interfaith Perspectives on the Historic Presidency of Barack H. Obama,](https://www.amazon.com/Mr-President-Interfaith-Perspectives-Presidency/dp/1939774306/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38LXE3LGDPJ6C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lSb0fzkCXPXp-Gf4ReVNoA.5hIb1TKNvtmLu65w2R4-l13WjyXAzF-rRFtQzDsRTcg&dib_tag=se&keywords=Mr.+President+%E2%80%93+Interfaith+Perspectives+on+the+Historic+Presidency+of+Barack+H.+Obama%2C&qid=1753065692&sprefix=mr.+president+interfaith+perspectives+on+the+historic+presidency+of+barack+h.+obama%2C%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1)” offering her unique spiritual insights on leadership and unity.* Sunday, March 29th, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm. Held at Brahma Kumaris Center, 14020 Thunderbolt Pl, Suite 200, 2nd Floor, Chantilly, VA. Free Event – Register at: [https://shorturl.at/fTuNz](https://shorturl.at/fTuNz)

• Having problems with negative thoughts? • Would you like to retrain your brain to see the possibilities and choice in life • Would you like more awareness in life so you are observing rather than reacting? • Would you like to learn a healing modality that is EFFECTIVE, and EASY TO USE? Learn the Bars® and be able to contribute to yourself and loved ones. Access Bars® has assisted thousands of people to change many aspects of their body and their life including sleep, health, weight, money, sex and relationships, anxiety, stress and so much more. Access is a dynamic set of tools, techniques and philosophies that can change any area of life. What would you really like to change? Access helps you to release the limiting beliefs and conclusions that are keeping you from having the life you truly desire. . At best, you can change your life. This class includes: Coaching by Uma Alexandra Beepat-Certified Bars Facilitator Viewing “Access the Bars” DVD with founder Gary Douglas personally demonstrating the techniques. Receiving TWO Bars sessions and Giving TWO Bars sessions A comprehensive manual and summary chart to assist you in running the Bars on your own. After this one-day class: • You will be certified as a Bars Practitioner and can offer sessions to others. • You will be registered with Access Consciousness and will receive supportive emails and recordings to assist you on your path! • You can participate in monthly Access shares set up by Uma. Many people have created successful businesses and lives with this unique, gentle therapy. Or you can add these powerful tools to enhance your existing business as a teacher, healer or coach. What are the infinite possibilities? Cost: $440 for new students, $220 for past students of Access Bars RSVP: https://bit.ly/AccessBars0326 Payment is required prior to class. Please email Uma on here and make payment arrangements. Email: info@thelotusandthelight.com

(2024) by Christof Koch, 288 pages [Psychology] • Hardcover • Kindle • Audiobook • Library: https://fcplcat.fairfaxcounty.gov/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=613100 Check the How To Find Us section for Zoom Link **(Remember, the Zoom Link is different each month, do not bookmark)** ### Review "A wonderful book."―Sam Harris, Making Sense with Sam Harris “a fun introduction to a number of debates… Mr. Koch’s book provokes questions… and counterarguments, but that’s what gives it life.” ―The Wall Street Journal “Easily the most current, thorough, and helpful exploration of consciousness available. Koch’s light, simple, yet authoritative writing style will appeal to general audiences as well as scientists and researchers. An essential, highly recommended purchase.”―Library Journal “magisterial… charming, sometimes beautiful, and almost always illuminating” ―Science Magazine “an impressive and sometimes exuberant work, showcasing decades of [Koch’s] research”―New Scientist “Koch’s adept use of analogies and entertaining anecdotes — complete with his own near-death experience and psychedelic drug trips — make the book a compelling and surprisingly light read.” ―Science News “undeniably compelling… a smoothly written must-read for anyone interested in a detailed introduction to the relationship between the brain, consciousness, and transformative experiences” ―Ars Technica “Expertly weaving in personal experience with science that few, if any, can speak more authoritatively about, Koch leads us on an amazing journey of consciousness—from birth to death. Deeply personal and infinitely digestible, Then I Am Myself the World is a remarkable must read for anyone interested in knowing their mind.”―Judson Brewer MD, PhD, New York Times–bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety “Koch’s latest book brilliantly navigates the intricate landscape of our mind and our brain, offering insightful perspectives on the nature of conscious experiences, both ordinary as well as extraordinary ones.”―Hartmut Neven, founder and lead of Google’s quantum AI lab “Then I Am Myself the World is the new record of note for the scientific understanding of consciousness. This is an elegant tableau, a travelogue of subjective experience grounded in the latest neuroscience and philosophy traversing religion, science, and a life dedicated to the biggest questions. Filled with crystalline prose, lucid explanation, and revelatory honesty, this book will continue to be read centuries from now.”―Patrick House, author of Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness “What would happen if a hardcore neuroscientist, with encyclopedic knowledge and four decades of experience in his field, were personally confronted with transformative mystical experiences carrying inevitable metaphysical implications? What would happen if the neuroscientist in question were open-minded, humble, but remained rigorously grounded in reason, evidence, and his hard-earned understanding of how consciousness relates to brain structures and function? What would he, the most preeminent professional of his generation, make of his extraordinary experiences? And what if, in addition, the neuroscientist was a modern renaissance man versed in physics, philosophy, the arts, the classics, and could pluck irresistibly evocative metaphors from the Western literary and artistic canon as if leisurely picking apples in early fall? This is what you will find in this treasured book, a whirlwind ride of insight after insight—so many they can’t possibly be all documented in footnotes—that will surprise and delight you from the get-go. ‘Primacy goes to consciousness, not to the objective world,’ he boldly states already on page two, in a prelude of things to come. ‘Everything else follows from there, including the realist assumption of the existence of objects, out ‘there,’ independent of my experiencing them.’ The book embodies the ever-evolving wisdom of a man whose intellectual prowess is only matched by his intellectual honesty. And this man, in the seventh decade of his scintillatingly productive life, has a lifetime of learning to share with you.”―Bernardo Kastrup, executive director, Essentia Foundation “Koch’s first book was entitled The Quest for Consciousness. And such has been Koch’s life, an adventurer’s pursuit of a distant goal, undeterred by the prevailing winds. The reader will learn where this quest has led and, like the author, will be enriched by it. Koch, one of the most accomplished scientists of our time, a mind singularly open to learning and changing, here opens his soul, revealing his vast, scintillating appreciation of nature in all its forms. It is a touching, profound book. Which is as it should be, since consciousness touches everything and is everything we touch.”―Giulio Tononi, University of Wisconsin-Madison ### About the Author Christof Koch is a neuroscientist at the Allen Institute and at the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation, the former president of the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and a former professor at the California Institute of Technology. Author of four previous titles, Koch writes regularly for a range of media, including Scientific American. He lives in the Pacific Northwest.

