The Seth Material

“There’s no recipe for a lightning bolt, enlightenment is always an accident, but there are ways of making yourself more accident-prone” -- *[Richard Rose](https://tatfoundation.org/about-richard-rose/)* \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***“I am struck with how rare it is to find a few good friends on the path. It is easy to find people who simply want to sit and be entertained by teachers, or who want to sit and entertain by playing the role of teacher. In other words, the quest for affirmation often outweighs the quest for truth.*** ***Yet you may have one or two good friends, and definitely have one or two waiting to be discovered. Find them; be thankful.”*** ***— Shawn Nevins*** 'What will make me happy in life?' ... 'Am I my thoughts?' ... 'What is Enlightenment?' ... We meet every week to ask questions like these in the pursuit of Self-Knowledge and Truth. We are interested in topics like: Zen, stoicism, spirituality, psychology, mindfulness, Nisargadatta, non-violent communication, Socrates, existential philosophy, Alan Watts, taoism, Eckhart Tolle, meditation, Ramana Maharshi, etc. But we are not affiliated with any dogma, philosophy, or religion. Our goal each meeting is to serve as mirrors for one another using question-based inquiry in a safe environment. In a session, every participant takes turns discussing the week's question or topic, and the group asks reflective questions without any agenda besides trying to understand the person's beliefs. A few other guiding principles of our group: * No one is obligated to share * Be honest with yourself and others * Do not try to convince others to believe or think as you do * Keep the focus on the person being questioned We meet at the [Bethesda Library](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GWMozF8zpY1m1PY26) every Monday. The library is a 5 minute walk from the Bethesda Metro on the Red Line, approx 25 minute Metro ride from Metro Center and Gallery Place stations. The library has a a parking lot with metered parking for $1/hour. \*\*\* WE WILL BE IN MEETING ROOM 3 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED ----- THE MEETING ROOM IS IN THE BACK OF THE LIBRARY \*\*\* Please contact us with any questions!

The Russian Novelist's semiautobiographical novel set in a Soviet cancer ward shortly after Stalin's death One of the great allegorical masterpieces of world literature, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's Cancer Ward is both a deeply compassionate study of people facing terminal illness and a brilliant dissection of the cancerous Soviet police state. Cancer Ward, which has been compared to the masterpiece of another Nobel Prize winner, The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, examines the relationship of a group of people in the cancer ward of a provincial Soviet hospital in 1955, two years after Stalin's death. While the experiences of the central character, Oleg Kostoglotov, closely reflect the author's own―Solzhenitsyn became a patient in a cancer ward in the mid-1950s, on his release from a labor camp, and later recovered―the patients, as a group, represent a remarkable cross section of contemporary Russian characters and attitudes, both under normal circumstances and then reexamined at the eleventh hour of illness. A seminal work from one of the most powerful voices in twentieth century literature, Cancer Ward offers an extraordinary portrait of life in the Soviet Union.

We'll be doing the Harris Teeter/NIH loop only through the winter

**\*\* MOVED TO TEAISM in PENN QUARTER \*\*** **\*\* 400 8th Street NW\*\*** **\*\* Please be sure to purchase something at the cafe/restaurant \*\*** Join us at Teaism in Penn Quarter for the BitPlebs! DC BitPlebs are [Socratic Seminars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method) that do not require advanced and technical understanding of Bitcoin. The topics we discuss include: \- Freedom tech \- Hashrate and mining economics \- Custody and self\-sovereignty \- On\-chain data \- Scaling solutions \(LN\, Ark\, Cashu\) \- Privacy ​The full agenda will be posted [here](https://bitcoindistrict.org/bitplebs). **IMPORTANT: No photos, videos, or audio recordings. The meeting will be held under the Chatham House rule, meaning it's ok to share information and stories from the session, but not to share who said what.** # **Agenda:** 6:00PM - 6:30PM - Meet & greet 6:30PM - 8:00PM - Discussion 8:00 - Walk nearby for a beer

https://www.solitaireparadise.com/games_list/monopoly.html

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Gaining Greenland, Losing a Continent?”** on the historic roots and political drivers of an unexpected international crisis, with Garret Martin, senior professorial lecturer at American University’s School of International Service and co-director of its Transatlantic Policy Center. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-greenland](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-greenland) .] Most Americans did not give much thought to Greenland prior to the start of President Trump’s second term. That changed, however, in the early weeks of January, when our nation’s President seemed intent on taking over the large island, long part of the Kingdom of Denmark. His demands for the island risked tearing apart the transatlantic alliance, as shown during the Davos World Economic Forum. And while Trump eventually backed down, the crisis could resurface at any time. Gain an understanding of how Greenland found itself in the position of being an international flash point with Garret Martin, an expert on Europe, NATO, foreign policy and transatlantic relations who has given excellent Profs and Pints talks in the past. You’ll learn how the United States’ interest in Greenland has deep roots, dating back to expansion interests in the 19th Century, and strengthened by the island’s security role during the Cold War. We’ll also look at how the abundance of critical minerals in Greenland make it the subject of particular attention, and how interest in Greenland is fundamentally tied to drastic changes occurring in the Arctic. Not only is climate change likely to significantly increase maritime traffic via northern routes, there also is growing concern that the increasing accessibility of the Arctic could make it a major source of military tension between great powers. Finally, Dr. Martin will discuss Greenland as a story of emancipation, describing how the island has sought in past decades to carve greater autonomy from Denmark. You’ll gain an appreciation of how Greenland sits at the intersection of economic security, environmental change, great power rivalry, tensions over sovereignty, and change within the transatlantic alliance, and thus is likely to remain the subject of considerable international attention well into the future. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Greenland’s coast as photographed by Robert Eime (Creative Commons).

Friends Join Us for a Transformative Two-Day Workshop on Authentic Relating on Feb 28th and March 1st. ART Level 1! Authentic Relating is about creating deeper, more meaningful connections by being open, honest, and present with others. In this workshop, you will learn practical tools to communicate more effectively, understand and express your true self, and cultivate empathy and trust in your relationships. **What to Expect:** * **Interactive Exercises:** Engage in a variety of activities designed to help you practice authentic relating principles. * **Group Discussions:** Share experiences and insights in a safe and supportive environment. * **Personal Growth:** Discover new ways to connect with yourself and others on a deeper level. Please RSVP to secure your spot, as space is limited. To learn more please click the link below. You can register online by going here: [https://authenticrelating.co/product/level-1-washington-dc-feb2026/](https://authenticrelating.co/product/level-1-washington-dc-feb2026/) *Enroll before January 28th and get 100 dollars off.*

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Ethics of Good Sex,”** a philosophical and practical guide to promoting pleasure while ensuring respect, with Quill R. Kukla, professor of philosophy and disability studies at Georgetown University and author of *Sex Beyond ‘Yes’: Pleasure and Agency for Everyone.* [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-ethics-good-sex](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-ethics-good-sex) .] Most discourse around sexual ethics—regardless of political orientation—focuses on how sex can go wrong and how we can avoid bad or harmful sex. Our sexual education emphasizes ensuring consent and taking “no” for an answer. But as a society we spend almost no time discussing how to have good sex that is pleasurable for everyone involved and respects everyone’s agency. We are told to make sure that our partner says “yes,” but we are given no tools or roadmaps for what to do to have good sex, rather than minimally ethical sex, after that yes is given. We get no lessons on how to figure out what sexual activities we would actually enjoy, or for how to communicate about sex beyond asking for and giving consent. Gain insights on how to take your discussions with sex partners to the next level with Quill Kukla, a philosopher and long-time participant in queer and kinky alternative sex communities who has written many scholarly and popular articles on sexual consent, communication, and ethics and who consults and gives workshops on safe, pleasurable, and ethical sex in the context of the Berlin club and rave scene. We’ll examine how we can communicate about and enjoy good, pleasurable sex that respects the agency of everyone involved. Among the topics Professor Kukla will discuss: How to figure out what gives us pleasure; how to safely try out new activities that we’re not sure we will like; how to communicate well about sex with our potential partners; and how to manage power differentials within sex. Looking ahead to future generations, Professor Kukla also will discuss how to raise children who will be capable of respecting their partners and of understanding and advocating for their own sexual desires and boundaries. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image by Canva

Come join me to try some Ethiopian food! I’ve heard great things about Sheba—friends say it’s fantastic. Please keep your RSVP up to date so we know how many to expect. I’ll make the reservation under my name and will have a table sign so you can spot us easily. \*\* Appetizer : $7 Entrees/Combos : $18-$22 \*\* They serve wine and beer. \*\* Individual Checks. \*\* Free Parking in front of the restaurant. Here's the menu: https://www.ordershebarockville.com/

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation as we discuss ***Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It* by Cory Doctorow** Here's the summary: **Explaining the process of the “enshittification” of digital platforms over time and what to do about it.** Cory Doctorow's *Enshittification* takes a witty yet incisive look at the tech landscape, where platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Google start off great—before they inevitably turn terrible. In this contemporary moment of digital decline, Doctorow explores how tech giants lure users in with convenience and then degrade their services over time, squeezing profit at the cost of user experience. With a mix of sharp humor and deep insight, he unveils the slow creep of "enshittification," turning the online world into a worse place, one algorithm at a time. **Let’s meet at Caboose Commons in Fairfax to enjoy some good discussion and meet new friends.**

Right off of I-270, easily accessible. Join us for a fun and friendly pickup soccer game. Games will be held at Walter Johnson High School turf field every Saturday. Look for a red tote bag. When coming to the field. If the field is closed for the day. Backup location will be Stratton Local Park, a 5 min drive from the HS. We will group up and split into two teams to play. Preferably bring a light and dark shirt. To make organizing teams easier. No harsh language No harsh fouls Come to play for fun