**✅ First class is FREE – only 10 spots available!** Learn real self-defense skills in a small-group setting. No experience needed, open to all adults. 📲 RSVP now and text Jim at **301-326-9146** to confirm—once spots are gone, they’re gone. ## **Free Intro Self-Defense Class – Maryland Systema** Want to learn how to protect yourself while also improving your health, focus, and confidence? Join us for a free first class at **Maryland Systema**, a unique approach to self-defense that blends both physical and mental training. *** ### **Why This Class is Different** Unlike most programs that only teach physical moves, Systema trains your body **and** your mind. You’ll explore: * **Structure** – staying balanced under pressure * **Breathing** – keeping calm and controlling fear * **Relaxation** – avoiding panic and wasted energy * **Movement** – adapting naturally to any situation You’ll also learn to read an attacker’s intentions and respond proportionately—aligned with Maryland’s self-defense laws. *** ### **What You’ll Gain** ✔ Practical skills you can use right away ✔ Better stress control and awareness ✔ Improved strength, mobility, and coordination ✔ Confidence in handling real-world situations *** ### **Class Info** 📍 **Location:** Woodley Gardens Park in the brick building (free parking) 🕒 **Length:** 1.5 hours 👥 **Small Group:** Max 10 students for personalized guidance 👖 **What to Wear:** Comfortable long pants and clothes you can move in 💵 **Cost:** Free for first-time students *** ### **How to Join** RSVP here on Meetup to save your spot, then text Jim at **301-326-9146** to confirm. Spots are limited—once the group fills, we close registration. *** **Maryland Systema** Real-world self-defense training for adults—helping you stay ready, stay calm, and stay safe.

**A relaxed, good-vibe Valentine’s Day afternoon for adults who don’t want the pressure, awkwardness, or heaviness today.** Not a dating event. Not a support group. Just a warm room, good people, and simple **conversation games that make it easy to meet others who are also starting fresh.** If Valentine’s Day feels weird, quiet, or emotionally loaded this year, spend it in a space where you can actually laugh, feel lighter, and connect with grounded adults who get it. *** **🔍 What You’ll Experience** • Simple partner rotations (guided and easy) • Light, feel-good Valentine’s prompts **• Fun conversation games (not cheesy, not romantic)** • A mix of divorced and separated adults in similar life chapters • A comfortable, pressure-free room • Good energy without oversharing or awkward silence **Everything is structured. You show up — the flow does the rest.** *** **💼 Who It’s For** • Divorced adults • Separated adults • People navigating midlife transitions • Anyone starting fresh and not wanting to spend Feb 14 alone Most attendees are in their **late 30s to mid 50s** — grounded, normal people who want something better to do today than sit at home replaying the past. This is a chance to be around others in similar seasons without labels, pressure, or expectations. *** **✅ Location, Cost & Time** 📍 **Rented facility:** **Ashburn (zip 20147)** — exact address shared after RSVP 🕒 **2:00 PM – 4:00 PM** 💵 **$15 per person —** feel free to bring a guest (just have them RSVP separately). ☕ **Coffee + light snacks provided** *** **🎯 The Vibe** Think: **calm, warm, easy, friendly, real.** Not romantic. Not forced. Just a space where people talk, laugh, and feel human again on a day that can feel heavy. **And if a natural connection happens — great.** If not, you still walk away lighter than you came. **✅ Space is limited to keep the room comfortable and conversational.** RSVP if you’d like to join this small-group Valentine’s gathering. 🌐 Explore more: [https://midlifereinvention.co](https://midlifereinvention.co)

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.