We invite you to an engaging evening of wine, cheese and lively conversation around Alison Espach's ***The Wedding People,*** a propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew. **From Goodreads:** It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other. In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s *The Wedding People* is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us. As always, please feel free to join even if you have not finished the book - no stress :-) All attendees are asked to please bring one of the following: 1. A bottle of wine 2. Cheese and Crackers 3. An alternate beverage or nosh of your choice Host will provide glasses, wine opener, plates & napkins. To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we would like to keep the group small. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 2 friends. Exciting Updates for 2026 Book Club! Starting in January 2026, we’ll be implementing a new system for book recommendations that will make our reading selections even more collaborative and engaging! **Book Recommendations:** From January through October, members can submit book recommendations at each meeting, via email, text or Meetup DM. All suggestions will be added to a shared Google Sheet, which will include links to Goodreads and other pertinent information for each book. [LINK to 2027 BOOK LIST](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18AC_FH9bGGxyH6v7Rw36EvPtKtVl5e_N/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102804280893316002961&rtpof=true&sd=true) **Voting for 2027 Reads:** Our voting for next year’s book selections will take place during the November 2026 meeting. Members in attendance will have the opportunity to cast 12 votes for their favorite picks. If you’re unable to attend the November meeting, you can still participate! Simply submit 6 votes via email, text, or DM through Meetup before the start of the November meeting. **Announcement of Selections:** The chosen books for 2027 will be revealed at the end of the November meeting. We’re excited about this new process and can’t wait to see the amazing book recommendations you all have! ✨ PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO ATTEND WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join us. In the event you do not communicate and are a no-show, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding. If you are unable to join us in February, we hope you'll remain interested and join us for an evening in the future. Looking forward to wine & cheese with you soon - happy reading!

Join us as we get together to see the period drama / classic monster movie, THE BRIDE! The film is written/directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and stars Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale in a new take on the classic tale, The Bride of Frankenstein. We'll be seeing this one on Thurs, 3/5 one day ahead of the film's opening on Friday. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein's creature asks Dr. Euphronius to create a companion for him. They give life to a murdered woman as "the Bride," sparking romance, police interest and radical social change. It is written, directed and co-produced by Maggie Gyllenhaal and stars Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal and Penélope Cruz. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-qJkAXLfYM PARKING: Close, convenient parking is available in the nearby garage (located between 9th and 11th, just off High St). Bring your ticket with you and have it validated at the theater and for $2, you’re covered for the night! PLAN: Please purchase your ticket for the 7:00pm showing and we’ll meet inside the upstairs lobby between 6:40 and 6:50pm. Advance ticket purchase is advised (via Gateway website preferred). Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments below! Pre-show bite at Cazuela’s next door at 5:30pm. Please arrive by 5:30pm and ask for the Movie Group! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Join us as we get together to see SIRAT, an Oscar-nominated Best International Film from Spain that follows a father, accompanied by his son, goes looking for his missing daughter in North Africa. Here’s a description, trailer and our plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: A father, accompanied by his son arrive at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco while searching for his daughter who vanished months ago at one of these endless, sleepless parties. As their search continues, the journey forces them to confront their own limits. The film is directed by Oliver Laxe and stars Sergi Lopez, Bruno Nunez Arjona and Richard Bellamy. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww-IXHXvS70 BUZZ & ACCLAIM: SIRAT has already won numerous awards, including 4 at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, along with the Chicago, Montclair and Toronto International Film Festivals! It also earned a whopping 11 nominations at the 40th Goya Awards, including Best Film and Director, and was nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound at this year’s Academy Awards. The film is earning a stellar 92% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes which calls it “an unforgettable exercise in tension” and “a brutal reminder that the journey can be more important than the destination.” PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will confirm/announce details as the date gets closer. Once showtime is confirmed, advance purchase (via GFC website preferred) is advised! Once you have your ticket, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. PARKING: Close, convenient parking is available in the nearby garage (located between 9th and 11th, just off High St). Bring your ticket with you and have it validated at the theater and for $2, you’re covered for the night! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** *Spec-Driven Development with GitHub Spec-Kit: From Intent to Implementation* Spec-driven development flips the traditional workflow on its head: instead of code being the source of truth, the specification becomes the backbone of design, collaboration, and delivery. In this session, we’ll explore how GitHub Spec-Kit enables teams to treat specifications as first-class artifacts—living documents that drive architecture, implementation, and verification. You’ll learn how Spec-Kit helps teams clearly express intent using structured, version-controlled specs that live alongside code. We’ll walk through a practical workflow that starts with defining system behavior and constraints, then progressively refines those specs into testable, automatable outcomes. Along the way, we’ll show how specs can reduce ambiguity, improve cross-functional collaboration, and make design decisions explicit before a single line of production code is written. This talk will cover: --What spec-driven development is (and what it isn’t) --How GitHub Spec-Kit fits into modern developer workflows --Using specs to align product, engineering, and AI-assisted development --Real-world examples of turning specs into implementations with confidence Whether you’re building greenfield systems, integrating AI into your stack, or trying to reduce costly rework, spec-driven development offers a scalable way to move faster without sacrificing clarity. Attendees will leave with concrete patterns and a clear mental model for adopting GitHub Spec-Kit in their own projects. **YouTube Link** TBA

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/cbus-hug-2026/

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!